📘 Book | 2011 | Behavioural scientist & UX consultant
“Designing without understanding how people think is like playing darts in the dark.”
This is psychology 101 for designers.
Weinschenk organises 100 behavioural science insights into bite-sized lessons that help you design for how people really behave.
The book is split into 10 themed sections including attention, memory, vision, reading, emotion, decision-making, motivation, and social behaviour.
Each "thing" includes a real-world design implication.
From font choices to button placement, the book connects the science directly to interface decisions.
It’s made for action.
You don’t need to read it cover to cover — every page gives you something to immediately apply or question in your design.
| Topic | What You Learn | How It Impacts UX |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | People focus on faces, movement, and contrast | Use visuals wisely to direct attention |
| Memory | People remember ~4 items at a time | Keep navigation and tasks simple |
| Reading | People read in chunks, not word-by-word | Break content into bite-sized blocks |
| Attention | Attention is limited and easily hijacked | Prioritize one primary action per screen |
| Motivation | Rewards must feel immediate and meaningful | Use progress bars, feedback, and incentives intentionally |
💬 “People will make mistakes. Good design minimises the impact of those mistakes.”
This book is like a cheat code for both UX researchers and designers.
It helped me explain why users do weird things without sounding like I’m guessing. It reminds me of the book “The Psychology of Money” - as it explains how many decisions are very logical when we take into account the persons POV and background.
I love how the book blends solid psychology with super clear takeaways — stuff like why centred text is harder to read, or why people don’t scroll as predictably as we think.
This is a great book to keep on your desk and flip through it when your stuck or asked a questions. It’s not deep theory — it’s sharp, actionable wisdom you can use to check your own assumptions and advocate for better UX.
Also, it’s great to quote from when talking to stakeholders who love “science-backed” decisions 😉