TED Talks never disappoint.

Firstly, and this must be said, Don Norman is adorable.

But in all seriousness, after reading the Ten Commandments of Design and the Thinking and Making document, I was beginning to feel that design, for the most part, is a pretty heavy topic and I forgot that actual people with emotions are the consumers of design. Norman seems to be all about judging design on how well it interacts with a person, what kind of emotions it causes and how well it satisfies the three levels on which design affects humans.

First, the visceral level. This level is all about the physical qualities of an object and how it pleases the human. The visceral level includes things like color, type fonts, shape and the appearance of an object. I suppose one could say it’s basically about how eye-catching something is, and who doesn’t want their design to be eye catching? Things that appeal to us on the visceral level appeal to the shallow side of human nature and to our senses.

My mixing bowl affects people on this level not as excitingly as say, a sports car, but it affects someone nonetheless. The bowl is simple and makes someone think it’s useful and utilitarian, it would appeal to someone whose personal style tends towards minimalist considering that it’s simple metal and matte black.

The second level is the behavioral level and it affects our subconscious. According to Norman this level is all about feeling in control. I can’t think of a more obvious example to explain the need for control in a design than the one he used about the knife, however the bowl would apply here as well. Since the bottom is coated with a non slip rubber it makes the user feel in control because the bowl isn’t sliding around while being used.

The third level has to do with the super ego; and the super ego loves attention. Norman uses examples like the Hummer and an electric car. One might buy it because they simply like the design, but beneath their conscious decision is the superego saying, “You’ll get so much attention. People will wonder who’s that guy driving the Hummer? I bet he’s in control of his life.” or “Wow. She’s so eco-conscious.” in the case of the electric car.

While I’m sure most objects have a strong effect on the subconscious/superego, I doubt that there’s much third level activity concerning the bowl’s design. While it is designed well, it doesn’t exactly project any image that someone would specifically desire to have. Although, I suppose it could make people think the owner likes to cook thus would pay attention to detail when it comes to purchasing something they would use often.

I really enjoyed this TED Talk because it showed the lighter side of design, the side that makes people happy. In the end, I think that that’s one of the ultimate purposes of design: to elevate the quality of life that those who interact with design experience.