Synopses & Reviews
When the first edition of About Face was published in 1995, the idea of designing products based on human goals was a revolutionary concept. Thanks to the work of Alan Cooper and other pioneers, interaction design is now widely recognized as a unique and vital discipline, but our work is far from finished.
This completely updated volume presents the effective and practical tools you need to design great desktop applications, Web 2.0 sites, and mobile devices. This book will teach you the principles of good product behavior and introduce you to Cooper's Goal-Directed Design method, from conducting user research to defining your product using personas and scenarios. In short, About Face 3 will show you how to design the best possible digital products and services.
Synopsis
* The return of the authoritative bestseller includes all new content relevant to the popularization of how About Face maintains its relevance to new Web technologies such as AJAX and mobile platforms such as the iPod
* Addresses the continuation of a general shift in emphasis from Windows desktop software to other platforms and domains including appliances, Web applications, consumer electronics, and mobile devices
* Features updated examples to reflect current state-of-the-art interfaces and additional case studies where appropriate
* Contains updated graphics, icons, and layouts; a new approach to Cooper's immensely popular Goal-Directed Design methodology; and coverage of the new thinking in interface, interaction, and product design methods
Synopsis
The return of the authoritative bestseller includes all new content relevant to the popularization of how About Face maintains its relevance to new Web technologies such as AJAX and mobile platforms such as the iPod Addresses the continuation of a general shift in emphasis from Windows desktop software to other platforms and domains including appliances, Web applications, consumer electronics, and mobile devices Features updated examples to reflect current state-of-the-art interfaces and additional case studies where appropriate Contains updated graphics, icons, and layouts; a new approach to Cooper s immensely popular Goal-Directed Design methodology; and coverage of the new thinking in interface, interaction, and product design methods
Synopsis
* Contains updated graphics, icons, and layouts; a new approach to Cooper's immensely popular Goal-Directed Design methodology; and coverage of the new thinking in interface, interaction, and product design methods
Synopsis
This completely revised and updated edition of Alan Cooper's seminal work describes how by focusing on people, and the way they think, work and play, you can design breakthrough interactive products, Web applications, systems and services.
Alan Cooper, David Cronin, and Robert Reimann have updated this classic to reflect evolution in technology and product development practices. This latest edition includes: Completely revised and expanded discussion of Cooper's immensely popular Goal-Directed Design methodology Coverage of newly popular technologies including Web 2.0, mobile and desktop platforms Updates to reflect new thinking in interface, interaction and product design methods An complete reorganization to make content more accessible as a reference book Updated interface examples to reflect current state-of-the-art Updated graphic design and illustrations
Synopsis
This completely updated volume presents the effective and practical tools you need to design great desktop applications, Web 2.0 sites, and mobile devices. You’ll learn the principles of good product behavior and gain an understanding of Cooper’s Goal-Directed Design method, which involves everything from conducting user research to defining your product using personas and scenarios. Ultimately, you’ll acquire the knowledge to design the best possible digital products and services.
About the Author
For over 30 years
Alan Cooper has been a pioneer of the modern computing era. His groundbreaking work in software design and construction has influenced a generation of programmers and business people—and helped a generation of users. He is best known as the "Father of Visual Basic," inventor of personas, and founder of Cooper, the leading design consultancy.
As Director of Design R&D at Cooper, Robert Reimann led dozens of design projects and helped develop many of the methods described in About Face 3. Currently, he is Manager of User Experience at Bose Corporation and President of IxDA, the Interaction Design Association.
David Cronin is Director of Interaction Design at Cooper, where he's led the design of products for such diverse users as surgeons, museum visitors, online shoppers, automobile drivers, financial analysts, and the elderly.
Table of Contents
About the Authors vi
Foreword: The Postindustrial World xxi
Acknowledgments xxv
Introduction to the Third Edition xxvii
Part I Understanding Goal-Directed Design 1
Chapter 1 Goal-Directed Design 3
Chapter 2 Implementation Models and Mental Models 27
Chapter 3 Beginners, Experts, and Intermediates 41
Chapter 4 Understanding Users: Qualitative Research 49
Chapter 5 Modeling Users: Personas and Goals 75
Chapter 6 The Foundations of Design: Scenarios and Requirements 109
Chapter 7 From Requirements to Design: The Framework and Refinement 125
Part II Designing Behavior and Form 147
Chapter 8 Synthesizing Good Design: Principles and Patterns 149
Chapter 9 Platform and Posture 161
Chapter 10 Orchestration and Flow 201
Chapter 11 Eliminating Excise 223
Chapter 12 Designing Good Behavior 249
Chapter 13 Metaphors, Idioms, and Affordances 269
Chapter 14 Visual Interface Design 287
Part III Designing Interaction Details 321
Chapter 15 Searching and Finding: Improving Data Retrieval 323
Chapter 16 Understanding Undo 335
Chapter 17 Rethinking Files and Save 349
Chapter 18 Improving Data Entry 367
Chapter 19 Pointing, Selecting, and Direct Manipulation 375
Chapter 20 Window Behaviors 423
Chapter 21 Controls 439
Chapter 22 Menus 473
Chapter 23 Toolbars 493
Chapter 24 Dialogs 505
Chapter 25 Errors, Alerts, and Confirmation 529
Chapter 26 Designing for Different Needs 551
Afterword: On Collaboration 565
Appendix A Design Principles 569
Appendix B Bibliography 575
Index 581