Chapter 2 delves into human psychology to understand how people behave and evaluate their actions. Drawing on his training in psychology, Norman addresses emotions and understanding before translating his findings into concrete design principles.

How People Do Things: The Gulfs of Execution and Evaluation

Norman describes two gulfs people face when using products: 1) the gulf of execution, where people work out how something operates; and 2) the gulf of evaluation, where they try to understand how well their expectations were met. Most people blame themselves when they experience difficulties using products. Norman argues that the problem lies not with users, but with designs. Good design bridges the gulfs of execution and evaluation by delving deeply into the psychology of human action.

The Seven Stages of Action

Norman explains the seven stages of human action in clear, non-technical terms, making psychology accessible to non-specialists. The stages are: 1) forming a goal; 2) planning action; 3) specifying the sequence of action; 4) performing the action sequence; 5) perceiving the state of the world; 6) interpreting the perceptions; and 7) comparing the outcome with the goal.

Not all parts of the cycle are conscious, nor do they have to be performed in sequence. Rather, human action comprises numerous sequences with multiple

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