From HCD to HCD+: what I learned from Don Norman

"At 90 years old, the "Godfather of UX" isn't slowing down. Don Norman shares why our industry must shift from Human-Centered Design (HCD) to a more systemic, Humanity-Centered (HCD+) approach (image source: Yeo) The Transit That Changed Everything It's a true story: three years ago, a fortunate coincidence brought Don Norman to Singapore for a transit while travelling from San Diego to Shanghai. At that exact moment, Singapore Polytechnic was hosting its annual Design Thinking and User Experience (DT | UX) Summit."

"A Norman Door is a door whose design confuses the user, such as a handle that looks like it should be pulled when it must actually be pushed. It is the classic example of design that fails to communicate its function, leading people to blame themselves for a designer's mistake. (image source: Woodbury) (image source: Now at 90, Don shows no interest in slowing down."

The 2025 Don Norman Design Award (DNDA) Summit took place in Asia after a chance transit to Singapore led to a spontaneous keynote and a lasting partnership. The Summit marks the first time the award event was held outside the United States, recognising Asia's growing influence in design for societal impact. Don Norman pioneered concepts such as affordances and mental models and popularised the 'Norman Door' critique of confusing interfaces. At 90 years old, Don Norman remains active, travelling long-haul to engage community, critique poor design, and advocate for shifting from Human-Centered Design to a more systemic, Humanity-Centered (HCD+) approach.

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