Norman doors


If you can't tell whether to push or pull to open a door, it's called a Norman Door.

Norman Door = Bad Design

The term was coined by a renowned designer, Don Norman, who wrote a linchpin book in the design world, "The Design of Every Day Things."

Vertical handles on either side of a door are the common culprit. They may look aesthetically good but they're confusing to use correctly the first time.

"The design of a door should indicate how to work it without any need for signs, certainly without any need for trial and error." -Don Norman

Unintuitive design isn't limited to doors. 

USBs never go in the correct way on the first attempt.

My iPad Pro doesn't power off by holding down the power button. I need to hold the power button and a volume button.

A row of identical light switches is impossible to figure out until you try each one. 

There are a plethora of examples out there. I'm sure you have one in mind. When a product irritated you because it clearly didn't communicate what it should.

Don't blame yourself, blame the designer. 
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