Norman Doors: Finding Opportunities for Innovation

Have you ever encountered a "Norman Door"? A "Norman Door" is a door where the design tells you to do the opposite of what you're actually supposed to do. It gives you the wrong signal and needs a sign to correct it. They're named Norman Doors after Don Norman, a UC San Diego cognitive scientist who identified this phenomenon in his book "The Design of Everyday Things." According to Norman, pushing on a door that says "pull" isn't necessarily your fault, it is just poorly designed.

So what's the solution. Norman says the two most important characteristics of design are discoverability and feedback. Discoverability is the ability to look at something (a product or a service) and know what's possible to do with it. Feedback is any sort of visible or tangible reaction that helps signal whether the attempted use of the product or service is successful.

Join us as we set out in the neighborhood to find and photograph objects or services that illustrate the "Norman Door" dilemma. Once we find our favorite things in need of a redesign, we will head back to the workshop to redesign them and to solve their "Norman Door" dilemma. Then we will reflect on thoughtless designs we may be encountering in our work that might be ripe for innovation.

Plan to arrive early. The activities build on each other and if you miss the start, you will miss the opportunity to participate in the activities. Space is limited!

What you'll learn:

• How to identify unusable designs

• How to redesign objects and/or services in need of innovation

• How to apply observation skills to innovation-ripe opportunities

Are you ready to get out of your comfort zone and have fun? Come with an open mind and lots of energy.

Agenda

6:30 - Networking

6:45 - Introduction to the "Norman Doors" Dilemma

7:00 - Norman Doors Inspiration Walk (we are going outside so bring your coats)

7:40 - Norman Doors Redesign

8:15 - Debrief

8:45 - End

About the Facilitator
Karen Hold is a design strategist who specializes in building creative capacity in individuals, organizations and cities. She thrives on helping her clients innovate and adapt to a rapidly changing competitive landscape. Karen has extensive industry experience across many sectors including telecommunications, consumer packaged goods, publishing, non-profits and education. Karen is the Director of DT:DC.