This book is the perfect intersection of UX design and psychology. It focuses on 10 of the most helpful, research-backed principles based on psychology and human perception. Every single chapter is worth your time.
Finished reading on
May 26, 2022
📖 Why You Should Read It
Laws of UX is a designer’s cheat sheet for understanding how people think, perceive, and behave when interacting with digital products. Rather than relying on guesswork or aesthetic instinct, it grounds UX decisions in psychology and cognitive science. The book translates decades of research into practical guidance, helping you craft experiences that feel intuitive, not because they’re trendy, but because they align with how the human brain works. It’s a quick but rich read, especially helpful when you need to advocate for a design direction or improve clarity in your work.
👉🏻 Key Takeaways
- Great UX design isn’t about decoration. It’s about aligning with how people naturally perceive and behave.
- Simplicity is not optional; it’s a psychological necessity for helping users feel confident and in control.
- The layout and visual relationships between elements influence how people interpret meaning and flow.
- Users notice and interact with what is most obvious, accessible, or low-effort...design accordingly.
- Tiny choices like defaults, button size, or visual hierarchy can nudge user behavior in big ways.
- Consistency reduces friction and builds familiarity, which leads to trust.
- People emotionally respond to polish, well-crafted interfaces feel easier to use.
- Design is not just what you show, but how you guide, progress, closure, and feedback shape the full experience.
- Attention is uneven. Beginnings and endings matter more than the middle.
- Reducing choices, clarifying action, and minimizing cognitive effort always improves usability.
💬 Favorite Quotes
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” — Steve Jobs (quoted in the book)
“When we align design with human psychology, we create experiences that are not just usable, but meaningful.”
“The goal of UX isn’t to make users think harder — it’s to help them move forward with ease.”
“Good design is not about control. It’s about creating an environment where the right choice feels obvious.”
