(Book Review) Universal Principles of Design, 2nd Edition

Overview

Review Published: May, 2017

From authors William Lidwell, Kristina Holden, and Jill Butler comes a comprehensive examination of design principles and their potential applicability.

From increasing the appeal of a design, to crafting how it's perceived, this book offers designers of all kinds a solid and accessible basis for understanding the human factors that go into successful projects.

Rating:

4.5 / 5

(Incredible Central Idea, Presentation is Clear)

What does this score mean?

Difficulty:

Intermediate to Very Advanced (Great general reference for those with a working knowledge of design).

Length:

272 pages.

Where to Buy It:

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What's Good

A deep understanding of the psychological/biological drivers behind design; the "human" basis for each design principle is explained, and where research is on-going the most current theory is shared.
The organization is fantastic; this book uses alphabetical organization for quick reference, and a second table of contents built upon category for easy discovery based upon what you want to do with your product design.
An approachable and comprehensive guide to design principles; this book includes design principles for better usability, influence, user-perception, and product effectiveness across all areas of design.

What Can Be Improved

A lack of immediate application; while the book explains each principle, it's up to you to apply them with previous design knowledge (which may trip up beginners looking for a "how-to" guide).
Where to learn more; the credits at the back of the book have a few resources you can look up, but it's up to you of you want to research a specific principle further (i.e. a "Further Reading" section would help).

The Bottom Line

This is an essential reference for designers; no matter what you specific design field (i.e. UX, visual, interiors, content, etc.) this book has insights for you to apply design principles in a meaningful way.
A versatile design resource for any experience level; whether you're learning the principles for the first time, or going back for reference, this will be a book you go to often.
Affordable & updated; priced around $30, this book provides great content for a very accessible price, and has been updated to be as comprehensive as possible.