Books
I learn more by being wrong than by being right
When people praise my ideas it is nice to hear, but I don't learn anything. If people disagree, I learn. If they convince me, I am thankful and I change. If I believe I was correct, it means I didn't explain the idea well. Disagreement improves ideas.
Don Norman
Failures? No -- Learning Experiences
We scientists (and designers) learn from our failures. In fact, scientists seldom fail. Instead, they say "that didn't work. Time to try something new." I prefer never to talk of failure. Instead, I say "that was a valuable learning experience."
Don Norman
Latest essays & articles
How to make a positive impact on the world
ActionA Career Guide so that You CanMake a Better World 80,000 Hours: a project of the Effective Ventures group: registered as a charity and tax-deductible company in England, Wales, Netherlands, and the United States “You...
May 27, 2023
2 minutes read
Highly Relevant Books Published After DBW
Books And Other General Readings(This list has been posted as a resource for all VI sections.) Updated March 26, 2023 I am delighted at the number of books that are now starting to appear that discuss how designers can...
March 20, 2023
18 minutes read
How I taught DBW
DBWIn 2022, I taught a class using an early draft of the Design for a Better World book (DBW, but it had a very different title then). It was a great class and their comments...
June 4, 2025
9 minutes read
Next generation air-conditioners
SustainableTwo publications discuss how better air conditioners can make a better world, especially as the impacts of climate change are already here. Moreover, the high temperatures already being experienced will only get worse. When Heat...
July 29, 2023
3 minutes read
United Nations
ActionSustainable Development Goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals The UN’s SDGs The United Nations has multiple websites. I highly recommend spending time on this site (the URL is directly below the image of the 19 goals). There is a...
June 15, 2023
3 minutes read
