Affordances

Objects suggest possible actions

Select any object to see Norman's vocabulary applied

Physical Affordance

Door Handle

Affords: pulling, pushing

Signifier: handle shape

Chair

Affords: sitting

Signifier: flat surface, height

Paper

Affords: writing, folding

Signifier: flat, thin, light

+ Computational Layer

Tagged Object

Affords: placing, moving

Signifier: visible tag pattern

+ Tracked identity & position

Physical Token

Affords: holding, arranging

Signifier: shape, color

+ Represents digital state

Tracked Marker

Affords: writing naturally

Signifier: it's a marker

+ Context-aware recording

Norman's Design Vocabulary

Concept	Definition	Example
Affordance	What's physically possible	Select an object above
Signifier	What signals the action	-
Mapping	Control to outcome relationship	-
Feedback	What happened	-

Student Takeaway

Key insight: When we add sensing to a space, physical objects gain computational behavior while keeping their natural affordances.

You still pick up the marker and write. But now the room knows you're at the whiteboard. The action feels the same; the capabilities expand invisibly.

Design question: How do people know what's possible in a space where affordances are invisible?

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