Things That Make Us Smart: Defending Human Attributes in the Age of the Machine

In Things That Make Us Smart, Donald A. Norman explores the complex interaction between human thought and the technology it creates, arguing for the development of machines that fit our minds, rather than minds that must conform to the machine.Humans have always worked with objects to extend our cognitive powers, from counting on our fingers to designing massive supercomputers. But advanced technology does more than merely assist with thought and memory--the machines we create begin to shape how we think and, at times, even what we value. Norman, in exploring this complex relationship between humans and machines, gives us the first steps towards demanding a person-centered redesign of the machines that surround our lives.

Author: Don Norman, Tamara Dunaeff
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 04/21/1994
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.90d
ISBN13: 9780201626957
ISBN10: 0201626950
BISAC Categories:
- Science | Philosophy & Social Aspects
- Social Science | General

About the Author
Donald A. Norman is Professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University, a former "Apple Fellow," and a partner in the Nielsen Norman Group Consulting Firm, which consults with corporations on design. He is the author of a number of books on design, including Emotional Design and the best-selling The Design of Everyday Things. He lives in Northbrook, Illinois and Palo Alto, California.