Inspired by Don Norman’s principles from The Design of Everyday Things

Required functions (≈8)

Design clear, discoverable controls for a basic radio that can:

1. Turn on/off
2. Adjust volume
3. Tune / select frequency or station
4. Switch bands (AM / FM)
5. Seek or scan for the next station
6. Store / recall presets (a small number of favorite stations)
7. Mute
8. Adjust tone (bass/treble) or balance (left/right speakers) — choose one or include a simple version of both if it still feels manageable

You may lightly combine related functions (e.g., a single control that handles both power and volume) if the mapping remains natural and obvious. Keep the total interface legible; the point is good design under moderate complexity, not feature overload.

Activity steps

1. Observe first

   Examine any radio, speaker, car stereo, or phone media player you have access to. Note which of the eight functions are easy, which require memory or trial-and-error, and where mapping or feedback fails.
   
   

2. Design while applying Norman’s principles

   Sketch the panel, describe the interactions in writing, or build a quick physical prototype with household objects. Explicitly address for each function (or logical group of functions):
   
   
   • Affordances & signifiers — What shape, size, texture, or placement tells the user what the control does?
     
     
   • Mapping — Is the relationship between control movement and effect natural (clockwise = louder/higher frequency, spatial layout matching speaker positions, etc.)?
     
     
   • Constraints — What physical, cultural, or logical limits reduce errors?
     
     
   • Feedback — How does the radio immediately confirm the action (sound change, light, tactile click, visual indicator)?
     
     
   • Conceptual model — Does the whole set of eight controls form a coherent mental picture so the user can predict what will happen?
     
     
   • Visibility & discoverability — Can a first-time user figure out the main actions without a manual?
     
     

3. Two versions (strongly recommended)
   

   • Version A: A good design that prioritizes Norman’s principles across all ≈8 functions.
     
     
   • Version B (optional but insightful): A deliberately poor or “stylish but frustrating” design that violates the principles. Compare the two side-by-side.
     
     

4. Walk through the seven stages of action
   

   
   Pick two realistic goals, for example:
   
   
   • “Turn it on, find a clear FM station, set a comfortable volume, and store it as a preset.”
     
     
   • “Mute the radio quickly, then unmute and switch to AM.”
     
     Trace goal → intention → specify action → execute → perceive → interpret → evaluate. Note where your design supports or breaks the flow.
     
     

5. Reflect
   

   • Which functions were hardest to map naturally? Why?
     
     
   • What trade-offs appeared once you reached eight functions (aesthetics vs. clarity, number of physical controls vs. modes)?
     
     
   • How does this exercise illustrate the “paradox of technology” Norman describes — more functions increase power but also the risk of confusion unless design keeps actions legible?
     
     
   • Connection to the Digital Renaissance Fair themes: evolution as non-teleological design through variation + selection + feedback; physicalist magick as making causal mechanisms visible and testable.

Tips

• A rough labeled sketch or simple written description is enough. Focus on clarity of interaction, not artistic finish.
• Combining a couple of related functions is fine if the resulting control still feels obvious and provides good feedback.
• If a control needs a mode or secondary action, make the mode itself highly visible and recoverable.
• Work alone at your own speed.