Don Norman: Evolution of Design, Cognitive Science & Shaping the Future fireside chat on ADPList
Last night, I tuned into a fireside chat with Don Norman and Felix Lee on ADPList. Don Norman, an educator, who has shaped the design industry through his work in the industry and academia, has come out of retirement five times! The discussion covered not only his work as a pioneer, but also the evolving design landscape, the role of technology, and the ethics of the field.
One of the key takeaways from the discussion was this “People often ask me about the difference between user-centered design and human-centered design, I recommend focusing on a humanity-centered design…” This shift is to not only consider individual needs but also broader societal impacts when designing. Norman, advocated for aligning design efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encompasses a wide range of objectives, from eradicating poverty to promoting gender equality and combating climate change.
On the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a prominent topic of discussion. Norman, shared that Geoffrey Hinton, aka “godfather of deep learning” was someone he worked with closely in the early days of AI. His research has been instrumental in enabling AI systems to learn from large amounts of data and making accurate predictions. The “T” in ChatGPT is thanks to him. Whilst AI is based on historical data and can sometimes perpetuate biases it still lacks the understanding when it comes to emotions, politics, or ethics. It is important to note that what we see today will be very different to what we will see in 5 years.
Nonetheless, it has the potential to improve our lives in countless ways and by educating ourselves better about it we can become more skilled in our areas. There is a misconception that AI will only automate low-skilled jobs. In reality, AI has the potential to automate or augment tasks at all levels of work, researchers and developers are actively working on addressing its limitations. This includes creating more diverse datasets, developing more advanced algorithms, and implementing ethical frameworks. We can harness its potential while minimizing potential risks and challenges.
The conversation also touched upon the intersection of history and design, highlighting how studying the past, such as the history of cotton, can offer valuable insights into contemporary issues. For example, just as the cotton industry was instrumental in driving the Industrial Revolution, AI is currently playing a key role in the ongoing digital revolution. And just as the production of cotton raised ethical concerns about labor and human rights, the development and use of AI is raising ethical questions about privacy, bias, and automation.
Another topic of discussion was the teaching of design with a more holistic approach outside of the craft itself. “We have to change the way we educate designers… We can’t just focus on the individuals who use the products or services we design; we have to consider all of humanity and the ecological systems in which we exist.” By drawing insights from diverse fields, designers can gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and create more meaningful solutions. Norman suggested to understand human behaviour we should learn from novelist opposed to psychology although it can certainly provide valuable insights into human behaviour. Novelist have a deep understanding of the human experience, gained through observation, empathy, and storytelling.
Check out Don Norman’s website: www.jnd.org and apply for his award on: www.dnda.design.
If you have read this article up until the end that’s amazing! I will be writing some more in the coming weeks :)
