Quote

Usability methods are like sandpapering a chair. 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

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Alan Cooper
Age: 72
Born: 1952
Born: June 3
Computer Scientist
Software Programmer
Writer
San Francisco County
California
Make
Chairs
Like
Table
Tables
Method
Sandpaper
Amount
Smoother
Turn
Usability
Turns
Chair
Making
Methods

More quotes by Alan Cooper

Image
Design principle: Take things away until the design breaks, then put that last thing back in.
Alan Cooper
Image
One of the most heinous, insidious lies is the notion that you have to be an asshole to be a successful business person.
Alan Cooper
Image
Define what the product will do before you design how the product will do it.
Alan Cooper
Image
It has been said that the great scientific disciplines are examples of giants standing on the shoulders of other giants. It has also been said that the software industry is an example of midgets standing on the toes of other midgets.
Alan Cooper
Image
Ironically, the thing that will likely make the least improvement in the ease of use of software-based products is new technology. There is little difference technically between a complicated, confusing program and a simple, fun, and powerful product.
Alan Cooper
Image
There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.
Alan Cooper
Image
Well madam, have you looked in the mirror and seen the state of your nose? Boxing is my excuse. What's yours?
Alan Cooper
Image
While making art you should just do what is in your heart.
Alan Cooper
Image
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
Image
Just how do I design if not with prototyping? An excellent question. The short answer is 'on paper.'
Alan Cooper
Image
Men do not greet one another like this ... except perhaps at rugby club dinners.
Alan Cooper
Image
We seem to be keeping old fans and are bringing on new fans that are teenagers. I think that is amazing. When I was a teenager, that was when I fell in love with music. It affected me in a deep way. That's why I love having teenagers at our shows.
Alan Cooper
Image
I just try and learn to be a good husband and be a good father before I am a good rock star. That means saying no to certain things that go with the business.
Alan Cooper
Image
You can get spiritual things out of books and stories and they have nothing to do with religion.
Alan Cooper
Image
I just like so many different kinds of music that I like experimenting. I don't want to keep making the same record over and over and over. I'm an 'evolve or die' kind of a musician. I think it's cool to try new things.
Alan Cooper
Image
Form follows function straight to hell.
Alan Cooper
Image
A powerful tool in the early stages of developing scenarios is to pretend the interface is magic. 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
Image
If you are not going to produce albums then you are not going to produce new fans. It's impossible. I'm a huge believer in putting music out as quickly as early as possible, 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
Image
If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.
Alan Cooper
Image
No matter how beautiful, no matter how cool your interface, it would be better if there were less of it.
Alan Cooper