15+ UI/UX books for becoming a professional web designer

Are you looking for a UI/UX book recommendation? You’ve come to the right place! We know that there are plenty of web design resources available today, from online courses, ebooks, mentorship programs to having ChatGPT itself teach you web design, right? But we’ve prepared an extensive list of books that have become staples in the design community.

The list has been segmented into four categories such as “Web Design Beginner-Friendly,” “Web Design Advanced Concepts,” “Psychology in Design,” and “Web Design Career Development,” so that there’s something for everyone, regardless of their experience level.

So, let’s discover the books that will inspire or introduce you to UI/UX design.

Web Design Beginner-Friendly

1. Roots of UI/UX Design. Learn to Develop Intuitive Web Experiences by Elisa Paduraru & Creative Tim

• What you will learn: to create web and mobile apps from learning how to design pixel-perfect elements to whole web pages.
• Specialty: Offers real-life examples, 40 AI prompts for web design tasks, and a special Figma Design File that contains the design examples from the book.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 2023.
• Price: Approx. $49 (digital).

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2. Fundamentals of Creating a Great UI/UX Design by Elisa Paduraru & Creative Tim

• What you will learn: Basic principles of UI/UX design, practical approaches, and case studies.
• Specialty: Offers a unique blend of theory and practical examples, making it ideal for hands-on learners.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 2022.
• Price: Approx. $99 (digital).

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3. Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug

• What you will learn: Web usability, user experience, and simplifying complex processes.
• Specialty: Renowned for its approachable and humorous style, making complex usability concepts accessible.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 3rd Edition in 2014.
• Price: Approx. $30 (digital).

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4. UX for Beginners by Joel Marsh

• What you will learn: Fundamentals of UX design, user research, and prototyping.
• Specialty: As the title suggests, it’s an ideal starting point for beginners, covering the basics in an engaging way.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2016.
• Price: Approx. $25 (digital).

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5. The User Experience Team of One by Leah Buley

• What you will learn: Strategies and techniques for working in small or solo UX teams.
• Specialty: Tailored for solo UX professionals, offering strategies and techniques for effective individual work.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2013.
• Price: Approx. $30 (digital).

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Web Design Advanced Concepts

6. About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design by Alan Cooper et al.

• What you will learn: Interaction design principles, goal-directed design methodology.
• Specialty: Considered a seminal work on interaction design, providing depth on designing intuitive interfaces.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 4th Edition in 2014.
• Price: Approx. $31(digital).

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7. Smashing UX Design: Foundations for Designing Online User Experiences by Jesmond Allen and James Chudley

• What you will learn: Comprehensive guide to UX design for websites and mobile.
• Specialty: A comprehensive resource with a broad range of UX design topics, ideal for a thorough understanding.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2022.
• Price: Approx. $5.25 (digital).

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8. Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience by Jeff Gothelf with Josh Seiden

• What you will learn: Integrating Lean and Agile principles into UX design.
• Specialty: Integrates Lean and Agile methodologies with UX, a must-read for modern, iterative design environments.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2nd Edition in 2016.
• Price: Approx. $30.

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9. Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond by Louis Rosenfeld et al.

• What you will learn: The art and science of structuring and organizing digital information.
• Specialty: Delves into the organization of information, a key component in user-friendly design.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 4th Edition in 2015.
• Price: Approx. $48 (digital).

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10. The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web and Beyond by Jesse James Garrett

• What you will learn: Frameworks for creating a compelling user experience.
• Specialty: Provides a strategic framework for creating a user-centric approach in digital projects.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2nd Edition in 2010.
• Price: Approx. $44 (digital).

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Psychology in Design

11. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

• What you will learn: Cognitive psychology in design, usability principles, and user-centered design.
• Specialty: A classic in the design world, this book revolutionized how we understand user-centered design.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: Updated edition in 2013.
• Price: Approx. $12 (digital).

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12. 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know about People by Susan Weinschenk

• What you will learn: Psychology of design, how people perceive and interact with design.
• Specialty: Merges psychology with design, providing insights into user behavior and perception.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 2nd Edition in 2020.
• Price: Approx. $16 (digital).

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13. Designing with the Mind in Mind by Jeff Johnson

• What you will learn: Psychology-based design principles for intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.
• Specialty: Makes cognitive psychology approachable for designers, enhancing understanding of user's mind.
• Focus: Primarily UI.
• Last Version Year: 3rd Edition in 2020.
• Price: Approx. $35 (digital).

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14. Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students by Ellen Lupton

• What you will learn: Fundamentals of typography in digital and print design.
• Specialty: A go-to resource for typography, crucial for UI design, with a clear and engaging approach.
• Focus: Primarily UI.
• Last Version Year: 2nd Edition in 2010.
• Price: Approx. $16 (digital).

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Web Design Career Development

15. You’re My Favorite Client by Mike Monteiro

• What you will learn: Client-designer relationships, communication, and managing design projects.
• Specialty: Focuses on the client-designer relationship, a crucial aspect often overlooked in other books.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 2014.
• Price: Approx. $40.

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16. The UX Careers Handbook by Cory Lebson

• What you will learn: Career guidance in UX, job roles, and skill development.
• Specialty: It’s a career guide specifically for UX professionals, bridging the gap between skills and the job market.
• Focus: UX career development.
• Last Version Year: 2nd Edition in 2021.
• Price: Approx. $40 (digital).

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17. Design Is a Job by Mike Monteiro

• What you will learn: Navigating the world of design, client relationships, and professional growth.
• Specialty: Uniquely addresses the business side of design, offering insights into navigating the industry.
• Focus: Balanced between UI and UX.
• Last Version Year: 2012.
• Price: Approx. $46.

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18. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp

• What you will learn: Five-day sprint process for answering critical business questions through design, prototyping, and testing ideas.
• Specialty: Offers a transformative five-day process for rapid problem-solving and innovation in design.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2016.
• Price: Approx. $18 (digital).

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19. Rocket Surgery Made Easy: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding and Fixing Usability Problems by Steve Krug

• What you will learn: Techniques for quick and effective usability testing.
• Simplifies usability testing, making it accessible even for those without extensive research resources.
• Focus: Primarily UX.
• Last Version Year: 2009.
• Price: Approx. $18 (digital).

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Final Thoughts

I hope this list will come in handy in your learning journey. Starting with UI/UX might seem overwhelming at first, but don’t forget that many designers have become successful through self-teaching.

Reading books on UI/UX can provide you with both foundational knowledge and advanced techniques. Additionally, regularly reading articles, blogs, and case studies will keep you updated on the latest trends and practices.