A New Superpower: Building Habit-Forming Products

"A 2011 university study suggested people check their phones 34 times per day. However, industry insiders believe that number is closer to an astounding 150 daily sessions. Face it, we're hooked. The technologies we use have turned into compulsions, if not full-fledged addictions. ... How do companies, producing little more than bits of code displayed on a screen, seemingly control users' minds? What makes some products so habit-forming? For many products, forming habits is an imperative for survival. As infinite distractions compete for our attention, companies are learning to master novel tactics to stay relevant in users' minds. Today, amassing millions of users is no longer good enough. Companies increasingly find that their economic value is a function of the strength of the habits they create. In order to win the loyalty of their users and create a product that's regularly used, companies must learn not only what compels users to click, but also what makes them tick."