People adapt to machines in ways that are analogous to literacy skills; and it's pretty easy in general for us to do so.  Trouble arises when machines don't have a similar process to support interface mechanisms.  Almost any combo of buttons or gadgets can control machine activity successfully, if the machine itself intelligently governs inputs and outputs.  Let's take a look at a zoo full of useful gadgets and devices, and some (non-definitive) views on what works, what doesn't, and why -- with game demos.

Hal is a director at LucasArts, where he was designer, writer and team leader on Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, a PC adventure game, Big Sky Trooper, a Super Nintendo RPG, and Indy's Desktop Adventures & Yoda Stories, a pair of PC desktop diversions, and most recently Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, a real-time 3D action-adventure. In addition, he directed the live action video for Rebel Assault II,  a Star Wars combat game.  His current project is an action-adventure game for next-generation consoles.