// Book comparison
The Design of Everyday Things vs How to Win Friends and Influence People
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
★ 4.9/5
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Design of Everyday Things | How to Win Friends and Influence People | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 368 | 288 |
| Reading time | ~9.2 h | ~7.2 h |
| Published | 1988 | 1936 |
| Author | Don Norman | Dale Carnegie |
| Category | Marketing & Sales | Leadership |
| Publisher | Basic Books | Simon & Schuster |
Choose The Design of Everyday Things if…
- → You're interested in marketing & sales.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You want the more recent perspective (1988).
Choose How to Win Friends and Influence People if…
- → You're interested in leadership.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).
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 — How to Win Friends and Influence People
- ✓ Practice Radical Appreciation by identifying and acknowledging the sincere strengths of your team members, which is the most effective way to inspire high performance and loyalty.
- ✓ Master Empathetic Perspective-Taking by always seeking to understand the motives and needs of your stakeholders before attempting to persuade them to your strategic viewpoint.
- ✓ Avoid Direct Criticism and instead use indirect methods to point out errors, ensuring that you preserve the other person’s dignity and maintain a collaborative work environment.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Design of Everyday Things. If you specifically need leadership, How to Win Friends and Influence People is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Design of Everyday Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People 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 How to Win Friends and Influence People focuses on leadership. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Design of Everyday Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People? +
How to Win Friends and Influence People is shorter (288 pages, ~7.2 hours) compared to The Design of Everyday Things (368 pages, ~9.2 hours).
Should I read The Design of Everyday Things or How to Win Friends and Influence People 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.