About Face: The Timeless Guide to Human-Centered Design

Silhouette of a person facing a digital reflection with iconography and symbols, illustrating technology and digital identity concepts.

When we talk about human-centered design in the era of AI and digital products, one essential source inevitably comes up: Alan Cooper’s "About Face."
Cooper argues that technology should not merely deliver functional solutions but should genuinely improve people's lives.

"About Face" offers a broad perspective that starts with user interface design and extends all the way to product strategy.

One key insight from the book resonates deeply:

Good design makes technology invisible. It allows users to focus on their goals, not the tools.

This mindset aligns perfectly with today’s drive toward creating lovable products — products that don’t just work, but that build emotional connections with users.

"About Face" teaches designers not only how to create better products but also how to think differently.

Some of its most inspiring principles include:

Building user models and personas
Selecting technology based on human needs, not trends
Striving for simplicity and invisibility in interfaces
Practicing deep empathy throughout the design process

If you're serious about mastering the foundations of human-centered product design, this book remains one of the most relevant and insightful guides available.

For Further Inspiration:

Alan Cooper’s talk on user-centered design at Google is highly recommended:

Although this talk was recorded 11 years ago, it remains remarkably relevant. It’s fascinating to see how Cooper’s principles about human needs, empathy, and technology invisibility have not only stood the test of time but have become even more critical today — in a world now shaped by AI, automation, and increasingly complex digital ecosystems.

Reflecting on his vision from over a decade ago shows just how profound — and necessary — human-centered thinking remains in our rapidly evolving design landscape.

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What They Say

I’ve had the chance to work with visionary leaders and passionate builders. Here’s what some of them had to say.

  I think Kudret is a great teammate with a unique personality of perfectionism which adds to the diversity of the product team.
    — Berkman Çavuşoğlu, Partner at Linktera

    Kudret is a very dependable design partner. His ability to evaluate both current and ideal states made complex decisions simpler.
    — Kıvılcım Hindistan, CTO at Sürat Kargo

    Kudret’s design systems helped us reduce front-end dev time by nearly 30%. His handoffs were so well-structured that iteration cycles dropped significantly.
    — Emre Büyüközkan, CTO at Flick

    Kudret handled the end-to-end design process in a complicated project and took action on many overlooked areas.
    — İsmail Şahan, CTO at Momentup

    Kudret is an excellent person, a good friend, and a really good mentor. He was a pleasure to work with and I learned a lot from him. He deserves all the best.
    — Oğuz Atılan, UX/UI Designer at GT

How We Collaborated

From kickoff to launch, we stayed aligned through a fully remote, async-friendly workflow. Daily discussions, iterative feedback, and cross-functional collaboration — powered by the tools we love.