// Book comparison
The Design of Everyday Things vs The Laws of Human Nature
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene.
The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
★ 4.9/5
The Laws of Human Nature
by Robert Greene
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Design of Everyday Things | The Laws of Human Nature | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 368 | 624 |
| Reading time | ~9.2 h | ~15.6 h |
| Published | 1988 | 2018 |
| Author | Don Norman | Robert Greene |
| Category | Marketing & Sales | Leadership |
| Publisher | Basic Books | Viking |
Choose The Design of Everyday Things if…
- → You're interested in marketing & sales.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You prefer a shorter read (~9.2 hours).
Choose The Laws of Human Nature if…
- → You're interested in leadership.
- → You want the more recent perspective (2018).
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 Laws of Human Nature
- ✓ Master the Law of Irrationality by recognizing your own emotional biases, ensuring that your strategic decisions are based on objective evidence rather than impulsive feelings.
- ✓ Utilize Social Decoding to identify the hidden motives of your stakeholders, allowing you to anticipate conflicts and build more effective, reality-based professional alliances.
- ✓ Develop Strategic Empathy by looking beneath people’s outward behavior to understand their core insecurities and needs, which is the key to influencing diverse groups.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with The Design of Everyday Things. If you specifically need leadership, The Laws of Human Nature is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Design of Everyday Things or The Laws of Human Nature 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 Laws of Human Nature focuses on leadership. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Design of Everyday Things or The Laws of Human Nature? +
The Design of Everyday Things is shorter (368 pages, ~9.2 hours) compared to The Laws of Human Nature (624 pages, ~15.6 hours).
Should I read The Design of Everyday Things or The Laws of Human Nature 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.