// 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.

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

  • Bigyang-diin ang Discoverability at Feedback, upang malinaw na maipakita ng bawat elemento ng produkto ang tungkulin nito at agad na magbibigay ng kumpirmasyon sa aksyon ng gumagamit.
  • I-align ang disenyo ng iyong produkto sa Modelong Mental ng User, na kinikilala na nakikipag-ugnayan ang tao sa teknolohiya batay sa kanilang mga nakaraang karanasan at intuitibong analogies.
  • Gamitin ang Constraints bilang Estratehikong Panangga, na sadyang nililimitahan ang mga pagpipilian ng user upang maiwasan ang malubhang pagkakamali at gabayan ang customer sa pinakamabisang landas tungo sa tagumpay.
Read full The Design of Everyday Things summary →

Key takeaways — The Laws of Human Nature

  • Masterin ang Law of Irrationality sa pamamagitan ng pagkilala sa sariling emosyonal na biases, upang masiguro na ang mga estratehikong desisyon ay nakabase sa obhetibong ebidensya kaysa sa emosyonal na impulses.
  • Gamitin ang Social Decoding upang matukoy ang nakatagong motibo ng mga stakeholder, na magbibigay-daan sa iyo na makapaghanda laban sa mga posibleng alitan at makabuo ng mas epektibong, reality-based na mga alyansa sa propesyonal.
  • Paunlarin ang Strategic Empathy sa pamamagitan ng pagtingin sa likod ng panlabas na kilos ng tao upang maunawaan ang kanilang pangunahing insecurities at pangangailangan, na siyang susi sa epektibong impluwensya sa iba't ibang grupo.
Read full The Laws of Human Nature summary →

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.