6 UX Design Books Worth Reading in 2025

1. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

Nothing new, still necessary.

Don Norman doesn’t write for designers. He writes for anyone who’s ever been frustrated by a door. Which means it’s still the most essential UX book, because good UX is about making things feel obvious—even when they’re not.

2. User Psychology 3 by Ameer Omidvar

New release • Cognitive Psychology applied to UX design.

This comprehensive and practical guide delves into the psychological principles that underpin effective user experience design. With over 100 terms explained and illustrated through wireframe examples, it bridges the gap between theory and practice.

3. Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug

You already know what he means. That’s the point.

It’s not long. It’s not complicated. And it won’t teach you Figma shortcuts. But if you’ve ever explained why clarity beats cleverness to someone who doesn’t quite get it—this is the book you wish you’d handed them.

4. Hooked by Nir Eyal

Understand behavior. Decide what to do with it.

The “Hook Model” is simple: trigger, action, reward, investment. The question isn’t whether it works. The question is whether you’ll use it responsibly. Read it with intent. Not everything needs to be addictive.

5. Lean UX by Jeff Gothelf

Process, when the process is messy.

You won’t find pixel-perfect examples here. That’s the point. Lean UX is about collaboration, iteration, and moving fast without breaking the user experience. Especially relevant if you’ve ever been stuck designing inside a Jira ticket.

6. Refactoring UI by Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger

A cheat code for better-looking interfaces.

This one feels like a well-organized Twitter thread—because it basically is. Full of visual examples, practical advice, and hard-to-argue-with rules. Great for developers. Useful for designers. Deadly in the hands of both.

Final Thought

Design books aren’t a replacement for doing the work. But the good ones change how you see it.

The books above don’t promise magic. They don’t name-drop trends. They just help you make better things for people. And in a world full of noise, that’s still rare.