hverdagsbrug

Hverdagsbrug, literally “everyday use” in Danish (and also used in Norwegian), refers to how people routinely use objects, systems, and practices in daily life. The concept distinguishes mundane, habitual use from special or ceremonial uses. In design and engineering, hverdagsbrug guides choices about durability, ergonomics, simplicity, and safety to support consistent, reliable performance in routine tasks.

Origin and usage: The term derives from the Danish word hverdag meaning “everyday” and brug meaning “use.” It is used in Danish and Norwegian discourse, as well as in cross-cultural design literature, to describe everyday interaction with products and environments.

Applications: In product design, hverdagsbrug emphasizes intuitive interfaces, low-maintenance operation, and resilience to variable conditions. In urban planning and architecture, it informs arrangements that support normal daily activities, such as storage, access, lighting, and accessibility. In social science, it studies patterns of daily activity, routines, and habit formation.

Examples: A coffee maker used every morning, a bicycle for commuting, a smartphone app for messaging, and kitchen knives kept for daily meal preparation illustrate hverdagsbrug. Language use and ritualized practices can also exhibit hverdagsbrug.

Implications: Designers and policymakers seek to minimize friction in daily use, prioritize safety, ensure accessibility for diverse users, and consider long-term sustainability and maintenance costs.

See also: everyday life, user-centered design, habit, routine.