

Why It Feels Right: Affordance and the Mind’s Hidden Expectations
7 snips Jun 16, 2025
Ever wonder why some products feel natural while others leave you puzzled? This discussion dives into the psychology of affordances—subtle cues that guide users intuitively. Discover how design elements can either enhance or confuse user experience. Learn about Don Norman's concepts of affordances, signifiers, and anti-affordances. Real-world examples illustrate the power of creating intuitive designs that align with human expectations, equipping you with insights to design products that feel just right.
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Everyday Design Confusions
- Pulling a door handle to push shows how design can mislead users.
- Confusing remote controls can frustrate users when expected buttons are missing or unclear.
Understanding Affordances
- Affordances reveal what actions an object naturally invites us to do.
- They include functional affordance (ability to act) and perceptual affordance (appearance of action).
Prospect Refuge Theory
- Prospect refuge theory explains environments that feel safe with open views and sheltered spots.
- Such design cues afford comfort by balancing visibility and protection.