12 Best UX Design Books Every Designer Should Read in 2024

Ray Dalio comes to the same conclusion in his incredible book Principles. We’re your collection of design community, tips, tricks, and best practices. With a new design principle every few pages, all you have to do is reference a page you want to know more about.

top ux design books

Embed comments, sticky notes, and media files to facilitate idea sharing. Additional topics include navigation design, page layout, and the importance of clear visual cues. The author introduces the ‘happy talk’ concept—unnecessary instructions and information that users typically ignore—and advises on streamlining content for optimal user engagement. If you are interested in more resources, here is our curated collection of learning articles and online video courses with new additions published every week. From color theory and typography to the end user’s experience, it gives you the tools and shortcuts you need to get started. Even if the information can be a bit technical in some parts, the book is easy to read.

Your mind has two different systems. One works quickly and intuitively, and is often wrong. The other is analytic, and…

Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who’ve watched his TED Talk based on START WITH WHY — the third most popular TED video of all time. Co-founder of Mule Design and raconteur Mike Monteiro wants to help you do your job better. From contracts to selling design, from working with clients to working with each other, this brief book is packed with knowledge you can’t afford not to know. Thinking, Fast and Slow also reminds a bit of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s thinking in Antifragile. It dives into how the mechanisms of human thinking works, and how we’re lured into poor judgement, hopeless memory and bad decisions by our fast-thinking systems.

  • „Writing Is Designing“ advocates for UX writers‘ critical yet often overlooked role in a product’s development.
  • Design of everyday things is an essential book for any designer, I feel like it’s almost become a cliche that every design has to read it.
  • It maps the secret rules of the designed world and explains how these rules have changed society.
  • The designers at Mailchimp valued to the power of typography and typographical identity in their recent rebrand when they selected an old-style serif, Cooper Light, as their primary typeface.
  • UX design shapes the user experience and determines the success of businesses in this connected era.

He wrote the book he wished had been available to him as a start-up founder—not abstract theory, but a how-to guide for building better products. Hooked is written for product managers, designers, marketers, start-up founders, and anyone who seeks to understand how products influence our behavior. More than a reference book for designers, User Friendly is told through an interesting historical lense that reads more like a novel. It maps the secret rules of the designed world and explains how these rules have changed society. Whether you’re new to the design world, or an experienced user experience designer, it can be overwhelming to keep up with the multidisciplinary nature of product design & UX design.

Find any other useful UX design books?

Designing with the Mind in Mind was originally published in 2014 by Jeff Johnson and has become an everlasting textbook on the concepts of perceptual and cognitive psychology in user experience design. William Lidwell, a Houston-based researcher and university professor, published Universal Principles of Design back in 2003. Despite being 20 years old, Universal Principles of Design is still one of the most recommended books on UX design because it focuses on core design principles that create good user experience. You won’t find much on web usability or user interface design in this book.

I’m a UX coach that supports other designers and have completed design projects in finance, tech, and the public sector. This book is all ui ux design books about the UX Crash Course blog you can find at The Hipper Element. Joel Marsh, a designer and author, wrote both the blog and book.

Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

Buley drew from her experiences at notable firms such as Publicis Sapient and InVision to write this book. She provides practical tips and techniques to guide readers through the entire design process and help quantify the user experience. Strangers to Ourselves is a fascinating read, even if you’re not a UX designer. It draws on years of psychology research to uncover invaluable insights into human psychology. It will change the way you think about user experience design and what drives human behavior.

In this article, we’ll be reviewing twelve of our favourite UX design books for you to consider adding to your reading list. Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. More than just a self-help book to overcome procrastination, The War of Art is a call-to-arms on professionalism, artistic integrity and drive, whatever your field may be.

Importance of addressing Core Web Vitals for Web Design

These texts include headings, call-to-actions, and button labels. UX writers work very closely with copywriters and (in part) marketeers. He has working experience at multiple big companies like Google and Microsoft.

top ux design books

This book has been recommended on many UX design book lists before, and for good reason. Jake Knapp wrote Sprint as a distillation of his insights from 100+ design sprints run with Google Ventures. This book will be the definitive publication in its field, appealing to graphic designers, educators, historians and design students. It will also be a significant resource for professional type designers and students of type.

The author provides numerous examples of products that use the Hook Model, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He also provides guidance on how to apply the model to different types of products and services, such as enterprise software and healthcare. Steve Krug is the godfather of UX, his book was published almost 20 years ago.

top ux design books

The book is all about usability, with a focus on user interfaces and experiences, it is one book every UX Designer should own, it’s a great tool for the armory! What also makes it great, is that the book is relatively short, it’s well written with good use of imagery, and plenty of humor. I’ve read this book a few times, and have got new information each time.

A Project Guide to UX Design: For user experience designers in the field or in the making by Russ Unger & Carolyn Chandler

Steve Krug’s „Don’t Make Me Think“ underscores the power of simplicity and consistency in web design. He advocates for intuitive, skim-friendly interfaces and emphasizes the importance of user testing. Krug suggests that, while creativity is important, it shouldn’t compromise the expected consistency unless it enhances the user experience. It strays from dry, technical material and, instead, adopts Marsh’s unique snarky humor to teach UX in a simple and practical manner. It’s an excellent resource for non-designers aspiring to become designers, managers teaching UX, and professionals from other fields seeking to understand UX design better.

top ux design books

The 10 best freelance jobs in demand now 2023

Job seekers can also access the company pages to learn more information such as a salary overview of a company, a list of benefits offered, and reviews submitted by its real employees. Users can pay for their subscription with a prepaid card or PayPal. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, meaning you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the service. After passing all of the steps, you’ll have access to various job postings from top clients and companies, such as Motorola and Airbnb. However, failing the test will put your application process on hold for up to a few months.

popular freelancing professions

And the big brands on social media, like Wendy’s and Coca Cola, have whole teams dedicated to this, smaller companies often look for freelance help. After you’ve helped clients with a variety of areas within digital marketing, you can see what you’re best at (or what clients pay the most for) and specialize in that specific area. Interpreting the data and forming a narrative helps freelancers with this skillset make excellent money — anywhere from $62,000 to $99,000 per year. Other essential skills exist that are specific to eCommerce, like knowing how to manage inventory and fulfill orders (or put those systems in place).

Development and Data Associate

Expertise in animation is increasingly helpful in this field, which is expected to grow at an 4% rate in the 10-year period ending in 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As you get more established, you can control who you work for and what kind of work you do. Download the N26 app today for a 100% mobile banking experience.

  • With my master’s degree in education and life experience, I help families save money, make money online, and reach financial freedom.
  • As a freelance illustrator, you have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients.
  • Once you land a few gigs, it’s important to deliver quality work that meets (or exceeds) your client’s expectations.
  • Click here to listen to PT’s interview with a freelance photographer making money to fund an adoption.
  • Download the N26 app today for a 100% mobile banking experience.

Whether that’s achieved with an app or a website, someone needs to build it. In general, freelancing refers to working as an independent contractor rather than being employed by a specific company. This means that freelancers are free to work with multiple clients and on multiple projects at any given time. If you’re a fanatic in creating apps, making this on as a freelancer could be the best career choice ever. The demand of iOS and Android development expertise is extremely significant, and the better you are at it and the more lucrative your earnings potential.

Traits & Characteristics Needed as a Freelancer

Most of the time this involves internet sales, email marketing, and affiliate marketing. Additionally, previous sales and marketing experience is also helpful. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a sales rep is $59,561.

popular freelancing professions

They keep track of your earnings, savings, tax returns and investments. They offer expert advice on how to maximize your client’s regular income. To learn the basics of sales, I recommend Skillshare, which I reviewed in-depth here. In fact, I put it as the #1 choice on my list of the best careers that don’t require college. And once you gain experience as a photographer, you could specialize in shooting video.

It’s important to choose a job that you enjoy, and that will bring economic stability. Thanks to video chat software and screen-sharing technology, you don’t have to be in the same room with your what freelancing student. Companies always need accounting help, but they don’t always have the budget to hire full-time accountants. Freelancers can work for many clients at once, benefiting everyone all around.

You can work with clients directly or sell your photos online through stock photography websites. You can earn a good income by freelancing as a web designer, and you have the freedom to work from home or wherever you please. A lead generation specialist is responsible for creating and managing lead generation campaigns, identifying and qualifying potential leads, and passing qualified leads along to the sales team. Sales managers are responsible for developing and executing sales plans and strategies.

popular freelancing professions

You’ll also get a chance to sharpen your language skills and get paid for it. Transcription and translation are in high demand in the freelance job market. Social media managers promote these brands on social media platforms by creating content, user engagement, campaign designing, etc. If you dream of working in the advertising industry, this is one of the best freelance jobs from home. Also, you can earn an average of INR 20,000 as a freelance copywriter. Another reason is that there are just a lot of people out there taking low-paying jobs who don’t know how to position themselves to earn a lot as a freelancer.

Invoice2go offers free invoice templates and receipt templates specifically for freelance businesses. If you have a passion for creating apps, taking it freelance might be the smartest career move ever. Measurable results speak volumes about what you’re capable of, so don’t be afraid to strut your stuff. If you have some experience with WordPress or Joomla, there is plenty of work to be found on freelance platforms like Fiverr or UpWork. To get listed on Toptal, you’ll have to undergo a fairly stringent screening process, but the pay is much higher, and the clients tend to be high-profile.