I think it’s interesting how our emotional state affects our abilities and perception of reality. While Norman’s “Emotional Design” focuses on how our emotional state affects our ability to use products, all I could think about after reading the first chapter is how our emotional state affects our ability to be creative and generate ideas.

Norman explains that creative thinking requires being in a positive mood in order to make connections across ideas and space. A positive frame of mind broadens one’s thought processes, allowing one’s thoughts to follow many paths and tangents.

Creativity (and the act of generating ideas!), at least for myself, requires that I be willing to be silly and playful. When I walk around taking photos, I know I probably look strange because 99% of the time I am learning over a wall photographing some mundane water fountain for an hour. I generally figure I am on the right track if no one else follows suit. → Read more