#120 Favorite product design books

13 snips

Dec 5, 2024

The hosts dive into their favorite UX and product design books, revealing how these influential works shaped their careers. They explore the evolution of design literature and its relevance to contemporary challenges, emphasizing ethical considerations in the field. Inclusivity and storytelling in design are also key topics, highlighted through impactful titles. Finally, there's a heartfelt discussion about the emotional connections associated with these books, urging listeners to engage deeply with their reading journeys.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Read for Fun and Insights

Reading design books is educational and fun, offering empowerment and insights.
Embrace the joy of learning and explore various design books.

INSIGHT

Books Shape Thinking

Foundational design books offer abstract and philosophical insights rather than concrete problem-solving techniques.
They shape thinking but don't always provide tangible, immediately applicable skills.

INSIGHT

Past vs. Present Relevance

Early design books like "Don't Make Me Think" were important but not always practically applicable in the past.
The industry's maturity now allows for better utilization of these foundational principles.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Indistractable

How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life

Nir Eyal

In 'Indistractable', Nir Eyal delves into the root causes of distraction, arguing that it starts from within and is driven by the desire to escape discomfort. The book offers a four-step, research-backed model to help readers master internal triggers, manage time effectively, hack back external triggers, and prevent distractions with pacts. Eyal also discusses how distraction affects various aspects of life, including work, relationships, and parenting, and provides novel techniques to overcome these challenges and live a more focused life.

Still

The Art of Noticing

Mary Jo Hoffman

The Design of Everyday Things

Revised and Expanded Edition

Don Norman

In this book, Don Norman discusses how design should be centered around the user's needs, emphasizing the importance of visibility, natural relationships between controls and functions, and the intelligent use of constraints. He argues that poor design, rather than user ineptness, is often the cause of frustration with everyday objects. The book covers various aspects of design, including affordances, signifiers, and the seven stages of action, providing a comprehensive guide to creating user-friendly products.

The Culture Map

Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business

Erin Meyer

In 'The Culture Map,' Erin Meyer presents a comprehensive framework for understanding and managing cultural differences in the global workplace. The book introduces an eight-scale model to analyze how cultures vary along different dimensions, such as communication styles (high or low context), leadership approaches (hierarchical or egalitarian), and feedback methods (direct or indirect). Meyer uses engaging real-life stories and anecdotes to illustrate common misunderstandings and provides actionable advice for improving international collaboration. The book is essential for anyone working in multicultural teams or managing global projects, offering practical tools to enhance communication, leadership, and decision-making across diverse cultural contexts.

Show Your Work!

Austin Kleon

In 'Show Your Work!', Austin Kleon provides a manifesto for succeeding as any kind of artist or entrepreneur in the digital age. The book emphasizes the importance of generosity over genius, getting 'findable' by using the network, and self-discovery through sharing your creative process. It offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, and productive, including chapters on sharing something small every day, engaging with your audience, and the etiquette of sharing online. The book is filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples to inspire and guide readers in their creative journeys[2][3][4].

Hooked

How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Nir Eyal

In 'Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products', Nir Eyal explains the Hook Model, a four-step process (trigger, action, variable reward, and investment) that successful companies use to create products that users engage with habitually. The book provides practical insights and actionable steps for building products that capture widespread attention and encourage repeated use without relying on costly advertising. Eyal draws on his research, consulting experience, and practical knowledge to offer a how-to guide that is accessible and valuable for understanding user behavior and designing engaging products.

Visual Explanations

Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative

Edward Tufte

This book focuses on the representation of verbs, such as mechanism and motion, process and dynamics, causes and effects, and explanation and narrative. It includes practical applications in statistical graphics, engineering, medicine, technical manuals, computer interfaces, and scientific visualizations. Tufte also discusses the use of visual evidence in critical decisions, such as the Challenger space shuttle launch, and provides examples of effective and poor information design[1][2][5].

Storyworthy

Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling

Matthew Dicks

In 'Storyworthy,' Matthew Dicks provides a comprehensive guide on the art of storytelling. The book is divided into three parts: Finding your story, Crafting your story, and Telling your story. Dicks shares his own stories to illustrate key points and offers tips and exercises to help readers improve their storytelling skills. He emphasizes the importance of identifying a 'five-second moment' of transformation or realization in every story and provides techniques for making stories engaging and memorable. The book is designed to help anyone become a better storyteller, whether for personal or professional purposes, and highlights how storytelling can deepen connections with others and enhance one's own life[1][3][5].

The politics of design

Ruben Pater

Just Enough Research

Erika Hall

Erika Hall's "Just Enough Research" provides a practical and accessible approach to user research for designers. The book emphasizes the importance of conducting research that is both efficient and effective, focusing on gathering the right information at the right time. Hall advocates for a flexible and iterative approach to research, encouraging designers to adapt their methods based on the specific needs of the project. She provides a range of research methods, from user interviews to usability testing, and offers practical advice on how to analyze data and communicate findings. The book's focus on practicality and accessibility makes it a valuable resource for designers of all levels.

Ruined by Design

Mike Monteiro

Mike Monteiro's "Ruin by Design" is a critical examination of the ethical implications of design choices, challenging designers to consider the broader societal impact of their work. The book uses examples of harmful products and services to illustrate how design can be used to exploit users and perpetuate harmful systems. Monteiro argues that designers have a responsibility to consider the ethical implications of their work and to use their skills to create positive change in the world. He advocates for a more conscious and responsible approach to design, emphasizing the importance of considering the social and environmental consequences of design decisions. The book's provocative message challenges designers to think critically about their role in society.

Designing for Emotion

How to Create Products and Services That Evoke Positive Emotions

Aaron Walter

Aaron Walter's "Designing for Emotion" explores the crucial role of emotions in user experience design. The book argues that successful products and services not only meet functional needs but also evoke positive emotions in users. Walter provides a framework for understanding how emotions impact user behavior and offers practical techniques for designing experiences that resonate emotionally with users. He emphasizes the importance of empathy and user research in understanding emotional needs and designing accordingly. The book's insights are valuable for designers seeking to create products and services that are not only functional but also engaging and enjoyable.

Don't Make Me Think, Revisited

A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

Steve Krug

Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think, Revisited" is a practical guide to web usability, emphasizing the importance of intuitive navigation and clear information architecture. The book uses a conversational and humorous tone to explain complex usability principles, making it accessible to designers of all levels. Krug's focus is on creating websites that are easy to use and understand, even for users with limited technical skills. He advocates for a user-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of testing and iteration in the design process. The book's enduring popularity reflects its timeless principles and practical advice.

UX Magic

Daniel Rosenberg

Design is storytelling

Ellen Lupton

Articulating Design Decisions

Tom Greever

Tom Greever's "Articulating Design Decisions" provides a practical framework for communicating design choices effectively to stakeholders. The book emphasizes the importance of clear and concise communication, using visuals and data to support design arguments. Greever offers a range of techniques for presenting design work, from creating compelling presentations to conducting effective design critiques. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience and tailoring the communication style to their needs. The book's focus on practical techniques and clear examples makes it a valuable resource for designers of all levels, helping them to advocate for their design choices and build consensus among stakeholders.

Mismatch

Kat Holmes

About Face

Christopher Noessel

David Cronin

Alan Cooper

Robert Reimann

Alan Cooper's "About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design" is a comprehensive guide to interaction design, emphasizing the importance of user-centered design and iterative development. The book introduces the concept of "goal-directed design," which focuses on understanding user goals and designing interfaces that help users achieve those goals efficiently. Cooper advocates for a user-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of user research and testing in the design process. He provides a range of design principles and techniques, from prototyping to usability testing, and offers practical advice on how to create interfaces that are both effective and enjoyable to use. The book's influence on the field of interaction design is significant.