Table of Contents
- Are these the 10 best UX design books?
- 1. βThe Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman π
- 2. "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug π€
- 3. "Designing with the Mind in Mind" by Jeff Johnson π§
- 4. "Sprint" by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz πββοΈ
- 5. "Lean UX" by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden ποΈββοΈ
- 6. "Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond" by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville, and Jorge Arango ποΈ
- 7. "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal π£
- 8. "The Elements of User Experience" by Jesse James Garrett π
- 9. "100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People" by Susan Weinschenk π―
- 10. "Designing Interface Animation" by Val Head π¨
- Conclusion
Are these the 10 best UX design books?
What are your recommended books on UX?
1. βThe Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman π
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- Visibility and Feedback: Good design provides clear visibility and instant feedback.
- Affordances and Constraints: Designers should use cues and limitations to guide users' interactions.
- Conceptual Models: Align the system's design with users' mental models for enhanced usability.
2. "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug π€
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- Simplicity wins: Less features = easier to use. Clear navigation is key.
- Self-explanatory: Use clear language, focus on the most important info, and test with users.
- Reduce cognitive load: Minimize mental effort with clear information and fewer distractions.
3. "Designing with the Mind in Mind" by Jeff Johnson π§
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- Use progressive disclosure and consistency: Present information in layers and maintain predictability to accommodate diverse user mental models effectively.
- Limit short-term memory load: Minimize information users need to remember. Use clear instructions and visual cues.
- Provide decision-support tools: Offer structured information and feedback to assist users in making informed choices.
4. "Sprint" by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz πββοΈ
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- Design Sprint process: A structured five-day process for solving business challenges and testing ideas.
- Time-boxed approach: Emphasizes setting specific time limits for each phase to maintain focus and avoid delays.
- User-centric testing: Highlights the importance of getting real user feedback early in the design process to create better solutions.
5. "Lean UX" by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden ποΈββοΈ
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- Validated learning: Emphasize learning through rapid experimentation and user feedback to reduce risk and improve products.
- Collaborative teams: Foster open communication and collaboration among different roles to leverage expertise effectively.
- Early user involvement: Involve users from the start and throughout the design process to create a more user-centered product.
6. "Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond" by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville, and Jorge Arango ποΈ
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- Organize information effectively: Highlighting the importance of clear and coherent information organization.
- Clarity in structure: Create intuitive and clear information structures for easy navigation and reduced cognitive load.
- Versatility of information architecture: Information architecture principles apply to various contexts beyond websites, including mobile apps, software interfaces, and physical spaces.
7. "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal π£
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- The Hook model: The four-step process (Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, Investment) to create habit-forming products.
- Triggers and external cues: Use both external and internal triggers to prompt user engagement, for example notifications or call-to-actions.
- Variable rewards to increase engagement: Implement variable rewards (for example, surprise bonuses) to keep users coming back for more.
8. "The Elements of User Experience" by Jesse James Garrett π
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- Five planes of UX: Strategy, Scope, Structure, Skeleton, and Surface β all contribute to a good UX.
- UX is a holistic concept:Β It encompasses all aspects of the user's interaction with a product or service, from the initial perception to the final outcome.
- UX design is an iterative process: It involves constantly testing and refining the design until it meets the needs of the users.
9. "100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People" by Susan Weinschenk π―
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- People are visual creatures:Β Visual information is processed faster than text information, so make sure your designs are visually appealing and easy to scan.
- People are lazy:Β We don't like to think too hard, so make sure your designs are as simple and straightforward as possible.
- People are emotional: Our emotions play a big role in how we interact with the world around us, so make sure your designs evoke positive emotions in users.
10. "Designing Interface Animation" by Val Head π¨
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- Animation communicates: Use it to guide attention, create flow, and add personality.
- Less is more.Β Use animation sparingly to avoid overwhelming users.
- Think about the user:Β What will they expect? What will confuse them?