Universal Principles of UX

Master the art of user experience design through the 100 laws, guidelines, human biases, and general considerations in this comprehensive, cross-disciplinary encyclopedia.

Richly illustrated and easy to navigate, Universal Principles of UX pairs clear explanations of each concept with visual examples of the ideas applied in practice. The book is organized into six broad categories:

• Consider
• Empathize
• Define
• Research
• Design
• Validate

And, features principles as diverse as:

• Design is not neutral
• Make the choice easy
• Some complexity cannot be reduced
• Map the ecosystem
• So you think you can scroll
• Don’t grade your own homework

User Experience is a field notable for its expansiveness, complexity and persistent evolution. This book is not a chronological retelling of the history of user experience design. It is also not a technical how-to book that will show you how to become a perfect user experience designer one step at a time. It's a philosophical anthology of case studies, situations, problems, and contradictions encountered across more than fifteen years of working on real world client projects that will teach you how to think, rather than tell you what to do. 

Each principle is presented in a two-page format. The left-hand page contains a succinct definition, a full description of the principle, examples of its use, and guidelines for use. Sidenotes appear to the right of the text, and provide elaborations and references. The right-hand page contains visual examples and related graphics to support a deeper understanding of the principle.

This landmark reference is the standard for designers, engineers, managers, and students who seek to broaden and improve their user experience design expertise.

The titles in the Rockport Universal series offer comprehensive and authoritative information and edifying and inspiring visual examples on multidisciplinary subjects for designers, architects, engineers, students, and anyone who is interested in expanding and enriching their design knowledge.

User Experience Director and Designer Irene Pereyra is responsible for translating business requirements into intuitive interactive solutions. She has led the strategy and UX initiatives for clients including The Met, Wacom, Balenciaga, USA Today, EA, HTC, Google, Nickelodeon, FOX, Verizon, BBC, Red Bull, and many more for both the web and cross-platform applications. Her work has been recognized by Cannes, The Webbys, FWA, Interaction Design Association, and The European Design Awards. Irene has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences, such as OFFF and FITC, and taught at prestigious learning institutions like Hyper Island in Sweden, SVA in New York, Elisava in Barcelona, Harbour Space in Barcelona, and the Design Academy in the Netherlands. Her personal projects have been displayed in design conferences and festivals in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, New York, Singapore, and Tegucigualpa. Originally from Amsterdam, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Atlanta and a Master of Science in Communications Design from Pratt Institute in New York. She currently splits her time between Barcelona and Brooklyn where she heads up her design studio, Anton & Irene, together with her creative partner, Anton Repponen.