View Review Details
| Book: |
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Designing Interfaces |
| Subject: |
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excellent pattern catalog |
| Date: |
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2006-01-04 18:50:00 |
| From: |
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Jeanne Boyarsky
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“Designing Interfaces”does for UIs what the Gang of Four did for code. Each chapter starts with a detailed overview of a UI topic with examples of good and bad design. The bulk of the chapter goes into many idioms/patterns that apply to that part of UI design. For example, form design, data presentation and editors are covered in chapter form. There is even a chapter on the emotional effect of pages. The emphasis on user interaction and not just design, distinguishes this book from others.
While there are many books on website design, this one also covers desktop and mobile interfaces. Many principles are the same and differences are highlighted. The author culls some ideas from the website design and usability classics; always making a reference. Other ideas are standards and yet more are original.
The main point of the book is to create a catalog and common language for discussing interface design. At this, the author succeeds fabulously. Each idiom or pattern is given a distinctive name, described with the what/when/why/how and provides examples. Just like Gang of Four, the patterns are appropriately cross referenced. This book is both a great read and a great reference. If you design or make GUI recommendations, you should buy it today!
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"This is one of those books that you'll read once and then start making post-it note bookmarks in certain areas."
--Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings
