product design is a holistic approach to creating a new product from idea to final solution. It encompasses everything from conducting user research, identifying problems, finding opportunities, ideating solutions, prototyping, and finally validating solutions with target users. Since product design and development is a broad field, it requires a large set of skills; it is essential that you become familiar with various design approaches as well as specific tools. To make things easier, we decided to share 10 design books that will help you create great products.
1. the design of everyday things by don norman
You are reading: Books about product design
the design of everyday things is considered essential reading in product design. don norman is an expert in the field, known for his advocacy of user-centered design. he is excellent at presenting concepts and painting them with examples that make them easier to understand. he shares helpful heuristics and models of human behavior that can help you design more usable products.
what you will learn from this book
- the six fundamental principles of interaction: possibilities, signifiers, constraints, assignments, feedback, and the conceptual model of the system.
- good and bad design choices. Throughout the book, there is an emphasis on what constitutes good design. many examples include stories about the products that don has experienced in real life.
- the psychology behind interacting with the products and how people use them. this knowledge will help you communicate your design decisions.
favorite quote
“Two of the most important characteristics of good design are: discoverability and comprehension. discoverability: is it even possible to find out what actions are possible and where and how to perform them? understanding: what does it all mean? how is the product supposed to be used? what do all the different controls and settings mean?”
read more
2. hooked: how to create products that create habits by nir eyal
Why do some products get mainstream attention while others flop? What makes people commit to certain products? Is there something that hooks you? nir eyal answers these questions by explaining the hook model, a four-step process built into the products of many successful companies to engage people. this book is a must read for anyone who wants to drive user engagement and create commercially successful products.
what you will learn from this book
- practical information to create user habits that are maintained based on user psychology. this is one of the best design books for understanding the mind of the user.
- how real-world companies create products that create habits. there are stories about the iphone, twitter, pinterest and many other habit forming products.
favorite quote
“many innovations fail because consumers irrationally overvalue the old, while companies irrationally overvalue the new”.
read more
You may also be interested in: the 15 web design books of 2018 that you cannot miss.
3. don’t make me think by steve krug
Don’t make me think it was established as one of the most influential design books when it was published in 2000. Many designers consider it a classic of web and mobile usability. Steve Krug is a consultant who makes a living evaluating other people’s digital products. the book takes us through the mindset of the end user who seeks to satisfy their needs while using a digital product. usability is evaluated by focusing on the user experience and what he expects to get from the product.
what you will learn from this book
- common user problems related to usability.
- web accessibility. how to make your products more usable and accessible.
- how to propose design changes to stakeholders.
favorite quote
“if you can’t make something self-evident, you at least need to make it self-explanatory.”
read more
4. the laws of simplicity by john maeda
See Also: Robert Asprin – Book Series In Order
simplicity is the height of sophistication, and simple product design is the best design. but as much as we love simple design, we sometimes find ourselves caught in a logical paradox: we want simple products that allow us to do complex things. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda offers 10 laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design.
what you will learn from this book
- 10 laws of simplicity. basic rules plus frameworks to use them as she reduces (reduce, hide, embody) and slide for organization (classify, label, integrate, prioritize).
- different perspectives on the concept of simplicity. Different contexts change people’s perception of an object. what one user group finds simple, other user groups will find challenging.
favorite quote
“simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the significant”.
read more
You may also be interested in: Redesigning the design process: how to work more efficiently this year.
5. sprint: how to solve big problems and test new ideas in just five days by jake knapp
Jake Knapp created the Google Ventures Sprint Process, an approach to go from idea to prototype to decision in five days. This approach focuses on defining the problem, generating solutions, evaluating them, building a prototype, and finally testing the prototype with real users to get valuable feedback. the critical difference between this and a traditional design approach is the speed and level of commitment from the product team. close collaboration between individual team members and tight deadlines are two properties that make this technique so great.
what you will learn from this book
- a complete guide on how to execute design sprints.
- practical techniques for individual design activities. You’ll read about methods like the Crazy 8, which are used during ideation and help a team sketch out a bunch of ideas quickly.
favorite quote
“My best work happened when I had a big challenge and I didn’t have enough time.”
read more
6. ui is communication: how to design intuitive, user-centric interfaces with a focus on effective communication by everett n.
User interface design is a challenging, multidisciplinary activity that requires an understanding of a wide range of concepts and techniques. This book saves the day for product designers by providing a unique perspective they can use to simplify a complex user interface design process by breaking it down into a small set of objective principles. in ui is communication, everett mckay explains how to design intuitive user interfaces with a focus on effective human communication.
what you will learn from this book
- practical communication-based guidelines for interaction and visual design. an overview of a communication-driven design process that ties everything from interaction to visual design.
- actionable content and practical tips. you will see the concepts in practice with real examples.
favorite quote
“UI design is not a subjective visual art about pixels and aesthetics, but rather an objective, principle-based communication skill to explain tasks to users.”
read more
You may also be interested in: the value of ux storyboards for product design.
7. the art of innovation by tom kelley
ideo is the widely admired design company that brought the world the apple mouse, the polaroid i-zone instant camera, the palm v, and many other cutting-edge products. ideo does not buy into the myth of the lone genius working in isolation, waiting for great ideas to emerge. on the contrary, the company believes that everyone can be creative. tom kelley, general manager of ideo, takes readers behind the scenes of this company to reveal his strategies for creating innovative products.
what you will learn from this book
- theideo problem-solving method, which uses techniques such as careful observation of the behavior of people who will use a product or service, cross-pollination to find solutions from other fields, and others.
- lots of cool case studies and examples. All product designers who want to gain a deep understanding of various ideation techniques should add The Art of Innovation to their list of must-read design books.
favorite quote
See Also: How to Share Audible Books With Others in 2 Ways
“The best way to have a good idea is to have many ideas.”
read more
8. change by design: how design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation by tim brown
This is one of the great design books dedicated to the role of design in organizations. By Design Instead, Tim Brown introduces the idea of design thinking, the collaborative process by which the sensibilities and methods of the product designer are employed to meet the needs of the target audience. the author highlights the importance of considering design decisions that are viable for both users and companies.
what you will learn from this book
- how to apply a human-centered approach to problem solving
- practical advice on how to infuse design thinking at all levels of an organization, product or service
favorite quote
“prototyping at work is giving shape to an idea, allowing us to learn from it, evaluate it against others and improve it”.
read more
9. 100 things every designer should know about people by susan weinschenk
Designing without understanding what makes people act the way they do is like exploring a new location without a map: the results will be random and inefficient. In his book, Susan Weinschenk combines real science and research with practical examples to provide the guidance every designer needs.
what you will learn from this book
- perspectives on human psychology and behavior. What grabs and holds attention on a page or screen? what line length is best for text?
- practical tips on how to increase conversion rates and usability of digital products.
favorite quote
“People look for and pay attention to information and cues that confirm their beliefs. they don’t look for, in fact, they ignore or even dismiss information that doesn’t support what they already believe.”
read more
You may also be interested in: how to create an efficient product strategy.
10. product design by alex milton
This design book introduces the reader to the field of product design and the crucial role of the product designer within it. provides a rich overview of influential design movements, with examples from leading product designers.
what you will learn from this book
- various design philosophies. different approaches that designers use to make physical products. each concept is presented with rich images.
- interviews, concept generation, and other design techniques, with examples, that will be particularly useful for product designers who want to understand the basics.
favorite quote
“When designing a product, it is essential to remember what the true purpose of the product is. consumers can accept losing some secondary functionality to achieve other benefits, but they will not tolerate a product that does not fulfill its main functions.”
read more
read design books and design with people in mind
The most important thing to remember when designing products is that design is for people. To design great products, you need to deliver the right features, with the right user experience, to the right people. The design books mentioned in this article will help you create a solid foundation for your product design process, but it’s up to you to put the user at the center of your design process.
See Also: 10 of the Best Children&039s Literary Agents in the UK – Writing Tips Oasis