Must read books to be a better UI/UX Designer
Imagine being handed a magical genie lamp that can provide you with countless resources, transport you to most different eras, and introduce you to the most fascinating people. Well, you don’t need to search for that magic lamp because it’s right in your hand every time you open a book.
We all know the importance of reading books. It helps us to gather ideas that our ancestry has gone through, we don’t need to make the same mistakes to learn the lesson. We could learn fast from their tale and move forward.
In the realm of UI/UX Design, there exists an unchartered territory where pixels meet purpose and aesthetics meet accessibility. The innovation dances hand in hand with empathy. Every design book is a well of wisdom, It’s a great way to dive in and you will find a treasure of principles, theories, and practical knowledge that can redefine your way of approaching craft.
In this article, I will share some must-read books for UI/UX designers to be better problem solvers.
1. Steal Like an Artist
“Steal Like an Artist” is a creative manifesto written by Austin Kleon that offers invaluable advice on fostering creativity and embracing the art of inspiration. In this concise and engaging book, Kleon presents a unique perspective on creativity, encouraging readers to break free from the myth of originality and instead learn how to “steal” from their influences to fuel their own creative endeavors. This book helped me to get rid of the conundrum of creating something unique which hindered me from picking inspiration from others' work. After reading this book, now I see everything as inspiration nothing as a copy. I don’t hesitate anymore to steal others' work. Whenever I get the opportunity I steal someone else’s work but I steal like an Artist.
Get the book: https://amzn.to/48w5Dh5
2. Don’t Make Me Think
In just 200 pages, Krug takes you on a journey to the heart of simplicity in web design. Imagine a web that you glide through never having to ponder or think what is next. Krug accentuates the importance of clear navigation, concise content, and elimination of unnecessary cluttered. He urges the designers to put themselves in users' shoes identify their pain points and design something that solves their issues efficiently without requiring any pondering and thinking. “Don’t Make Me Think” is your go-to guide for creating web experiences that are not only user-friendly but delightful. It’s a reminder that the best websites are the ones where users don’t have to think; they simply enjoy the journey.
Get the book: https://amzn.to/48eYVM1
3. The Design of Everyday Things
In this book, Norman delves into the intricacies of product design. He introduces a captivating exploration of design principles that shape our daily lives. In this book, he introduced “Affordance” and how well a design can give us clues about how to use that. Likes doors with handles that suggest pushing or pulling intuitively know how to use them. He also highlighted the importance of feedback, mapping, and constraints in creating a user-centric design. “The Design of Everyday Thing” is a thought-provoking exploration of our daily life. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in designing a user-centric and accessible design.
Get the book: https://amzn.to/46gk72G
4. Designing for Interaction
Saffer explores various facets of interaction design, starting with fundamental concepts and gradually digging into converting the entire design process. One of the stand-out features of this book is it provides a wealth of real-world examples and case studies of some renowned companies around the world. Throughout the book, you will find insights into user behaviors, emotions, and psychology. Designing for Interaction is an excellent resource for those who have been looking to enhance their skills in user-centric design.
Get the book: https://amzn.to/471MFh8
4. Refactoring UI
Refactoring Ui is not only a book but a comprehensive resource created by Adam Wathan and Steve Schoger. Which aims to help designers and developers to improve their user interface. This provides solid guidelines and principles of design fundamentals such as Typography, color theory, layout, and spacing. One of the great aspects of this book is its focus on practical and actionable which the authors provide with some real-world examples.
Get the book: https://www.refactoringui.com/
Thank you for reading till the end, hit me up on LinkedIn if you want to discuss further. :)
