Like where is the goto psych/CS UI 101 class/book/YT that over simplifies but grounds someone with no background or previous knowledge? Maybe something like the “Blender Doughnut” of great UI design?
I’ve changed UI twice with an app recently. I have a slight intuitive grasp of what I don’t like, but I lack the language and depth in this niche to express the emotional response well. I have no clue where to start with my own designs if I ever felt motivated to create one.
The Design of Everyday Things
Excellent book. It’s very far from hands-on, and doesn’t even address UI in particular most of the time. Won’t tell you how to lay out anything, but puts you on the right empathetic mindset for design in general.
Based on OP’s description, might be just the ticket, but may also be too general for some tastes.
https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654
Indeed, this book is an excellent starting point and it’s a little disappointing it’s not upvoted further simply because it isn’t aimed at Graphical User Interface. It’s still about how people think things work, and how to make them work how people think they work.
As an engineer with a human factors bent it’s the most valuable professional text I’ve consumed. I still can hear the narrator saying “Bad Design”