The Science of Habit-Forming Products

Nir Eyal’s Hooked is a fascinating deep dive into the psychology of user engagement. He introduces the “Hook Model”—a four-step process (Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment) that successful companies use to keep users coming back without expensive advertising. It’s a brilliant, and at times provocative, look at how technology can shape human behavior and create long-lasting habits.

I highly recommend this book to product managers, UX/UI designers, and entrepreneurs who want to understand the “why” behind user retention and build products that provide genuine, long-term value.