Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York, New York : Portfolio/Penguin, 2014.
Description
Why do some products capture widespread attention while others flop? What makes us engage with certain products out of sheer habit? Is there a pattern unlying how technologies hook us? Nir Eyal answers these questions (and many more) by explaining the Hook Model - a four-step process embedded into the products of many successful companies to subtly encourage customer behavior. Through consecutive "hook cycles," these products reach their ultimate goal of bringing users back again and again without depending on costly advertising or aggressive messaging. Hooked is based on Eyal's years of research, consulting, and practical experience. He wrote the book he wished had been available to him as a start-up founder - not abstract theory, but a how-to guide for building better products. Hooked is written for product managers, designers, marketers, start-up founders, and anyone who seeks to understand how products influence our behavior. -- from dust jacket.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member M.G.Edwards
Author Nir Eyal synthesized and dispensed some of the best work from his website into this great book on consumer behavior and building products that encourage their usage. Organized into chapters that break down basic human habits and responses in a theoretical way, it offers concrete examples of
Mr. Eyal’s book itself is a habit-forming product. He leaves the reader with a memorable model that they can use in their own businesses and encourages them to return to his website for more insights. Not many theory books take applicability to the level Mr. Eyal’s does. I appreciated his sincere caution that the Hook Model be used for positive ends and acknowledgement that it can be used to foster addictions.
This relatively short book is a great road map that points the reader in the right direction to build great products but may not go far enough for some. It will also be dated in a year or two when today’s “hot” companies become passé. Nevertheless, his theories on human behavior may well prove timeless.
I give the book five stars and highly recommend it to anyone looking to design better content, goods, or services.
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organizations that are now among the most successful at building habit-forming products. Its Hook Model is an easy-to-understand method for applying complex concepts related to human behavior and responses to business applications. Although focused largely on the technology sector, the ideas the author presents are applicable to any company or individual looking to build something better.Mr. Eyal’s book itself is a habit-forming product. He leaves the reader with a memorable model that they can use in their own businesses and encourages them to return to his website for more insights. Not many theory books take applicability to the level Mr. Eyal’s does. I appreciated his sincere caution that the Hook Model be used for positive ends and acknowledgement that it can be used to foster addictions.
This relatively short book is a great road map that points the reader in the right direction to build great products but may not go far enough for some. It will also be dated in a year or two when today’s “hot” companies become passé. Nevertheless, his theories on human behavior may well prove timeless.
I give the book five stars and highly recommend it to anyone looking to design better content, goods, or services.
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LibraryThing member eheinlen
I found this book to be very interesting, informational and easy-to-read. My only complaint with it is a minor one in that, at one point, the author started a sentence with a number written numerically. You should never do that.
LibraryThing member ague
Has some really good information, but is also somewhat wordy and redundant.
LibraryThing member aleph123
This is a short review as, frankly, it is more appropriate to comment this book within the context of other books.
The concept of designing "addictive products" might make most (myself included) cringe- but, frankly, I read this book only because it was quoted within another one on
The framework anyway is interesting for at least two purposes: product and service design, as any product and any service is now working on moving from the "customer experience" to the "ecosystem" concept.
So, in order to design an ecosystem, you need to undestand what would motivate people to join your ecosystem- you do not sell a product, you welcome within a community.
The second purpose is for (both private and corporate) customers- to avoid being "hooked" when it is not worthwhile to you, and to instead embrace one (or more) ecosystems.
Examples of "hooked" to avoid: when somebody offers your something "free" that is useful to them to gain more information needed to offer you more- and delivers no value to you unless you retain them, while absorbing a large amount of time; in these cases, ask explicitly what is the value for you if you were, after the experience, to halt, as anyway "free" is not- you will have to allocate scarce resources.
Examples of "hooked" when you would like to embrace more than one ecosystem: when your supplier adds more services that you do not need, while not improving what they are supposed to offer in exchange of what you pay; you could be better off by belonging to more than one ecosystem, in these cases.
Therefore, "hooked" lessons can be used in both a manipulative and a constructive way: it is up to you.
Value added: if you buy the book, you receive additional free (and useful) material from the author, as well as a newsletter than sometimes is interesting not for the articles per se, but for the questions that they raise- so that you can find your own answers.
[Review released on 2018-05-22}
The concept of designing "addictive products" might make most (myself included) cringe- but, frankly, I read this book only because it was quoted within another one on
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digitalization.The framework anyway is interesting for at least two purposes: product and service design, as any product and any service is now working on moving from the "customer experience" to the "ecosystem" concept.
So, in order to design an ecosystem, you need to undestand what would motivate people to join your ecosystem- you do not sell a product, you welcome within a community.
The second purpose is for (both private and corporate) customers- to avoid being "hooked" when it is not worthwhile to you, and to instead embrace one (or more) ecosystems.
Examples of "hooked" to avoid: when somebody offers your something "free" that is useful to them to gain more information needed to offer you more- and delivers no value to you unless you retain them, while absorbing a large amount of time; in these cases, ask explicitly what is the value for you if you were, after the experience, to halt, as anyway "free" is not- you will have to allocate scarce resources.
Examples of "hooked" when you would like to embrace more than one ecosystem: when your supplier adds more services that you do not need, while not improving what they are supposed to offer in exchange of what you pay; you could be better off by belonging to more than one ecosystem, in these cases.
Therefore, "hooked" lessons can be used in both a manipulative and a constructive way: it is up to you.
Value added: if you buy the book, you receive additional free (and useful) material from the author, as well as a newsletter than sometimes is interesting not for the articles per se, but for the questions that they raise- so that you can find your own answers.
[Review released on 2018-05-22}
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LibraryThing member ladyars
Good book. A great intro to some of the research behind forming habits and psychology (borrows heavily from the work by B.J. Fogg) and some interesting insights about applying the findings to a real project. However, it's not exhaustive. Think of it as an 101 class on habit forming.
LibraryThing member 064
This book is generally aimed at entrepreneurs and tech people, but it can be useful for anyone who wants to be more productive with their internet and device usage. It's full of data and key examples, yet is made into a very easy and interesting (to me) read.
I however read it as a consumer, who is
It didn't disappoint. It was full of data, yet managed to be a very easy read.
The author also spent enough time, for me, discussing the ethics of persuasion for me not to be too concerned that this book will be used for nefarious reasons (though I am sure bad people will be able to use it to create addictive tech).
Either way it's important for the wider world to know these concepts.
I however read it as a consumer, who is
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becoming very mindful of how much tech I consume. So rather than read it as a 'how to' guide, I read it as a 'what to look out for' guide to make sure I use my daily set of products... productively.It didn't disappoint. It was full of data, yet managed to be a very easy read.
The author also spent enough time, for me, discussing the ethics of persuasion for me not to be too concerned that this book will be used for nefarious reasons (though I am sure bad people will be able to use it to create addictive tech).
Either way it's important for the wider world to know these concepts.
Show Less
Language
Physical description
256 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
1591847788 / 9781591847786
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