Response to Chapter 5

This chapter discussed all the errors that are made when using interfaces and how they usually happen. Norman describes these errors to be "slips" and puts them in many different categories. The main idea i got from this chapter is that as a designer you must presume that the person using your interface is going to make mistakes, therefore that must be taken into account. I can relate to some of the small errors Norman discussed. Just the other day i went to close a document i had made and was in a rush. I thought i had saved it and since i was in a hurry i exited it out and when something popped up asking if i would like to save my work i hit no without thinking. All of my work was erased even though the computer still tried to remind me to save it. I subconsciously was thinking of what else i had to do after that and did not acknowledge the pop up. Realizing how often errors can be made can better help a designer think of ways to prevent these errors. Although it is obvious that no matter what a design can not be slip-proof, there are steps that can be taken to make it easier to prevent errors.