Rule of thumb: if you think something is clever and sophisticated beware-it is probably self-indulgence.
Donald A. NormanWhen you have trouble with thingsโwhether it's figuring out whether to push or pull a door or the arbitrary vagaries of the modern computer and electronics industriesโit's not your fault. Don't blame yourself: blame the designer.
Donald A. NormanToo many companies believe that all they must do is provide a 'neat' technology or some 'cool' product or, sometimes, just good, solid engineering. Nope. All of those are desirable (and solid engineering is a must), but there is much more to a successful product than that: understanding how the product is to be used, design, engineering, positioning, marketing, branding-all matter. It requires designing the Total User Experience.
Donald A. NormanGood design is also an act of communication between the designer and the user, except that all the communication has to come about by the appearance of the device itself. The device must explain itself.
Donald A. NormanI think a successful company is one where everybody owns the same mission. Out of necessity, we divide ourselves up into discipline groups. But the goal when you are actually doing the work is to somehow forget what discipline group you are in and come together. So in that sense, nobody should own user experience; everybody should own it.
Donald A. Norman