// Book comparison
The Design of Everyday Things vs The Big Short
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and The Big Short by Michael Lewis.
The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
★ 4.9/5
The Big Short
by Michael Lewis
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Design of Everyday Things | The Big Short | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 368 | 288 |
| Reading time | ~9.2 h | ~7.2 h |
| Published | 1988 | 2010 |
| Author | Don Norman | Michael Lewis |
| Category | Marketing & Sales | Finance & Investment |
| Publisher | Basic Books | W. W. Norton & Company |
Choose The Design of Everyday Things if…
- → You're interested in marketing & sales.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
Choose The Big Short if…
- → You're interested in finance & investment.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2010).
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 — The Big Short
- ✓ Prioritize First-Hand Data Investigation, ensuring your organization’s biggest strategic bets are based on the reality of the 'Underlying Assets' rather than on the opinions of rating agencies or experts.
- ✓ Cultivate Contrarian Bravery, recognizing that the most significant strategic opportunities often require you to stand alone and bet against the 'Collective Blindness' of the market.
- ✓ Understand The Danger of Complexity as Obfuscation, recognizing that when a financial product or business model is too complex to be easily explained, it often hides systemic fragility and loss.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Design of Everyday Things. If you specifically need finance & investment, The Big Short is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Design of Everyday Things or The Big Short 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 The Big Short focuses on finance & investment. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Design of Everyday Things or The Big Short? +
The Big Short 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 The Big Short 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.