Quick lessons from “Hooked” by Nir Eyal for Product Managers

The book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products” by Nir Eyal is a must-read for product managers who want to learn how to create products that users can’t help but use. The book provides a framework for understanding how to design products that form habits and keep users coming back for more.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the key lessons that product managers can learn from “Hooked” and how they can apply them to their own product development processes.

Lesson 1: Understand the Psychology of Habit Formation

The first lesson that product managers can learn from “Hooked” is the importance of understanding the psychology of habit formation. According to Eyal, habits are formed when users experience a trigger, take an action, receive a reward, and then experience an investment.

Product managers who want to create habit-forming products need to understand each of these elements and how they work together. They need to design triggers that prompt users to take action, rewards that are compelling enough to keep them engaged, and investments that make it harder for users to leave.

Lesson 2: Create Triggers that Prompt Action

The second lesson that product managers can learn from “Hooked” is the importance of creating triggers that prompt action. Triggers can come in many forms, including external triggers (such as notifications or emails) and internal triggers (such as boredom or anxiety).

Product managers need to understand what triggers their users and design products that respond to those triggers. They need to create hooks that keep users coming back for more, even when they’re not consciously thinking about the product.

Lesson 3: Provide Rewards that are Compelling

The third lesson that product managers can learn from “Hooked” is the importance of providing rewards that are compelling. Rewards can come in many forms, including social rewards (such as likes or comments) and personal rewards (such as a sense of accomplishment).

Product managers need to understand what rewards their users value and design products that deliver those rewards. They need to create feedback loops that keep users engaged and motivated to continue using the product.

Lesson 4: Make it Hard to Leave

The fourth lesson that product managers can learn from “Hooked” is the importance of making it hard to leave. This is where the investment phase comes in. When users invest time, money, or effort into a product, they become more committed to it.

Product managers need to design products that make it difficult for users to leave. They need to create switching costs that make it harder for users to switch to a competitor’s product. They also need to create features that encourage users to invest more time and effort into the product, such as personalization or customization options.

In conclusion, “Hooked” is a valuable resource for product managers who want to create habit-forming products. By understanding the psychology of habit formation, creating triggers that prompt action, providing rewards that are compelling, and making it hard to leave, product managers can design products that keep users coming back for more. If you’re a product manager who wants to learn how to create products that users can’t help but use, “Hooked” is definitely worth a read.

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