// Book comparison
The Design of Everyday Things vs Ego Is the Enemy
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday.
The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
★ 4.9/5
Ego Is the Enemy
by Ryan Holiday
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Design of Everyday Things | Ego Is the Enemy | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 368 | 256 |
| Reading time | ~9.2 h | ~6.4 h |
| Published | 1988 | 2016 |
| Author | Don Norman | Ryan Holiday |
| Category | Marketing & Sales | Personal Effectiveness |
| Publisher | Basic Books | Portfolio |
Choose The Design of Everyday Things if…
- → You're interested in marketing & sales.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
Choose Ego Is the Enemy if…
- → You're interested in personal effectiveness.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~6.4 hours).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2016).
Key takeaways — The Design of Everyday Things
- ✓ Prioritize Discoverability and Feedback, ensuring that every element of your product clearly signals its function and provides immediate confirmation of user actions.
- ✓ Align your product’s design with the User’s Mental Model, recognizing that people interact with technology based on past experiences and intuitive analogies.
- ✓ Utilize Constraints as a Strategic Shield, intentionally limiting user options to prevent catastrophic errors and to guide the customer toward the most efficient path of success.
Key takeaways — Ego Is the Enemy
- ✓ Maintain a Lifelong Student Mindset by intentionally seeking out mentors and peers who challenge your strategic assumptions, preventing the 'stagnation of success'.
- ✓ Prioritize Action over Talk, recognizing that the public narrative of your achievements is often a distraction from the deep work required to sustain your organization’s competitive edge.
- ✓ Utilize the Plus, Minus, Equal framework to ensure your professional development is balanced, allowing you to learn, teach, and compete with humility and clarity.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Design of Everyday Things. If you specifically need personal effectiveness, Ego Is the Enemy is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Design of Everyday Things or Ego Is the Enemy better? +
The Design of Everyday Things has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. The Design of Everyday Things focuses on marketing & sales, while Ego Is the Enemy focuses on personal effectiveness. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Design of Everyday Things or Ego Is the Enemy? +
Ego Is the Enemy is shorter (256 pages, ~6.4 hours) compared to The Design of Everyday Things (368 pages, ~9.2 hours).
Should I read The Design of Everyday Things or Ego Is the Enemy first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with The Design of Everyday Things. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.