Reference Information
Title: Things That Make Us Smart
Author: Donald A. Norman
Editors: Broadway Books (1993)
Summary
Chapter 3: The Power of Representation (34 pages)
In this chapter Norman discusses the use of external aids and how they make us smart. He deems the most important of these the paper and pencil. He discusses cognitive artifacts and how people use them to keep track of complex events. There are two parts of a representational system: the represented world and representing world. Examples he uses are: getting flight information, representing numbers, filling medical prescripts and tic tac toe. He talks about how a person represents something makes the task related to the representation easier/more difficult to do.
Chapter 4: Fitting the Artifact to the Person (38 pages)
Norman continues to discuss artifacts and how an artifact fits a person. He talks about the difference between surface artifacts and internal artifacts. Surface artifacts are everything on the surface, or rather, what we see is all there is and internal artifacts are information that is represented internally. He gives a few examples such as the Tower of Hanoi to demonstrate that problems that are the same can appear different due to the amount of information present in an environment.
Discussion
I liked what Norman talked about when he discussed representing numbers. Also, the examples he used in chapter 4 were really good. I also liked when he talked about the different ways information is represented and how the best way depends on the information and task performed.
Summary
Chapter 3: The Power of Representation (34 pages)
In this chapter Norman discusses the use of external aids and how they make us smart. He deems the most important of these the paper and pencil. He discusses cognitive artifacts and how people use them to keep track of complex events. There are two parts of a representational system: the represented world and representing world. Examples he uses are: getting flight information, representing numbers, filling medical prescripts and tic tac toe. He talks about how a person represents something makes the task related to the representation easier/more difficult to do.
Chapter 4: Fitting the Artifact to the Person (38 pages)
Norman continues to discuss artifacts and how an artifact fits a person. He talks about the difference between surface artifacts and internal artifacts. Surface artifacts are everything on the surface, or rather, what we see is all there is and internal artifacts are information that is represented internally. He gives a few examples such as the Tower of Hanoi to demonstrate that problems that are the same can appear different due to the amount of information present in an environment.
Discussion
I liked what Norman talked about when he discussed representing numbers. Also, the examples he used in chapter 4 were really good. I also liked when he talked about the different ways information is represented and how the best way depends on the information and task performed.
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