Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Nir Eyal borrows cognitive psychologists’ definition of habits, emphasizing that they are actions which feel “automatic” and therefore do not require conscious thought (1). He ponders why some apps are more “habit forming” than others, and claims that a technology’s best hope for success is to be as addictive as possible (1). Companies compete for total numbers of users, and profit more when their users form a consistent habit of using their product. Eyal argues that by understanding human psychology companies can integrate their products into their users’ “daily routines and emotions” (3). They can make use of users’ “internal triggers,” which prompt users to open their apps regularly (3).

Eyal offers an overview of his experience in the industry. He recalls being intrigued by how online social games made their content so appealing and addictive to users. Eyal claims that many companies keep their methods private. To learn more about user habits he reviewed products from a variety of companies, and also performed academic research on consumer psychology and people’s relationship with technology. Eventually Eyal became a consultant and taught a class at Stanford. In doing this work, Eyal developed his approach to designing habit-forming products: the “Hook Model” (5).