100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People Book Summary - 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People Book explained in key points
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100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People summary

Susan M. Weinschenk

The essential guide for every designer from a behavioral psychologist

4.3 (275 ratings)
16 mins

Brief summary

100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan M. Weinschenk is a practical guide to human behavior, revealing 100 things that designers need to know about the brain, cognition, and perception to create effective designs that resonate with people.

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    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People
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    To understand the world, people use their central and peripheral vision, and look for visual patterns.

    Imagine you’re reading an article online, but an ad keeps flashing up on one side of the screen. Why is it so hard to ignore that flashing peripheral image and focus on reading? Well, there’s an anatomical reason for this.

    In our humble attempts to navigate the world, we humans use our peripheral vision more than our central vision.

    When we look directly at something, picking out details and focusing on particular features, we’re using our central vision. Our peripheral vision is what picks up everything around whatever we’re focusing on – all the objects, movements and colors that we’re not looking at directly but can still see.

    Researchers at Kansas State University discovered that for the most part people use their peripheral vision to gather information about a scene. That’s why advertisers place ads at the sides of a web page; they’re guaranteed to receive attention.

    And this tendency to use our peripheral vision makes perfect evolutionary sense. In order to stay alive, our ancestors needed to be hyperaware of their surroundings. And peripheral vision enabled them to stay alert while engaged with other tasks. Even when sharpening tools or preparing a meal, our ancestors could keep half an eye out for approaching threats like a hungry saber-toothed tiger.

    Our central vision works differently. When looking directly at individual objects, humans find patterns. Envision four pairs of dots in a straight line with a small space between each pair. You’re anatomically predisposed to register the gaps and so perceive a pattern: four pairs rather than eight individual dots in a straight line.

    Patterns make it easier to sort out all the new sensory information we’re constantly bombarded with. Even if there are no obvious patterns, your eyes and brain work in conjunction to create them. Basic shapes like rectangles and spheres are identified in everything you look at in order to make sense of what you’re observing.

    Later, we’ll explore how this method of recognizing patterns is directly linked to the way you think and process information.

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    What is 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People about?

    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (2011) is an essential guide for every designer. Combining research and practical examples, the book illustrates how important it is for designers to know, among many other things, how consumers make decisions and how memory is integral to good design.

    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People Review

    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (2011) is a valuable read for designers seeking to understand the psychology behind user behavior and improve their work. Here's why this book is worth adding to your reading list:

    • Packed with research-backed insights, it offers practical strategies to create designs that resonate with and engage users effectively.
    • By exploring the limits and biases of human perception and cognition, the book helps designers make informed decisions that lead to better user experiences.
    • Through relatable examples and relatable writing style, Susan M. Weinschenk makes complex concepts accessible and ensures that the book is engaging and never dull.

    Who should read 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People?

    • Product managers and developers
    • Design or psychology students
    • Consumers who want to improve their awareness

    About the Author

    Susan M. Weinschenk is a behavioral psychologist who, for the last 30 years, has applied her expertise to the fields of design and user experience. She also runs the popular blog whatmakesthemclick.net. This is her second book.

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    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People FAQs 

    What is the main message of 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People?

    The main message of 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People is understanding how people think and behave to create effective designs.

    How long does it take to read 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People?

    The reading time for 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People varies depending on the reader's speed. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People a good book? Is it worth reading?

    100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People is worth reading as it provides valuable insights into human behavior and how to design with users in mind.

    Who is the author of 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People?

    The author of 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People is Susan M. Weinschenk.

    What to read after 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People?

    If you're wondering what to read next after 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
    • Don't Make Me Think, Revisited by Steve Krug
    • Do Design by Alan Moore
    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
    • Laws of UX by Jon Yablonski
    • The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
    • How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes
    • Structures by James Edward Gordon
    • The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
    • User Research by Stephanie Marsh