Synopses & Reviews
If you want to get ahead in this new era of interaction design, this is the reference you need. Nintendo's Wii and Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch have made gestural interfaces popular, but until now there's been no complete source of information about the technology.
Designing Gestural Interfaces provides you with essential information about kinesiology, sensors, ergonomics, physical computing, touchscreen technology, and new interface patterns -- all you need to know to augment your existing skills in "traditional" web design, software, or product development. Packed with informative illustrations and photos, this book helps you:
- Get an overview of technologies surrounding touchscreens and interactive environments
- Learn the process of designing gestural interfaces, from documentation to prototyping to
communicating to the audience what the product does- Examine current patterns and trends in touchscreen and gestural design
- Learn about the techniques used by practicing designers and developers today
- See how other designers have solved interface challenges in the past
- Look at future trends in this rapidly evolving field
Only six years ago, the gestural interfaces introduced in the film Minority Report were science fiction. Now, because of technological, social, and market forces, we see similar interfaces deployed everywhere. Designing Gestural Interfaces will help you enter this new world of possibilities.
Synopsis
Nintendo's Wii and Apple's iPhone have introduced the public to the power of using gestures to control devices and interactive systems. But how exactly do you design for this new interaction paradigm? It isn't like designing for traditional websites or software, but until now, there has been little written about these new interfaces, which will only grow in number and variety over the next few years. Designing Gestural Interfaces examines current patterns and trends in this new area, discussing emerging patterns of use, how to design and document interactive gestures, provides an overview of the technologies surrounding touchscreens and interactive environments, communicating to users how to use these new systems, and ways to prototype gestural interfaces.
About the Author
Dan Saffer is a Director of Interaction Design at Smart Design. He is the author of Designing for Interaction: Creating Innovative Applications and Devices (New Riders), Designing Gestural Interfaces (O'Reilly), and Designing Devices. Since 1995, he has designed appliances, devices, software, websites, and services that are used by millions of people every day.
Table of Contents
Dedication; Preface; WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK; HOW TO USE THIS BOOK; HOW TO CONTACT US; SAFARI® BOOKS ONLINE; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; Chapter 1: Introducing Interactive Gestures; 1.1 TAP IS THE NEW CLICK; 1.2 DIRECT VERSUS INDIRECT MANIPULATION; 1.3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF GESTURAL INTERFACES; 1.4 THE MECHANICS OF TOUCHSCREENS AND GESTURAL CONTROLLERS; 1.5 DESIGNING INTERACTIVE GESTURES: THE BASICS; 1.6 DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE GESTURE; 1.7 FOR FURTHER READING; Chapter 2: Designing for the Human Body; 2.1 BASIC KINESIOLOGY; 2.2 THE ERGONOMICS OF INTERACTIVE GESTURES; 2.3 THE ERGONOMICS OF MOTION; 2.4 DESIGNING TOUCH TARGETS; 2.5 FOR FURTHER READING; Chapter 3: Patterns for Touchscreens and Interactive Surfaces; 3.1 HOW TO USE PATTERNS; 3.2 TAP TO OPEN/ACTIVATE; 3.3 TAP TO SELECT; 3.4 DRAG TO MOVE OBJECT; 3.5 SLIDE TO SCROLL; 3.6 SPIN TO SCROLL; 3.7 SLIDE AND HOLD FOR CONTINUOUS SCROLL; 3.8 FLICK TO NUDGE; 3.9 FLING TO SCROLL; 3.10 TAP TO STOP; 3.11 PINCH TO SHRINK AND SPREAD TO ENLARGE; 3.12 TWO FINGERS TO SCROLL; 3.13 GHOST FINGERS; Chapter 4: Patterns for Free-Form Interactive Gestures; 4.1 PROXIMITY ACTIVATES/DEACTIVATES; 4.2 MOVE BODY TO ACTIVATE; 4.3 POINT TO SELECT/ACTIVATE; 4.4 WAVE TO ACTIVATE; 4.5 PLACE HANDS INSIDE TO ACTIVATE; 4.6 ROTATE TO CHANGE STATE; 4.7 STEP TO ACTIVATE; 4.8 SHAKE TO CHANGE; 4.9 TILT TO MOVE; Chapter 5: Documenting Interactive Gestures; 5.1 WHY DOCUMENT ANYTHING?; 5.2 EXISTING MOVEMENT NOTATION SYSTEMS; 5.3 DOCUMENTING GESTURES IN INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS; 5.4 FOR FURTHER READING; Chapter 6: Prototyping Interactive Gestures; 6.1 FAKING IT: LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPES; 6.2 HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPES; 6.3 TESTING PROTOTYPES; 6.4 PROTOTYPING RESOURCES; 6.5 FOR FURTHER READING; Chapter 7: Communicating Interactive Gestures; 7.1 THREE ZONES OF ENGAGEMENT; 7.2 METHODS OF COMMUNICATING INTERACTIVE GESTURES; 7.3 FOR FURTHER READING; Chapter 8: THE FUTURE OF INTERACTIVE GESTURES; 8.1 FUTURE TRENDS; 8.2 TOWARD STANDARDS; 8.3 THE ETHICS OF GESTURES; 8.4 FOR FURTHER READING; A Palette of Human Gestures and Movements; GESTURES FOR TOUCHSCREENS; GESTURES FOR FREE-FORM SYSTEMS; FOR FURTHER READING; Colophon;