Affordances

Affordances refer to the qualities of an object that suggest its possible uses or actions. For example, a door handle invites you to pull or push it, while a button indicates pressing. This concept helps us understand how design communicates functionality. By looking at an object’s shape, size, and materials, we can intuitively grasp what it is meant to do. Designers utilize affordances to make products user-friendly, ensuring that users can easily recognize how to interact with them, thus enhancing efficiency and improving the overall experience.