Whether you’re designing the next killer app, revamping a website, or just trying to make your projects more intuitive, user experience books are a game-changer. And let’s be honest: design isn’t just about how things look—it’s about how things feel. That’s where good UX comes in.
I still remember the first time I picked up a book on UX. It was one of those nights where you feel stuck with your design process. I stumbled upon a title online, started reading… and didn’t stop until 3 AM. That one book reshaped the way I approached interfaces forever.
In this article, I’m sharing some of the best UX books, good UX design books, and even a few hidden gems that every designer—beginner or expert—should get their hands on. This isn’t just a list. This is a curated journey through the most insightful books for UX design and beyond.
1. Refactoring UI by Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger
If you’re a designer or even a front-end developer who often thinks, “I know this layout could be better, but I don’t know how,” this one is for you.
Refactoring UI blends practical design tweaks with real-world examples, making it one of those great books on design that you can go back to again and again. Adam and Steve aren’t trying to teach you complex theories—they’re showing you how to see your design with new eyes. It’s incredibly empowering, especially for beginners.
2. Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
No list of books about UX is complete without this one. Steve Krug keeps it refreshingly simple, reminding us that users shouldn’t have to work to understand how your product works.
This is one of the best user experience books for beginners because it’s funny, accessible, and shockingly insightful. Every chapter gives you one “aha” moment after another. It’s a must-read for anyone just stepping into the world of UX design or even if you’re working with designers as a developer or product manager.
3. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
This book is timeless. Don Norman dives deep into how humans interact with the world—and what that means for the things we create.
This isn’t just one of the top UI UX designing books—it’s a cornerstone of the entire discipline. If you’ve ever been frustrated by a door that looks like it should pull but only pushes (yes, we’ve all been there), this book will hit home.
Norman’s insights are foundational, and they’ll make you re-evaluate not just digital interfaces but every object in your life.
4. Seductive Interaction Design by Stephen Anderson
If you want to go beyond just making things usable, this book is for you. It explores how to make your designs irresistible.
You’ll learn how small emotional cues can improve engagement—whether it’s the way a button animates or how a form field responds to errors. Anderson takes psychology and blends it beautifully with interface design, making it one of the most good UX books to add to your list.
5. Laws of UX by Jon Yablonski
Here’s one that’s sleek, digestible, and loaded with golden rules of behavior-driven design.
Each law—from the Zeigarnik Effect to Hick’s Law—is explained with clarity and real-life examples. If you’re ever pitching your design decisions to stakeholders or clients, this book arms you with research-backed insights. It’s one of the best UX design books for both understanding theory and applying it practically.
6. Logo Modernism by Jens Müller
Now let’s shift gears a little. Design isn’t just about UX flows and interface psychology. Sometimes, it’s about the perfect logo inspiration.
Logo Modernism is a visual feast, exploring over 6,000 modernist logos from the golden age of graphic design. If you’re a designer who ever wondered, “Can graphic designers source logos from the past and build on them?”—this book is your answer. It’s also a powerful tool for brainstorming and appreciating the evolution of branding.
7. Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton
Typography is an unsung hero of UX. A well-chosen font can make or break a design.
Lupton’s book is a modern classic for anyone serious about typography in both print and digital contexts. It’s one of the most recommended books for UX designers who want to polish the fine details that elevate a design from good to unforgettable. If you’re diving into branding, UI layouts, or just making text-heavy designs shine, this belongs on your desk.
8. Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell et al.
Want a book that can double as both a reference guide and creative inspiration? This is it.
From contrast and alignment to consistency and familiarity, the book breaks down 125 essential design principles. It’s often used in universities and even by Apple product teams, making it one of those top UI UX designing books at Apple that everyone whispers about.
This isn’t just for UX designers—it’s a goldmine for product managers, marketers, and anyone who works in the creative space.
9. Hooked by Nir Eyal
A slightly controversial one, but undeniably powerful. Hooked dives into how successful apps like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok keep users coming back again and again.
It explores habit-forming technologies and helps you design products that people love to use (sometimes a little too much). While not a classic book on UX design, it’s deeply relevant for modern designers who care about user engagement.
10. A Book Apart Series
This series is like a candy store for UX professionals. Each book is short, sharply focused, and beautifully designed. Topics include accessibility, designing for emotion, responsive design, and more.
If you’re the type who likes to keep things concise but impactful, grab a few from this collection. They’re some of the best books about user experience you can read on a weekend and apply on Monday.
Bonus: Books for Graphic Designers with a UX Twist
If you work across both UI and visual design, check out:
- “Grid Systems in Graphic Design” – Helps with layout precision.
- “Book of Iconic Design” – A book on graphic design icon art that inspires iconography in modern apps.
- “Steal Like an Artist” – Not UX per se, but every designer should read this once.
11. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp
Created by designers at Google Ventures, Sprint introduces a unique framework for solving tough product and design challenges—fast. It’s a step-by-step guide to running five-day problem-solving sprints that take you from idea to prototype to tested solution in just a week.
This book isn’t just for UX designers. It’s for product teams, founders, developers—anyone building something meaningful. What makes it one of the best books about user experience is how it ties design thinking into a practical, repeatable process.
Reading Sprint gives you a new appreciation for focused creativity. It’s not about waiting for inspiration; it’s about creating structured momentum.
12. Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley & David Kelley
You can’t talk about innovation without talking about IDEO. The Kelley brothers (founders of IDEO) show how anyone—designer or not—can build confidence in their creativity and make meaningful things.
Creative Confidence isn’t strictly a UX book, but it’s an essential read for every designer. Why? Because great UX isn’t just wireframes and layouts. It’s empathy. It’s experimentation. It’s having the courage to think differently.
If you’re looking for good UX design books that fuel your mindset as well as your skillset, this one is a keeper.
13. Making and Breaking the Grid by Timothy Samara
Let’s be real—grids can feel rigid. But once you understand how to use them (and when to break them), your layouts become unstoppable.
This book isn’t just about rigid frameworks. It explores balance, asymmetry, rhythm, and how to keep a design structured without making it boring. If you’re into books about UX with a strong visual foundation, this is a fun and enlightening read.
Many graphic designers source logos and layout inspiration from classic design grid techniques. This book walks you through both traditional grid systems and cutting-edge alternatives.
14. Microinteractions by Dan Saffer
Microinteractions are those tiny moments—like when your phone vibrates as confirmation, or your like button pulses just enough to feel satisfying. These small UX details create emotional resonance and memorability.
Dan Saffer shows us how to design these moments so they don’t just function—they delight. It’s one of the best UX books out there if you’re ready to move from functional to fantastic.
Microinteractions make your app or product feel alive. If you’re building something people will interact with daily, this is the kind of subtle magic that separates good design from unforgettable experiences.
15. Designing Interfaces by Jenifer Tidwell
If there’s a UX bible out there for interface patterns, this is it. Designing Interfaces breaks down recurring solutions to common problems in digital products—think tabs, modals, carousels, onboarding flows.
It’s one of those books for UX professionals that you’ll end up using as a reference over and over again. It doesn’t just tell you what works, but why it works.
This is the kind of book that product designers at places like Airbnb or Apple have sitting on their shelves—because it respects both function and form.
16. Emotional Design by Don Norman
We’ve already featured Don Norman once, but he earns another mention. In Emotional Design, he dives into the psychology behind why we love some products more than others.
Ever wonder why some apps feel like home, while others feel cold? Norman explores the role of visceral, behavioral, and reflective design in creating deep connections. It’s one of the great books on design that challenges you to go deeper than usability and think about the emotional journey of your users.
This is essential reading for anyone who wants to create meaningful, memorable design experiences.
17. 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
Ever heard of the “F-pattern”? Or why people are more likely to click something if it’s placed on the right side of a page?
Susan Weinschenk brings behavioral science into design with this easy-to-digest book. It’s packed with real psychological insights that help you understand how people actually think and behave—not just how we wish they did.
This is one of the most practical books for UX design that marries neuroscience and UX in a non-boring way. Ideal for those who want to build smarter, not harder.
18. Lean UX by Jeff Gothelf
For teams that live in the fast-paced world of product development, Lean UX is a life-saver. It emphasizes collaboration, quick iterations, and user feedback, aligning perfectly with Agile methodologies.
Rather than treating UX as a siloed role, Gothelf argues for UX as a team sport. This book is a must-have for startups, product managers, and designers who want to build modern, flexible workflows.
This one’s often listed among the best UX design books used in workshops and company trainings, especially in Silicon Valley.
19. This is Service Design Thinking by Marc Stickdorn & Jakob Schneider
Not all UX is digital. Sometimes, it’s about crafting seamless service experiences from start to finish.
This book expands your UX worldview and teaches you how to design interactions that go beyond screens—like hotel check-ins, delivery services, or healthcare appointments.
If you’ve ever been curious about how designers improve services that don’t involve apps, this is one of the most eye-opening UX books you’ll find. A must-read if you want to grow from UX designer to full-fledged design strategist.
20. How to by Michael Bierut
Bierut is a design legend, and this book is part memoir, part masterclass. With behind-the-scenes stories on projects ranging from museum identities to brand logos, it’s perfect for anyone who wants insight into the real design world.
For those dabbling in graphic design and curious about how to source logos, refine identity systems, or find solid logo inspiration, this book offers gold in every chapter. It’s smart, witty, and full of wisdom.
Final Words: Build Your UX Bookshelf with Intention
When it comes to learning UX, there’s no shortage of information online. But there’s something about a book—carefully written, deeply researched, and thoughtfully edited—that gives you clarity and depth that quick tutorials can’t.
The books shared here—from user experience books for beginners to advanced reads for seasoned designers—are more than just manuals. They’re mentors. And in the ever-evolving world of design, that’s priceless.
So grab one. Or three. Or start building a whole shelf. Your users (and your creativity) will thank you.
Want to read a bit more? Find some more of my writings here-
The Painting That Sees: An Eerie Short Story
High School Books: Timeless Reads Every Student Should Dive Into
Book Review: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
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