If you thought that there was no such thing as good UX/UI design, then it's time for some enlightenment. New technology has really propelled this field forward —so much so, that it's now almost impossible to find any website or app without good UX/UI design.
A quick look at today's tech giants proves just how important UX/UI design has become for companies across the board. Airbnb is an excellent example of how user experience and user interface design can make all the difference between a successful product and one that fails miserably. The booking platform surpasses rival platforms by perfecting the art of minimalism, visual clarity, language, and more that directs users’ actions on the website and drive human actions and emotions.
If you’re interested in learning the basics of UX/UI design and solidifying your foundation on what’s become a crucial component of any digital product, there are a few helpful books that you should add to your reading list.
5 Helpful Books That Will Teach You UX/UI Design Fundamentals
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
In The Design of Everyday Things, Don Norman gives us a completely new perspective on the world of UX/UI design. Rather than asking, "Which button should I push?", he suggests we ask, "Why is this thing here in the first place?". This enlightening book shows how user-centred design can move technology out of the way and bring comfort, confidence, and joy to our lives.
An international bestseller, this classic has become the standard design reference for all managers, engineers, marketers, and others whose work involves interface design. Norman describes a set of proven rules for designing non-technical products such as toothbrushes, door handles, telephones, and coffee makers. His new preface reveals that his observations apply to user interfaces on computers and websites as well.
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Steve Krug's seminal book, Don't Make Me Think, on web usability achieved a very simple goal: to help people build websites (or any design) that are usable by everyone. This oft-quoted pithy book created a lot of awareness about the importance of proper UX/UI design and is an essential read for people who want to learn about this field.
Heavily illustrated and intuitive, Don't Make Me Think will get you thinking about how users think. In his book, Krug shares practical examples and insights drawn from real projects to help you focus on the basics of good web design: logical structure, useful copy, and testing.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath
If you’re keen to learn about UX/UI design from the most popular bloggers in the field, this book is the best there is! Chip and Dan Heath have been working as UX designers since 2005 and have detailed in Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die what works and what doesn't in digital design with simple explanations and thought-provoking examples.
They assert that the best way to show a product or service the makeover it needs is to tear it apart and rebuild it. In their book, they offer a captivating look at business, advertising, journalism, and everyday life that gives you the tools to dissect ideas and put them back together again. From B2C companies like Apple and Gillette to non-profits like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the March of Dimes, you'll find out how some organisations have revolutionised their industries by mastering simplicity and other key traits of sticky ideas.
Read Also: How to become a successful UX Designer
UX and UI Strategy: A Step by Step Guide on UX and UI Design by Pamala Deacon
As a user experience specialist, designer and author, Pamala Deacon guide designers of all skill levels through the entire process of UX and UI design based on her own in-depth experiences, from strategy all the way down to execution.
This comprehensive book is what you need to get started. It will teach you everything you need to know about human-computer interaction. Inside, you'll find out what role visual design plays in the user experience, why wireframing is important, and how the pictorial communication method leads to success. You'll also find the answers to frequently asked questions that will help you avoid the pitfalls while planning design strategies.
This is Service Design Doing by Adam Lawrence, Jakob Schneider, Markus Edgar Hormess and Marc Stickdorn
This is Service Design Doing is a collection of stories capturing the spirit of design in service. It’s a kind of a love letter to the service sector from all those who believe that a truly great service doesn't begin and end with the product or price. The authors of this collaborative book made sure to include real-life examples and case studies to not only tell readers about the things that worked well, but also the things that didn't quite go as planned. When you’ve finished reading the book, you’ll be familiar with the basics as well as all the do’s and don’ts that will help fast-track your success in the field of UX/UI design.
Conclusion
In our full-stack UX Design Immersive bootcamp, we cover a lot of these fundamentals and teach students the applications of it through; working on real-life projects, cross-cohort collaboration, workshops, seminars and more. Learn more about the course plan to understand what you learn.
Read Also: Get to know your UX Design instructor
Career Paths
Career pathways include; UI/UX Designer, UI Designer, UX Designer, UX Researcher, Service Designer and UX Consultant. Explore our job ticker to learn about Hong Kong's UX Design industry and make career decisions based on actual data! To learn more about relevant job openings in Hong Kong, check out the first-ever tech job search portal - Xccelerate Jobs.
