A book for designers and product people who are tired of building the wrong thing. Covering user research, stakeholder communication, design systems, and team leadership — the real work that decides whether a product succeeds or gets forgotten.
Get the book — $29"This is the guide every Product Designer wishes they had. It's practical, super relevant for the modern age and honestly the stuff UX schools should have been teaching us all along."
"Anton's practical approach to everything from user research to internal communication reads like advice from a trusted mentor. I wish I'd had this book earlier in my career."
"The rare design book that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what matters: designing for real people. If you're tired of design books that talk in circles, this one addresses the work as it is."
"It's a book I wish I read at the beginning of my career, because it really shows the many facets that make up design. Now further into my career it's still insightful — but also just very relatable and reassuring. Truly a design mentor in book-form."
What design actually means in a team where everyone makes design decisions.
1. What product design actually means
2. Why everyone makes design decisions
3. Product design as a problem solver
4. Beyond the screen
The day-to-day reality of design work — leading teams, doing research, building strategy.
5. The reality of product design work
6. Being the only designer
7. Leading without losing your craft
8. User research and stakeholder interviews
9. Creating a UX strategy
Process, principles, and design systems that actually hold up.
10. The product design process
11. Design principles
12. Creating meaningful design systems
How to write, speak, and sell design to people who think in spreadsheets.
13. Why designers need to write
14. Using writing to think through problems
15. How to sell design
16. Why designers need to speak business
Building products people care about — emotional design, accessibility, and going beyond good enough.
17. Building emotional relationships with users
18. Designing for anyone
19. Going beyond good enough
Anton's practical approach to everything from user research to internal communication reads like advice from a trusted mentor. I wish I'd had this book earlier in my career.
The rare design book that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what matters: designing for real people. Anton is direct about the realities of product design—the messy trade-offs, the pressure to ship, the challenge of balancing business goals with actual user needs. If you're tired of design books that talk in circles, this one addresses the work as it is.
Anton's nailed it — this is the guide every Product Designer wishes they had. It's practical, super relevant for 2025 and honestly the stuff UX schools should have been teaching us all along!
What I like about this book is that it's an easy read that talks about design in a holistic way.
It's a book I wish I read at the beginning of my career, because it really shows the many facets that make up design and underlines it with personal stories, concrete examples and practical tips.
Now reading this book further into my career it still is insightful - but also just very relatable and reassuring. Truly a design mentor in book-form.
Prefer a physical copy? The paperback and Kindle editions are available on Amazon worldwide.
Most design books are written from the sidelines. This one is written from the arena. Anton's Products People Actually Want doesn't dress design up in theory—it lays bare the real, messy work of building products people care about.
The structure is simple and guides you through a designer's maturing process in a way that just clicks. If I had to pick one highlight, it's the one-hand test—worth the read for that alone.
Easy to read, informative, and entertaining. Good UX.
Not ready to commit? Read the first two chapters free — no strings.
