Learn how to apply psychological theory to solve your design problems - from better understanding your users, to effectively communicating your design ideas.

Psychology for Designers

Preface

Using psychological theory within your design process can help you tackle the challenges you face when creating websites and apps.

How understanding psychology can make you a better designer

“Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and experience”

The different types of psychology

Finding the theory to solve a design problem can be a challenge. Research papers offer practical, prescriptive design direction but finding the right one can be like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. In this chapter we take a journey to find a research paper that matches a real life design challenge.

Finding and using psychological theories

This little book can't contain everything there is to know about psychology. Knowing the right types of books to read can give you a grounding in the subject and help you find the psychology to address common design issues

The types of psychology books and must reads

The poet Keats famously complained of Isaac Newton’s experiments with light: “[Newton] has destroyed all the poetry of the rainbow, by reducing it to the prismatic colours.” In design there can often be conflict. There is the design we create and the science that underpins the design, which can explain and often determine if it will be a success.

Advocating design using psychology

Studying psychology is great for learning about the theories that underpin your designs. It’s also useful in helping you support your design decisions by teaching you how to make a reasoned academic argument.

Taking your psychology studies further

I share some of the psychology theories I find the most useful and bust a few psychology myths.

Community Questions