Book Club: The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman
Book Club: The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman  
Podcast: Lucky Paper Radio
Published On: Mon Mar 30 2026
Description: View all cards mentioned in this episodeIn the third book club Episode, Anthony and Parker talk about Donald Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things. Originally published in 1988, the book was an influential criticism of the built world and interfaces establishing many concepts fundamental to user interface and industrial design today. It also introduces a metric ton of jargon per page.Our book club members talk about how these concepts apply to game and Cube design and their thinking about things more broadly.Discussed in this episode:The Design of Everyday Things by Donald NormanEnshittification concept and book by Cory DoctorowStatus and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change by W. David MarxBlank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century by W. David MarxBlood In the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech by Brian MerchantOther Book Club EpisodesIf you’d like to show your support for the show, please consider backing Lucky Paper on Patreon or leaving us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:Andy’s “Bun Magic” CubeAnthony’s “Regular” CubeYou can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:Lucky PaperPO Box 4855Baltimore, MD 21211Musical production by DJ James Nasty.Timestamps0:00 - Intro2:42 - The Design of Everyday Things7:43 - Mental Models12:04 - Trouble With Mapping16:58 - Cube REL/Humility19:40 - Don Please Turn off the Podcast21:03 - Types of Errors26:30 - Games are Intentionally Bad Design32:04 - Constraints34:55 - Knowledge in the World42:28 - Learned Helplessness48:20 - Neologisms50:59 - Choosing the Next Book