Contact:cdent@burningchrome.com
Norman, D. (1999). Chapter 10: Technology is not neutral (p. 243-253).
In _Things that make us smart_. Cambridge: Perseus Books.
Well, duh.
Technology, by necessity, is the expression of the designers (see
Suchman for more). It is the designers of the technology that are not
neutral.
Norman favors technology where people are in control, yet his examples
are of technology that is very old and has had a chance to mature and
enter into our common consciousness. Would you care to speculate if
people felt paper or print were neutral when it first came about?
Paper is a powerful tool because it is a compositional medium where we
can create and manipulate representations. Computers are compositional
medium of the same type where we haven't yet figured out what
representations work best. Evolution will help us here but evolution
takes time. As we work with computers to manipulate representations
we will discover those that work best. These will be honed, adapted,
mutated, developed, accepted and rejected over time.
A primary problem with technology is the way in which is drives people
to hurry. Norman speaks forever about the need for reflection: he
needs to pause and reflect about birth, time and growth.
Everything's going to be fine. We'll learn, that's what we do.
Back to the Index