Donald Norman
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (June 2011) Donald A. Norman Norman at the About, With and For conference in 2005 Born (1935-12-25) December 25, 1935 (age 79) Residence United States Nationality American Fields Cognitive science Usability engineering Institutions Nielsen Norman Group Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Alma mater MIT University of Pennsylvania Thesis Sensory Thresholds And Response Biases In Detection Experiments, A Theoretical And Experimental Analysis (1962) Doctoral advisor R. Duncan Luce Known for The Design of Everyday Things Cognitive ergonomics User-centered design Donald Arthur "Don" Norman (born December 25, 1935) is the director of The Design Lab at University of California, San Diego. He is best known for his books on design, especially The Design of Everyday Things. He is widely regarded for his expertise in the fields of design, usability engineering, and cognitive science. He is also a co-founder and consultant with the Nielsen Norman Group. Much of Norman's work involves the advocacy of user-centered design. His books all have the underlying purpose of furthering the field of design, from doors to computers. Norman has taken a controversial stance in saying that the design research community has had little impact in the innovation of products, and that while academics can help in refining existing products, it is technologists that accomplish the breakthroughs. Norman had been splitting his time between co-directing the dual-degree MBA and Engineering program at Northwestern University and consulting with the Nielsen Norman Group. Norman announced that he would no longer teach full-time after the 2009–2010 academic year. Norman is an active Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology where he spends two months a year teaching. He also holds the title of Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Science at the University of California, San Diego. He is on numerous educational, private, and public sector advisory boards including the editorial board of Encyclopædia Britannica.