Let’s talk about affordance, the mythical UX principle that says, “You should’ve just known how to use this.”
Affordance is a design that can get you to do something without needing instructions or a set of rules on how to do it. Like a handle on the door that suggests pulling or a button that allows clicking. A touch screen that invites you to swipe, double tap, rotate, etc.
In simple theory, an affordance is the design that speaks for your actions.
In practice, it’s the design that mocks you.
The Norman Door: Your Daily Humiliation
I’m sure we have all been through that awkward moment where we “pushed” a door that says “pull” and laugh it off. That’s totally not on you; that is afforance or, rather, a lack thereof. Designers have a term for it, “Norman door”, after Don Norman, a man who wrote an entire book about everything from light switches to teapots, is gaslighting us. So, if you have ever yanked a “push” door like you’re trying to rescue a child from a burning building, congratulations, you are NORMANIZED.
Digital Affordance: Where Buttons Go to Hide
I remember the time when buttons were like actual button? raised , shadowed, outlined and gentle “click on me” vibe? Now it feels like buttons are texts, floating in the air or on a blank canvas. Makes you wonder is this clickable or is it just decorative.
You hover over it, nothing happens, you click and yet nothing happens. Makes you feel like you want to cry out to the world. God forbid if you are alone trying to figure it out, youll be stuck figuring out how to use it rather making the best use of it.
Modern UI designers say, “Let’s make it minimalist.” What they mean is, “Let’s make it impossible.”
Common Affordance Crimes
- Flat buttons: Are they clickable? Are they labels? Are they ghost energy? W
- Hamburger menus: Somehow theyre always hidden. Sometimes they’re in the top left. Sometimes they’re in the bottom right next to your credit card info. Always ambiguous.
- Microwave touchscreens: Want to reheat pizza? Good luck navigating the “Choose Your Heating Style” maze. There’s a “Power Level button”, and no one knows what it does.
- Gestures: Swipe, pinch, tap, drag with two fingers while whispering ancient Greek—UX in 2025.
These modern interfaces require a secret ritual before we start using them.
Affordance: Where “User Intuition” Means “Guess Again”
Designers always say “we believe in user intuition”, but what they really mean is that “we didnt label anything , its your fault you’re lost” Affordance has basically become the design version of “You should’ve read my mind.” If it works, the designer is a genius. If it doesn’t? You clearly just don’t get it.
It’s Not You. It’s the Button That’s Disguised As Air
Affordance was supposed to make things easier. Instead, it’s become the perfect excuse for bad design. “Oh, you didn’t know you had to double-tap with two knuckles while standing on one foot? Weird. It’s so intuitive.”
If your fridge, app, or smart toilet requires a tutorial, the only thing it’s affording is chaos.
But hey — maybe that’s just the user journey.