Book Description
Designing a good interface isn't easy. Users demand software that is well-behaved, good-looking, and easy to use. Your clients or managers demand originality and a short time to market. Your UI technology -- web applications, desktop software, even mobile devices -- may give you the tools you need, but little guidance on how to use them well.
UI designers over the years have refined the art of interface design, evolving many best practices and reusable ideas. If you learn these, and understand why the best user interfaces work so well, you too can design engaging and usable interfaces with less guesswork and more confidence.
Designing Interfaces captures those best practices as design patterns -- solutions to common design problems, tailored to the situation at hand. Each pattern contains practical advice that you can put to use immediately, plus a variety of examples illustrated in full color. You'll get recommendations, design alternatives, and warnings on when not to use them.
Each chapter's introduction describes key design concepts that are often misunderstood, such as affordances, visual hierarchy, navigational distance, and the use of color. These give you a deeper understanding of why the patterns work, and how to apply them with more insight.
A book can't design an interface for you -- no foolproof design process is given here -- but Designing Interfaces does give you concrete ideas that you can mix and recombine as you see fit. Experienced designers can use it as a sourcebook of ideas. Novice designers will find a roadmap to the world of interface and interaction design, with enough guidance to start using these patterns immediately.
Customer Reviews:
Good but not user-friendly.......2007-06-16
This book does to UI design what the well-known "Design Patterns" did for software design. Many readers, specially those experienced in graphical and UI design will find much of the content familiar, when not trivial, but the purpose of a "pattern language" book is not to break new ground but to formalize and explain a well known language.
The book is beautifully laid out and illustrated. The amount of theory preceding each group of patterns seems right on the mark.
¿Why the low star rating?
The book's binding broke before I finished reading it, something that's completely not user-friendly. If you're not in a hurry I'd wait for a second edition that fixes the problem.
A good reference and prefab pattern library........2007-04-30
I found this a bit shallow as a read-through textbook or handbook, but it should make a very useful reference and may serve well as a prefab pattern library. I think it will serve best for those working on web sites and web apps, though it also covers desktop apps.
Designing Interfaces.......2007-04-24
Designing Interfaces is a great book to get you started on the subject, wether you are a designer or a developer, this books will show you how important is to *design* you application.
Concepts are presented as design patterns and they are intended to help you resovle real world problems, some knowledge of UI design is recommended but every patten is described and explained very well, the use of the "Use When", "Why" and "How To" sections will give you al the information you need to know to make a decision on the use of any specific solution.
From web forms to destop application, this books will show you the right way to make the user's interaction experience as simple and intuitive as possible.
Jump-started my problem-solving process.......2007-03-21
Having already read through the first few chapters, today I sat down with an explicit need: to solve a problem that involved searching and filtering a large set of data. This book came through for me. Yes, some of it appears obvious when you first read through, but once you have a specific problem to address, its true utility emerges. I opened to the Showing Complex Data chapter, and as I read through, ideas began to form. Some came directly from the book, others were inspired by or related to what I was reading. I took notes, and those notes helped me develop the questions about the data and the users I need to answer in order to continue.
When you're faced with a design challenge, and you're a bit stymied as to how to proceed, this book will help move the solution forward. Even if you think you have a solution, this book can help you make it fresh and creative.
Usefull, Concise - Great.......2007-02-24
This is a really usefull book. It's also simply interesting to read.
Average customer rating:
- Interactions = more than websites
- Interesting, helpful
- Add this book to your product development library - NOW!
- A must have for any user experience practioner or student
- Interesting overview on interaction
|
Designing Interactions
Bill Moggridge
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Industrial Design
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Designing for Interaction: Creating Smart Applications and Clever Devices (VOICES)
-
The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life)
-
Communicating Design: Developing Web Site Documentation for Design and Planning
-
Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design
-
Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design
ASIN: 0262134748 |
Book Description
Digital technology has changed the way we interact with everything from the games we play to the tools we use at work. Designers of digital technology products no longer regard their job as designing a physical object--beautiful or utilitarian--but as designing our interactions with it. In Designing Interactions, award-winning designer Bill Moggridge introduces us to forty influential designers who have shaped our interaction with technology. Moggridge, designer of the first laptop computer (the GRiD Compass, 1981) and a founder of the design firm IDEO, tells us these stories from an industry insider's viewpoint, tracing the evolution of ideas from inspiration to outcome. The innovators he interviews--including Will Wright, creator of The Sims, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, and Doug Engelbart, Bill Atkinson, and others involved in the invention and development of the mouse and the desktop--have been instrumental in making a difference in the design of interactions. Their stories chart the history of entrepreneurial design development for technology.
Moggridge and his interviewees discuss such questions as why a personal computer has a window in a desktop, what made Palm's handheld organizers so successful, what turns a game into a hobby, why Google is the search engine of choice, and why 30 million people in Japan choose the i-mode service for their cell phones. And Moggridge tells the story of his own design process and explains the focus on people and prototypes that has been successful at IDEO--how the needs and desires of people can inspire innovative designs and how prototyping methods are evolving for the design of digital technology.
Designing Interactions is illustrated with more than 700 images, with color throughout. Accompanying the book is a DVD that contains segments from all the interviews intercut with examples of the interactions under discussion.
Interviews with:
Bill Atkinson, Durrell Bishop, Brendan Boyle, Dennis Boyle, Paul Bradley, Duane Bray, Sergey Brin, Stu Card, Gillian Crampton Smith, Chris Downs, Tony Dunne, John Ellenby, Doug Englebart, Jane Fulton Suri, Bill Gaver, Bing Gordon, Rob Haitani, Jeff Hawkins, Matt Hunter, Hiroshi Ishii, Bert Keely, David Kelley, Rikako Kojima, Brenda Laurel, David Liddle, Lavrans Løvlie, John Maeda, Paul Mercer, Tim Mott, Joy Mountford, Takeshi Natsuno, Larry Page, Mark Podlaseck, Fiona Raby, Cordell Ratzlaff, Ben Reason, Jun Rekimoto, Steve Rogers, Fran Samalionis, Larry Tesler, Bill Verplank, Terry Winograd, and Will Wright
Customer Reviews:
Interactions = more than websites.......2007-08-16
Somehow I didn't pick up on this until I actualy paged through the book physically -- this isn't just about website or multimedia. It's about anything that has a human interface, including laptop computers. (Unfortunately, Amazon pairs it with many Internet/website design books, adding to my confusion.)
Because it seems to cover the whole range of interface use and recent history, I didn't really go farther into the book to review it.
Interesting, helpful.......2007-04-07
I just got the book for a week, read half of it. it's quite interesting to know something happens in the last 30 years, the author come up with interviewing the guy who made these things happen, let the guys explain their thoughts on the cases, this make the book interesting and helpful.
It's a pity that the book go too fast for each case, when you want to know more details, it stops. Anyway, this book seems dosent want to serve as something try to reach this goal. so this is not the weakness of the book.
Most important thing, when reading it , you'll get the interesting pieces. And it guide you to walk along the colorful road in the IxD forest. This is really cool book.
Something make it not so nice. To thick to put into the bag.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[...]
Add this book to your product development library - NOW!.......2007-03-26
It's easy to get carried away with the claims that Moggride's book is an instant classic. But I'd have to agree, this book would be worth paying more than $100 for. The book carries its wisdom well, and now sits on my work bookshelf for constant reference. I will use this while planning for and conducting user experience based products. This book does concentrate more in the field of software development, however the lessons translate well into general product design. As such I'd recommend this book to any designer who is interested in improving their user centred products.
A must have for any user experience practioner or student.......2007-02-23
It's a great volume at a great price. The content is very approachable and readable, almost like a coffee table book to introduce the power and effect of great user experience and interaction design to non industry folk. Its a classic in the same league as books by Norman and by Papanek. The DVD shows that this book was well thought with the same craft as other Ideo products. I also recommend the book "Art of Innovation" which talks about Ideo specifically and the practices they use.
Interesting overview on interaction.......2007-01-15
As the internet is still young and rapidly growing in diverse directions, I'm always looking out for books like this, that give a perspective on how things actually started and who were the persons involved in the early stages. It just shows you, that what we consider a "normal" interface or application today is based on the ideas of a few people, real pioneers for their field. And it gives you an idea on how future interfaces might look like. Not the full 5 stars, as the narrative approach turns out to deliver long passages that I would consider a bit too personal and contain little information on the subject.
Average customer rating:
- Superb history of Virtual Worlds development
- The theory behind Virtual Worlds
- Designing Virtual Worlds
- Game theory and design? This is the book you've been looking for!
- Guide to the philosophy and strategy of designing virtual worlds
|
Designing Virtual Worlds
Richard Bartle
Manufacturer: New Riders Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Games & Strategy Guides
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
| Internet Games
| Strategy Guides
| Video Games
General
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Game Programming
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Languages & Tools
| Programming
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Software Engineering
| Computer Science
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
| Design Tools & Techniques
| General
| Information Systems
| Methodology
| Multimedia Information Systems
General
| Graphic Design
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Software
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Computer Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games
-
Second Life: The Official Guide
-
Massively Multiplayer Game Development 2 (Game Development)
-
Theory of Fun for Game Design
-
Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture
ASIN: 0131018167 |
Book Description
Designing Virtual Worlds is the most comprehensive treatment of virtual worlddesign to-date from one of the true pioneers and most sought-after design consultants. It's a tour de force of VW design, stunning in intellectual scope, spanning the literary,economic, sociological, psychological, physical, technological, and ethicalunderpinnings of design, while providing the reader with a deep, well-grounded understanding of VW design principles. It covers everything from MUDs to MOOs to MMORPGs, from text-based to graphical VWs.
Designing Virtual Worlds brings a rich, well-developed approach to the designconcepts behind virtual worlds. It is grounded in the earliest approaches to such designs, but the examples discussed in the book run the gamut from the earliest MUDs to the present-day MMORPG games mentioned above. It teaches the reader the actual, underlying design principles that many designers do not understand when they borrow or build from previous games. There is no other design book on the market in the area of online games and virtual worlds that provides the rich detail, historical context, and conceptual depth ofDesigning Virtual Worlds.
Customer Reviews:
Superb history of Virtual Worlds development.......2007-06-27
Mr. Bartle's writing is precise and his facts carefully researched, even the ones he experienced himself. This is a huge, superbly constructed history of the tools and philosophies developed over the years in experimental and commercial development of online virtual worlds. Because of Mr. Bartle's personal knowledge as a long-time designer and his sharp memory for the significance of trends and details, this book will raise anyone's appreciation of whatever virtual worlds one comes across on line or on disk, whether they be famous commercial ones or those developed by enthusiasts for their own pleasure. I would think it would be a must read for gaming students. What a grand, satisfying, fascinating book! And when one considers that this exciting history is only the beginning of VW development... Wow!
The theory behind Virtual Worlds.......2007-03-31
This book taught me the theory behind Virtual worlds and I beleive nearly everything I read in this book.
I didn't simply believe everything because it was a published book, I beleived it because Richard used examples from real games. With all the experiance Richard has you would expect him to have learnt everything the hard way, he has but he's also smart enough to realise that sometimes you can learn from others mistakes instead of making them yourself.
The book is aimed at the 'Dungeons and Dragons' (and most of his examples are) type of game but there is no reason the information cannot be used in other genres.
The most amusing part is how right he can be.
Richard states that 'you cannot allow players to carry items over from the Beta testing to the online game, even though your players will try to convince you otherwise'; something I didn't really think and didn't really agree with.
My family and I were all about to join 'Pirates of the Caribbean' when it started; when the announcement was made that players form the Beta test would be allowed to keep items my daughters asked what a Beta test was, I explained and now they don't want to play as they consider that to be cheating. We have all decided not to play.
Learn from others (like Richard) or pay the price.
James
Designing Virtual Worlds.......2007-01-10
Covers all the aspects of virtual worlds from a psycological perspective; the intentions, the types of virtual worlds.
Doesn't include indepth technology and the development issues related to designing virtual worlds
Good primer on virtual worlds.
Game theory and design? This is the book you've been looking for!.......2006-07-17
You're getting it straight from the horse's mouth since this book is written by the grandfather of the modern MMORPG.
Rest assured - if you are a game designer, developer, or just love reading about game theory, this book is worth every penny.
I have read many other books on the subject and not one of them are packed with as much depth, knowledge, and wisdom. Bartle covers every avenue that a designer needs to consider in order to be successful. This book will help you and your team create an active, emergent virtual world.
As a game developer, I learned many valuable lessons on what made other games lose subscribers, or worse -- catastrophically fail.
Richard Bartle's writing style is very creative and detailed, and like his games, it gives you the 'just one more page' syndrome. For example, in this book it mentions how often a player must be rewarded in order to retain interest. He uses this same technique for writing by giving you something insightful to read atleast every 10 pages.
Bartle has covered all the bases. Designing Virtual Worlds is a great book, very entertaining. I give it 5 out of 5 stars - a must read.
More than 700 well-written pages packed with valuable insights, and it still leaves you begging for more.
Guide to the philosophy and strategy of designing virtual worlds.......2006-02-07
To begin with, this book is not a programming book. There is no code, no discussion of VRML, MPEG-4, or X3D. Instead, this book stands back and takes a "big picture" look at the design of a virtual world from the viewpoint of systems engineering, social engineering, philosophy, history, and psychology. Ethical considerations are even tossed in for good measure.
The book starts out with chapters on the history of virtual worlds and the cultural influences that affected their characteristics. Next, there is a fly-over view of the "production line" of building a virtual world. Bartle then turns his attention to the players - who they are, what they want, and how a virtual world can meet their needs. World design is examined from the standpoint of virtual geography, virtual world citizens, and finally the physics required to implement your world. Chapter 5 is about the specific sociology and physiology of the virtual world - skill levels, individual characteristics, how virtual inhabitants divide themselves into groups, combat, and even the meaning of death in the virtual world. The final three chapters are very philisophical in nature. Chapter 6 is basically a liberal arts syllabus through the prism of virtual world design. The last chapter, on ethical considerations, talks about censorship, and also looks at the player as a person and how game playing in virtual worlds can hurt more than help some kinds of people, particularly those prone to addiction.
Bartle's social commentaries may be a bit long-winded for some people, although I found them interesting. Some readers may also be somewhat frustrated by the fact that the book talks more about what can go wrong in the design of a virtual world - overly complex and static story arcs, characters that players do not get invested in, characters in which players get too invested, etc - than what can go right. I really enjoyed the book, mainly because it moves the focus of the potential virtual world designer from the artistic and technical viewpoint to the player's viewpoint - why they plays games, and why a player would pick your game versus someone else's game.
Book Description
The much-anticipated fourth edition of Designing the User Interface provides a comprehensive, authoritative introduction to the dynamic field of human-computer interaction (HCI). Students and professionals learn practical principles and guidelines needed to develop high quality interface designs—ones that users can understand, predict, and control. It covers theoretical foundations, and design processes such as expert reviews and usability testing. Numerous examples of direct manipulation, menu selection, and form fill-in give readers an understanding of excellence in design. Recent innovations in collaborative interfaces, online help, and information visualization receive special attention. A major change in this edition is the integration of the World Wide Web and mobile devices throughout the book. Chapters have examples from cell phones, consumer electronics, desktop displays, and Web interfaces.
Customer Reviews:
The seminal HCI book.......2005-06-12
No other book in the field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) is as broad, has so many useful guidelines and is a better bibliography as Shneiderman DTUI (Designing the User Interface).
DTUI will *not* give you in-depth knowledge of every aspect of HCI, because that's an impossible task for a single book.
Instead, DTUI focuses on giving you an overview and understanding of central HCI concepts coupled with useful everyday tips, rules and guidelines.
The passionate HCI student will in DTUI also discover a comprehensive guide to the books and articles that have shaped HCI throughout the years. (Reading the HCI body of work, you will soon discover than DTUI is one of the most cited books in the field, an indication of how influential it is.)
To teachers in search of a introductionary HCI book for their classes, I strongly recommend DTUI. "Interaction design" by Jennifer Preece, et al. is another fine book that's has less theory in favor of the practical.
Verbosity at its finest.......2004-12-14
This book looks more like a collection of references than a real text book. The author inserts references to other works and papers in such a random and repetitive fashion that makes reading the book a real pain in the ass.
And then there is the verbosity. Apparently, Mr Shneiderman likes to list items and give examples. And he likes it a lot. If you make the terrible mistake of reading this book you will navigate through never-ending paragraphs that make circles and circles around the same idea, giving pointless examples of an anyways pretty obvious concept.
This book is really bad. It looks like the author just copy-pasted the contents of his course slides and inserted some pretty pictures in the middle. Don't waste your money and/or your time with this one.
An excellent revision.......2004-07-28
As most reviewers have noted, this is a classic and must-have book in the field of HCI. This fourth edition--newly published in March 2004--has been thoroughly revised to include much material related to the WWW. It does appear that Shneiderman took care to go through each chapter and remove less relevant material in favor of including new topics that have come up since the last edition was written.
A Verbose Syllabus.......2002-07-29
This is more of a syllabus with references than an actual textbook. It's even a sensible syllabus; if you want an outline of the important topics in contemporary and historical computer user interfaces, Shneiderman's book will tell you what you need to know. But the utility of this book is unclear; it's not intended to teach the reader how to design interfaces, nor does it teach experimental design and evaluation.
At 600+ pages, it's both terse and verbose. Verbose, because of the "let me tell you what I'm going to tell you, tell you, tell you what I've told you" format favored in this kind of overview. Terse because the "tell you" part is a kind of white-washed summary; as soon as a topic is brought up, several references are trotted out, summarized in one or two lines, and then dismissed. I wanted more depth, more case studies, and a higher-level vantage point.
Despite a short tour of command lines, including natural language text commands, and a 10 page summary of speech recognition and synthesis-based interfaces, "Designing the User Interface" is almost exclusively about contemporary computer graphical user interface design. Better books on GUI design include Johnson's "GUI Bloopers" and Raskin's "The Humane Interface".
Great Shneiderman ideas but..........2002-03-13
Overall it's a great book but the "Object-Action Model" proposed in the book lacks experimental results. May be he can considering include that in the next edition.
Book Description
A Treasure of Performance-Boosting Tricks for Trainers! The best training and development handbook ever published just got bigger and better! The ASTD Training and Development Handbook, Fourth Edition, by Robert L. Craig, is bursting with great new training ideas that'll help you work your magic in your organization. Top industry leaders give 100s of practice-proven techniques you can use right now to: Develop effective leadership skills; Exploit self-directed learning to meet empowerment, continuous improvement and other quality goals; Maximize an increasingly diverse workforce; Select and develop professional training staff; Design customized instructional systems; Build employee participant and involvement; Promote computer literacy in your workplace; Prepare for organizational development and change; Sell management on the importance your HR programs; Measure and evaluate training results; Much more!
Customer Reviews:
A Reference for Training Departments.......2006-04-21
This handbook is a collection of ideas from companies for designing employee training and learning systems. It covers such areas such as creating the "learning organization", outsourcing, electronic performance systems, interactive multimedia training systems, diversity training and development, training for global operations and benchmarking for best practices.
This comprehensive handbook helps trainers design classrooms, self-study and computer and web based training programs. While delivering the latest information on how adults learn best, it shows trainers how to prepare lesson plans, create visual aids, and deliver dynamic and powerful presentations.
Classic reference for Training & Development Professionals.......2002-02-09
The Handbook is arranged to cover almost all aspects of Training & Development. The topics are carefully selected and their authors picked from among the top names in their respective fields and therefore, the chapters are focused, targeted and provide the right mix of information and practical guidelines.
Each chapter addresses a single topic (like corporate universities, customer service training, leadership development, etc.) and is written in a straight-forward manner at the right depth making them easy to read and the perfect introduction to the topic without losing it's functionality as a reference.
No T&D professional should go without this book whether as a reference and a quick source of information when memory will just not oblige or an informative and valuable resource for information and ideas.
The Handbook is divided into 5 Sections:
1) The Training & development Function - Covering such topics as the learning organization, history of training and cost accounting for training.
2) Program Design & Development - The chapters on ISD; HPT; Adult Learning; & Evaluation are brilliantly written. I keep on going back to them again and again.
3) Media & methods - Includes some good case studies as well as Thiagi's excellent chapter on instructional games.
4) Training Applications - This is a brilliant discussion of almost all training topics that you might come across.
5) Resources - While these might be a little dated, they are still quite useful.
Check the table of Contents and some of the samples in the pages so obligingly provided by Amazon.com and don't be deterred by the length or the price of the book. This book is worth every cent and will last you long after you have forgotten the cost.
A must for every educators reference library........1999-05-25
The ASTD Training and Development Handbook, Fourth Edition, by Robert L. Craig, is an essential reference book for faculty, teachers, educators, and learning system administartors at all levels including University, Corporate, K-12, and Community Colleges. It is easy to use, very comprehensive, and has great quick summaries. With the fusion of the teaching, training, and tutoring into a learner centered model this book is more useful than ever. A MUST BUY. The price is worth every penny.
Excellent reference source for HRD professionals.......1999-05-09
This is a great resource for HR professionals from tiny to mega corporations. Contributing authors are the most respected experts in their fields. Primary focus is on training and development: accountability, justifying programs, format, leadership, pros, cons, pitfalls, challenges . . . all aspects are covered.
As I research and write my Adult Education thesis, this book is the most useful tool I've found.
Book Description
Which business structures are best suited to the unpredictable 21st century? How can a company, division, or department reconfigure itself with minimum disruption and maximum impact? Every executive grapples with problems of restructuring--and most need hands-on guidance to solve them. This eye-opening book shows business leaders at all levels how to examine their choices by leading them systematically through these fundamental questions:
* Should we restructure to meet our strategic goals? * What are the best structural options to achieve our success? * What lateral processes are necessary to support the new structure? * How do we staff the restructured organization to optimize results?
Based on Galbraith's world-renowned approach, this guide includes examples and worksheets that pilot readers through the essential steps of organizational design.
Customer Reviews:
Great. Easy to read........2007-08-05
Easy to read. Great format and approach to the book. Love the designs for how to approach the work at the end of each chapter. A great took as an HR / OD person.
A managment essential.......2004-03-02
This book is a basic for those wishing to compose and maintain a dynamic vital organization. Highly reccomended for middle level and upper managers. You will refer to it constantly.
Book Description
Graphics for Learning teaches you how to design effective graphics for print or online and computer-generated materials—multimedia, texts, working aids, and slides—that will maximize learning, understanding, and reasoning. Based on solid research on how people learn, this crucial resource contains best practices and shows you how to go beyond the visible features of graphics to plan visuals that are based on their communication and psychological functions. Written by instructional design experts Ruth Colvin Clark and Chopeta Lyons, Graphics for Learning includes a graphic design model that guides you through the visual planning process—from needs assessment through production. No matter how much or little expertise you have working with graphics, this book will help you boost your return on investment by giving you the information you need to design and implement the most effective visuals. Graphics for Learning shows how to:
- Select the graphics that can impr ove learning and workplace performance.
- Plan the most appropriate visual for computer or paper instructional materials.
- Design the best graphics for instructional content.
- Tailor visuals for individual learners.
- Avoid using the wrong visuals for motivational purposes.
- Understand the characteristics of graphics that support (or disrupt) learning.
- Follow a systematic graphic design model that helps you plan graphics that match your instructional context.
Customer Reviews:
For Instructional Designers In Any Visual Medium.......2005-11-13
This is a natural follow-up to Ms. Clark's "e-Learning and the Science of Instruction." For me, no other author has written about e-Learning visual and textual design and content, with the authority, clearity, and explicitness as Ms. Clark. "Graphics for Learning," clearing links design concepts to supporting reseach in a manner not often found in instructional and graphic design books. I appreciate reading facts and not someone's opinion about why one should do one thing or the other. Especially for those designing e-Learning or distance learning this is a must have book.
The Best of Both Worlds.......2005-04-11
"Graphics for Learning" takes on the challenging task of bridging two ways of looking at instructional graphics: the academic research that deals with how people learn from graphics and the practical application of that research. You don't need a Phd to read and understand the research findings, as Clark and Lyons summarize and explain them well, with ample use of helpful graphics.
The books flows easily from the foundation of research into the practical planning of graphics for instruction. The emphasis is always on the crucial process of planning and thinking about graphics that support learning goals and fit the situation. The authors do a good job of integrating case studies and examples to make their points clear.
One thing I especially appreciate is that Clark and Lyons recognize the realities of time and budget constraints and offer advice and examples that work whether the budget is large or small.
This book is an excellent resource for instructional designers and others who are serious about taking their communications to a higher level of effectiveness.
Very Useful Reference.......2005-02-18
It is usually quite difficult to find a good How-To book in the Infographics/Instructional Design arena. So, I was quite delighted to discover this book by Dr Ruth Clark and another book (Creating Graphics for Learning and Performance : Lessons in Visual Literacy) by Dr Linda Lohr.
I have found these information very useful:
- 7 communication functions of graphics (decorative, representational, mnemonic, organizational, relational, transformational, interpretive)
- mapping of appropriate graphical functions (or types) to different content types (facts, concepts, processes, procedures, principles)
- numerous graphical examples for different content types
- numerous instructional design tips, e.g., chunking and sequencing to minimizing memory load, use of visual cues to direct attention, use of certain graphic types to build mental models (e.g., cause and effect)
What would have been even more useful could be the setup of an online Infographic Design resource where members of the public can collaboratively view, discuss and refine the guidelines, use and contribute more examples (especially), etc. Would certainly look forward to be involved in such an endeavor.
Buyer beware.......2004-12-29
I was extremely disappointed with this book. The theory is very inaccurate. The authors don't seem to have a grasp on what working memory is or on mental models. I was looking for a book that applies the practice of graphics in education to sound theory. This is not it.
Book Description
Discover how today's corporations are benefiting from accelerated learning to speed training time, improve results, and reduce costs.
Accelerated learning is the use of music, color, emotion, play, and creativity to involve the whole student and enliven the learning experience. The Accelerated Learning Handbook is the first definitive book to explain state-of-the-art accelerated learning techniques to trainers and teachers, and features 40 techniques designed to save money while producing far better results.
Leading expert Dave Meier provides an overview of the background and underlying principles of accelerated learning, and reviews the latest supporting research results. Training professionals will look to The Accelerated Learning Handbook to:
- Improve the long-term value of training
- Cut course development time by half
- Discover tips for music- and computer-based learning
Customer Reviews:
Educational Trainer .......2006-11-10
This book is IDEAL for anyone who is going to train or teach anything. How to cut the fluff and deliver the required facts.
A refreshing approach to learning and training--I highly recommend it..........2006-11-03
I am not a professional trainer by trade. However, I was recently appointed training coordinator for my department. The Accelerated Learning Handbook has definitely helped me approach my job with a fresh perspective. The information, ideas, and techniques presented have enabled me to more effectively train those in my department as well as those in other functions. Before reading the AL Handbook, I thought all that was needed to effectively teach someone was simply to make sure all of my PowerPoint slides were logically put together. I now have a broader view of how people learn and a sold framework to use when putting together training materials on any topic. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to engage the audience and create meaningful, effective training presentations.
Practical ideas for facilitators.......2006-02-21
I have worked with adult learners for more than fifteen years and have always tried to incorporate whole-brained, participative learning. This book provided some excellent theoretical background as well as a lot of new instantly usable ideas. I wasn't even all the way through before I applied a couple of the techniques and got an excellent response from my client.
excellent training tool.......2003-07-06
I was getting ready to prepare a training program for 44 persons when I read this book. Immediately! after I used the guidelines to prepare my session. Preparation was fast and easy -and fun! I really couldn't believe that it was that easy to apply and it has been one of my best sessions to date. I refer to it when I need a refresher or a new perspective. I definately reccomend this book for trainers who need to keep their material fresh and interesting (esp. in-house trainers).
Accelerated Learning Handbook.......2002-01-02
Finally, teachers and administrators have a useful tool to recharge their classrooms/schools. We have become so test oriented that many times we forget that the process of learning comes from the doing. The statement comes to mind that we utter with new approaches," When do I have the time to get it all in?". That is where the problem lies! We are so pressured with these new demands that we loose sight of what is important, the process. This book will give us a clearer picture of how we can recharge our teaching and can provide the key so we can use the ideas to change the way we teach or approach the students' learning who are in our care.
Amazon.com
"The book that explains why you really hate computers."
I've admired Jef Raskin for years. For those who don't know, he is the "Father of the Macintosh," one of the original geniuses who guided the Mac in the early days. But, more than a computer scientist, Raskin is a cognitive psychologist. He studies how the brain works with special emphasis on how that relates to us using computers. His magnum opus was the Canon Cat, which was an excellent and well-thought-out little computer.
In The Humane Interface, Raskin goes into detail describing how computers can be made easier to understand and use. Ever want to know why you really don't like Windows? The answer is in this book. In fact, there's so much in this book that makes sense, I really want to send a copy to every employee at Microsoft.
I loved reading this book and nodding my head in rabid agreement. Raskin states, "There has never been any technical reason for a computer to take more than a few seconds to begin operation when it is turned on." So why then does Windows (or Linux!) take so darn long to start up? The PalmPilot is on instantly, as is your cell phone. But for some reason, we tolerate the computer taking a few eons to start. (And until consumers complain about it, things won't change.)
Computers can be easy to use, and the people who design them and design software need to read this book. Do you ever get the impression that the person who designed a piece of software must have come from the same company that designed the front panel on your VCR? Why should you have to double-click anything? What does Ctrl+D mean one thing in one program and a completely different thing in another? And what's the point of the Yes/No confirmation if the user is in the habit of clicking Yes without thinking about it? Raskin neatly probes all these areas.
While I admire everything Raskin has to say, the book is pretty heavy on the psychology end. Myself, I enjoy cognitive psychology (especially books by Raskin's cohort Donald Norman), though some may find that part of the book boring. Even so, Raskin builds and backs his argument in a most eloquent and scientific manner. Especially if you design software or need to teach or train people to use computers, this book deserves a spot on your shelf. --Dan Gookin
Book Description
This unique guide to interactive system design reflects the experience and vision of Jef Raskin, the creator of the Apple Macintosh project. Other books may show how to use today's widgets and interface ideas effectively. Raskin, however, demonstrates that many current interface paradigms are dead ends, and that to make computers significantly easier to use requires new approaches. He explains how to effect desperately needed changes, offering a wealth of innovative and specific interface ideas for software designers, developers, and product managers. The Apple Macintosh helped to introduce a previous revolution in computer interface design, drawing on the best available technology to establish many of the interface techniques and methods now universal in the computer industry. With this book, Raskin proves again both his farsightedness and his practicality. He also demonstrates how design ideas must be built on a scientific basis, presenting just enough cognitive psychology to link the interface of the future to the experimental evidence and to show why that interface will work. Raskin observes that our honeymoon with digital technology is over: We are tired of having to learn huge, arcane programs to do even the simplest of tasks; we have had our fill of crashing computers; and we are fatigued by the continual pressure to upgrade. The Humane Interface delivers a way for computers, information appliances, and other technology-driven products to continue to advance in power and expand their range of applicability, while becoming free of the hassles and obscurities that plague present products.
Customer Reviews:
Outdated, but interesting........2006-09-14
An interesting read, although many of his examples seem quite outdated. Most of the examples of bad user interfaces come from either Microsoft Windows, or a very old version of Microsoft Word running on a Mac. Most of his examples of good use interfaces come from the ancient Canon Cat computer, or occasionally from the original Macintosh project.
The book does spend a fair amount of time describing various laws and rules for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of user interface designs. This portion of the text is sure to remain valid throughout the years.
Although not exactly a page turner, I would recommend this book for anybody who designs user interfaces on a regular basis - even if you don't use the laws described, at least knowing about them is likely to make you design better interfaces unconsciously.
Excellent book on HCI.......2006-08-30
The level of detail in this book was appropriate and helpful for the field, while not overly boring and technical. Real-world examples given, which are still useful despite the fast development of new systems. Some improvements visible in New Operating Systems, which gives the suggestions validity in the industry.
Interesting, but probably not what you're looking for.......2006-07-24
The author brings up some interesting issues, and has some very interesting ideas about user interface design. At the very least, it gets you questioning some practices that may have seemed beyond questioning. The author's credibility vanished for me when he suggested that file names and directory structures should be done away with in favour of full text searches because file names are just to hard to remember! That said, there are some good ideas, particularly in chapter 6.
Amazing.......2005-12-19
A wonderful introduction too user interface design based on real science, a model for a sucessful OS interface, and Raskins personal thoughts.
A thought provoking read, only for those with the stomach to change........2005-11-27
Many of the conclusions presented in this book will seem radical to almost anyone that has used a computer before.
Because of his abandonment of convention the resistance to Jefs ideas are profound (even evident in some of the other reviews here on Amazon). He mentions in his book that many times he would create an user interface for a client that was much more efficient than any competitors but the design would be rejected because it was too different from the competition. I felt Jefs core message was not to trust the mistakes of history, think for yourself and define the world you want to live in. If you are scared of been different this book is not for you. If you are willing to hear something new and want an edge in interface design, this is it.
While Jef builds his arguments clearly and cleverly some readers may find the discussion a bit deep and I could not recommend this book as a relaxing night time page turner. The mix of physiology and computer science creates some thought provoking ideas and will require the reader to devote a fair amount of thinking time between chapters to fully appreciate. Not for the closed minded, you will need to suspend your initial doubts until you have had time to digest the evidence presented. In most cases, most of his points bear the weight of close scrutiny very well. Many of the negative reviews here clearly show a misunderstanding of Jefs ideas not just disagreement with them.
A large portion of the book focuses on the science of user interface. If you are involved in any project that requires user testing, which should be every project, this book provides a core set of useful techniques that are present discreetly from Jefs ideas. Jef uses all of these techniques to provide evidence for his ideas else where in the book. Providing an easy to follow yet incredibly powerful set of tools, this book is a must have for these sections alone.
At the end of his life Jef devoted his time to making his dream a reality. The Raskin Center (RCHI) was formed and started development on the Archy Project. After his death the project carries on; using the book as a starting block this, now community driven, project is on the steady march forward. If you want to see some of Jefs ideas in real life or wish to discuss the ideas in the book then check out the website (
http://rchi.raskincenter.org/ ). I have found the forums to be very useful in deepening my understanding of the points raised in the book.
While most people will revert to designing computer interfaces in the standard "industry" fashion because it's easier to think inside the box, I truly hope that this book inspires at least a few to bring us a new world of computers that actually respect the user. Or in other words, computers that use a Humane Interface.
Book Description
Expert advice on building better conflict management programs
Conflict in the workplace is always an eventuality. But it needn't be so costly or counter-productive. This book presents a clear, step-by-step approach for developing conflict management systems within any organization that anticipate the inevitability of conflict and deal with it in a effecient, cost-effective way. The authors, both promiment experts in the field, present a structured process for assessing conflict management programs in order to improve them or to implement new ones. As such, this book serves as an excellent resource for organization development and human resource professionals and consultants interested in proactively tackling the business concerns that conflict brings.
Customer Reviews:
Designing Conflict Management Systes, Costantino & Merchant.......2007-10-07
This was a comprehensive, practical-theoretical look at designing dispute resolution systems in business and governmental organisations.
I found it a practical as well as informative book, which will continue to be a handy reference for those doing dispute systems design.
The authors take Ury, Brett & Goldberg's earlier book: Getting Disputes Resolved: Designing Systems to Cut the Cost of Conflict, Jossey-Bass, CA, 1988, into the new areas of application, addressing new issues which adds informative review and new techniques to that original text in DSD.
Costantino and Merchant include sections on:
The Designer as Role Model, Traps and Pitfalls for Designers,and
Organizational Assessment - looking at the big picture in a thorough manner before offering any suggestions.
The book is arranged in 3 sections: Coping with Conflict in Organizations,
Designing and Improving Conflict Management Systems, and Making the System Work. I particularly liked their metaphors, such as "the dark side of Dispute Systems Design", and "Resistance and constraints: having tea with your demons". Indeed a refreshing and welcome addition in the field.
Desinging Conflict Systems.......2003-02-14
This book offers a great deal of theory and not enough real world applicability. Some of the reading is difficult to digest.
An invaluable resource for OD, HR and conflict mgt pros........1996-08-02
This book contributes mightily to defining how the emerging field of conflict management differs from organizational development, and what they share in common. For this alone it is worth the cover price.
But the authors don't stop there. The book is full of practical strategies for developing conflict management systems. And its techniques reflect real world experience, not just theory!
But, as a practitioner in this field, I can't say enough thanks to Constantino and Merchant for deepening the exploration of this very important new field!
Books:
- Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism
- Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most
- Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
- Effective Business Writing :(A Guide For Those who Write On the Job) 2nd Edition Revised And Updated
- Effective Coaching
- Emergency Response Planning for Corporate and Municipal Managers, Second Edition (Butterworth-Heinemann Homeland Security)
- Essentials of Management
- Evaluating Practice: Guidelines for the Accountable Professional (5th Edition)
- Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
- Fundamentals of Case Management Practice: Skills for the Human Services
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co.
- Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design
- How to Know the Ferns and Fern Allies
- Managing the Brief for Better Design
- History of Modern Art
- Organizing Business Knowledge: The MIT Process Handbook
- Scotch: A Journal of Single-Malt Whiskies
- Alvar Aalto and the International Style
- History of Modern Architecture, Vol. 1
- Murder in the Place of Anubis
Ambient Findability: What We Find Changes Who We Become
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites
Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
