"Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal is a book about the psychology of habit formation and how it can be applied to the design of products and services.
Eyal draws on his experiences as a technology entrepreneur and consultant to provide practical advice for product designers and marketers.
The book is divided into four parts: "Trigger," "Action," "Variable Reward," and "Investment." In the first part, Eyal discusses the importance of creating triggers that prompt users to take action.
He explores the different types of triggers, including
external triggers such as notifications and advertisements, and internal
triggers such as emotions and habits. He also provides practical advice for
designing effective triggers that are relevant and timely.
In the second part of the book, Eyal focuses on the importance of making it easy for users to take action.
He discusses the concept of "friction" and how it can prevent users from taking the desired action.
He provides practical advice for reducing friction and making it easy
for users to engage with a product or service.
In the third part of the book, Eyal explores the importance of providing variable rewards to users.
He discusses the psychological concept
of "variable reinforcement" and how it can be used to create a sense
of anticipation and excitement. He provides practical advice for designing
rewards that are unpredictable and meaningful.
Finally, in the fourth part of the book, Eyal discusses the importance of creating a sense of investment in a product or service.
He
explores the concept of "loss aversion" and how it can be used to
encourage users to continue using a product or service. He provides practical
advice for designing features that encourage users to invest time, money, and
effort into a product or service.
Throughout the book, Eyal emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding the needs and desires of users.
He argues that
successful products and services are those that are designed with the user in mind,
and that the most successful companies are those that are able to create habits
and build lasting relationships with their customers.
One of the key themes of the book is the importance of
ethical considerations in product design. Eyal acknowledges the potential for
addiction and harm in habit-forming products, and provides practical advice for
designing products and services that are beneficial and ethical.
Overall, "Hooked" is a practical and insightful guide to the psychology of habit formation and how it can be applied to product design. Eyal provides a wealth of practical advice and real-world examples of successful products and services that have been designed using these principles.
The book is a valuable resource for product designers, marketers,
and anyone interested in understanding the psychology of human behavior.
