Technologies have a life cycle, says Donald Norman, and companies and their products must change as they pass from youth to maturity. Alas, the computer industry thinks it is still in its rebellious teenage years, exulting in technical complexity. Customers want change. They are ready for products that offer convenience, ease of use, and pleasure. The technology should be invisible, hidden from sight. In this book, Norman shows why the computer is so difficult to use and why this complexity is fundamental to its nature.

唐纳德·诺曼（Donald Norman）说，技术有一个生命周期，公司及其产品在从年轻走向成熟的过程中必须发生变化。唉，计算机行业认为它仍处于叛逆的青少年时期，在技术复杂性中欢欣鼓舞。顾客需要改变。他们为提供方便、易用和愉悦的产品做好了准备。这项技术应该是隐形的，不可见的。在这本书中，诺曼展示了为什么计算机如此难以使用，以及为什么这种复杂性是其本质的基础。