Laws of UX: Using Psychology to Design Better Products & Services

Description

An understanding of psychology—specifically the psychology behind how users behave and interact with digital interfaces—is perhaps the single most valuable nondesign skill a designer can have. The most elegant design can fail if it forces users to conform to the design rather than working within the "blueprint" of how humans perceive and process the world around them. This practical guide explains how you can apply key principles in psychology to build products and experiences that are more intuitive and human-centered. Author Jon Yablonski deconstructs familiar apps and experiences to provide clear examples of how UX designers can build experiences that adapt to how users perceive and process digital interfaces. You’ll learn: • How aesthetically pleasing design creates positive responses • The principles from psychology most useful for designers • How these psychology principles relate to UX heuristics • Predictive models including Fitts’s law, Jakob’s law, and Hick’s law • Ethical implications of using psychology in design • A framework for applying these principles Cover Copyright Table of Contents Preface Why I Wrote This Book Who This Book Is For What’s in This Book O’Reilly Online Learning How to Contact Us Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Jakob’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 2. Fitts’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 3. Hick’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 4. Miller’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 5. Postel’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 6. Peak–End Rule Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 7. Aesthetic–Usability Effect Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 8. von Restorff Effect Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 9. Tesler’s Law Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 10. Doherty Threshold Overview Origins Examples Conclusion Chapter 11. With Power Comes Responsibility How Technology Shapes Behavior Intermittent Variable Rewards Infinite Loops Social Affirmation Defaults (Lack of) Friction Reciprocity Dark Patterns Why Ethics Matter Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences The Ethical Imperative Slow Down and Be Intentional Think Beyond the Happy Path Diversify Teams and Thinking Look Beyond Data Chapter 12. Applying Psychological Principles in Design Building Awareness Visibility Show-and-Tell Design Principles Defining Your Principles Best Practices Connecting Principles to Laws Conclusion Index About the Author