A post submitted by CGI member Leathur ..

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"The process by which products and services cause us to develop a habit-forming relationship with them is called the Hook Model, which encompasses four phases: the Trigger, Action, Variable Reward and Investment."

“Forming habits is imperative for the survival of many products. As infinite distractions compete for our attention, companies are learning to master novel tactics to stay relevant in users’ minds. Amassing millions of users is no longer good enough. Companies increasingly find that their economic value is a function of the strength of the habits they create. In order to win the loyalty of their users and create a product that’s regularly used, company must learn not only what compels users to click but also what makes them tick.” ~ Nir Eyal

By Jason Worth

The signs of technological addiction are all around us. People sleep with their cells phone by their bed and consult them immediately upon waking. When you board a public transportation vehicle, kill time in an airplane terminal, or sit in a doctor’s waiting room, it seems like the vast majority of those around you are glued to their cell phones. Taken to the extreme, we have seen numerous instances of distracted cell phone users walking into light polls, walking in front of oncoming traffic and even walking off cliffs. Teens are urged to take no-texting-while-driving pledges, to cut down on unneeded accidents and deaths.

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal (with Ryan Hoover) is a book that examines the attributes of modern technological products and services that make them so compelling that users form a habitual relationship with them and use them over and over. It is, essentially, a “how to” manual for creating addiction. (I was relieved, however, to see that the author, Nir Eyal, was very cognizant of this potential and devoted a chapter to the ethical and moral considerations around product design and potential resulting addiction.)
I read this book with the goal of understanding how products are made to be purposefully addictive, so I could identify them and reduce the likelihood I’d get sucked in. This review is written with that concern in mind.

CONTINUE READING: https://library.solari.com/book-review-hooked-how-to-build-habit-forming-products/