Book Review-Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal

A picture of the book while reading on the train

In a world dominated by screens and endless notifications, the art of capturing and keeping a user’s attention has become the holy grail for tech companies and entrepreneurs. Reading Nir Eyal’s “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products,” has been the highlight of my month, especially as a product manager. Hooked is a book that promises to reveal the secrets behind these irresistible digital experiences. But what lies beyond the catchy title and what can we truly learn from Eyal’s exploration of the Hook Model?

Nir Eyal’s writing is clear and concise, making complex psychological concepts accessible to a broad audience. All the framework presented in this book allows readers to understand not only how habit-forming products work but also how to create them. What distinguishes this book is not only the extensive research that underpins it but also the balanced portrayal of an industry often cloaked in controversy. It took me nearly two weeks to complete this 300-page pile, not solely because of its length but due to the deep relatability of the illustration used.

The book is structured around the Hook Model, which consists of four key components: Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment. The author dissects each of these elements in detail, using real-world examples from companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to illustrate how they create products that keep users coming back for more. He also draws from research in psychology and behavioural economics to underpin his insights, making the book both practical and well-researched.

One of the major lessons I learned from this book is its ethical perspective. Eyal acknowledges the ethical concerns surrounding habit-forming products and addresses the responsibility that product designers and companies have in shaping user behaviour. He advocates for the creation of products that enhance users’ lives and provides guidance on how to align business success with user well-being.

According to Eyal, there is a four-step process that explains why products like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become an integral part of our daily lives. Each element is like a piece of a puzzle that fits perfectly:

1. Trigger: It all starts with a trigger, which can be external (like a notification) or internal (a thought or feeling). Eyal illustrates how these triggers can be used to prompt user actions.
2. Action: Understanding what drives users to take action is key. Eyal dives into the psychological underpinnings and provides examples of how companies encourage users to click, like, or share.
3. Variable Reward: The element of surprise is introduced here. Eyal’s insights reveal how variable rewards keep users coming back for more, as exemplified by the never-ending scroll on your favourite social media platform.
4. Investment: The final piece of the puzzle is investment. Users are encouraged to put something into the product, making them more likely to return. Think of the time and effort you’ve put into your social media profiles — you’ve invested in these platforms.

While explaining triggers, Eyal shared a very important concept that allows users to take action immediately which is simply to put the action in the user’s face. For instance, Instead of reading a piece of full information or navigating to 3 screens before they can carry out an action, you can easily put it as a button with the button name label properly.

In addition, Nel mentioned the six (6) elements of simplicity as described by Fogg. They are;

1. Time — how long it takes to complete an action.
2. Money — the fiscal cost of taking an action.
3. Physical effort — the amount of labour involved in taking the action.
4. Brain cycles — the level of mental effort and focus required to take an action.
5. Social deviance — how accepted the behaviour is by others.
6. Non-routine — according to Fogg, “How much the action matches or disrupts existing routines.”

What this means in our world today is that to increase the likelihood that a behaviour will occur, designers need to focus on simplicity as a function of the user’s scarcest resource at that moment. In other words, identify what the user is missing. What is making it difficult for the user to accomplish the desired action?

In conclusion, Whether you’re a startup founder looking to build the next big app or a product manager trying to improve user engagement, “Hooked” provides practical advice and actionable steps to help you achieve your goals.