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If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.

Alan Cooper

Because computers have memories, we imagine that they must be something like our human memories, but that is simply not true.
ALAN COOPER

Computer Human Imagine Memory Simply Something True
In turn, we will be tempted to kill our computers, but we won’t dare because we are already utterly, irreversibly dependent on these hopeful monsters that make modern life possible.
ALAN COOPER

Computer Dependent Hopeful Irreversible Kill Life Modern Monster Possible
And as soon as any object exhibits sufficient cognitive function, those instincts kick in and we react as though we were interacting with another sentient human being.
ALAN COOPER

Being Human Interact Object React Sentiment Soon Sufficient
While making art you should just do what is in your heart.
ALAN COOPER

Do Heart Just Make
As these machines leak into every corner of our lives, they will annoy us, infuriate us, and even kill a few of us.
ALAN COOPER

Annoy Corner Even Every Few Infuriate Kill Live Machine
Computers no longer interface with humans–they interact, and the interaction will become steadily deeper, more subtle, and more crucial to our collective sanity and ultimate survival.
ALAN COOPER

Computer Critical Deeper Human Interact Interface Longer More Sturdily Subtle Survival
Form follows function straight to hell.
ALAN COOPER

Follow Function Hell Straight
Computer memories work in a manner alien to human memories. My memory lets me recognize the faces of my friends, whereas my own computer never even recognizes me.
ALAN COOPER

Alien Computer Facemfriend Human Manner Memory Own Recognize Work
Define what the product will do before you design how the product will do it.
ALAN COOPER

Before Define Design Product
If you are making a chair, the sandpaper can make it smoother. But no amount of sandpaper will turn a chair into a table.
ALAN COOPER

Amount Chair Make Sandpaper Smoother Table Turn
If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.
ALAN COOPER

Behave Design Generous Helpful Likeable Person Respect Software User
We seem to be keeping old fans and are bringing on new fans that are teenagers. I think that is amazing.
ALAN COOPER

Amazing Bring Fan Hold Keep Seem Teenager
Design principle: Take things away until the design breaks, then put that last thing back in.
ALAN COOPER

Back Break Design Last Principle Thing
To scenes by memory’s silver chain Close-linked, and ever yet apart, That like the vine, whose tendrils young Around some fostering branch have clung, Grown with its growth, as tho’ it sprung From one united heart.
ALAN COOPER

Around Branch Foster Memory Scene Silver Sprung Tendril Until Vine Young
If your persona has goals and the product has magical powers to meet them, how simple could the interaction be? This kind of thinking is useful to help designers look outside the box.
ALAN COOPER

Box Designer Goal Help Magical Person Power Simply Think Useful
Touring hard and then working on putting the next one out. I don’t need to break. I just need to put a record out.
ALAN COOPER

Break Need Next One Out Put Record Tour Work

If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.

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If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.

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Popular Authors

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