Number of words: 133

If we examine the history of advances in all technological fields, we see that some improvements come naturally through the technology itself, others come through standardization. The early history of the automobile is a good example. The first cars were very difficult to operate. They required strength and skill beyond the abilities of many. Some problems were solved through automation: the choke, the spark advance, and the starter engine. Other aspects of cars and driving were standardized through the long process of international standards committees. Standardization is one type of cultural constraint. With standardization, once you have learned to drive one car, you feel justifiably confident that you can drive any car, anyplace in the world. Standardization provides a major breakthrough in usability.

Excerpted from ‘The Design of Everyday Things’ by Don Norman