Helps you design a great user interface by focusing on the most important step in the process - the first one. You learn to go out and observe your users at work, whether they are employees of your company or people in customer organisations. You learn to find out what your users really need, not by asking them what they want, but by going through a process of understanding what they are trying to accomplish. The authors take you through a step-by-step process to conduct a user and task analysis. You learn: How interface designers use user and task analysis to build successful interfaces; Why knowledge of users, their tasks, and their environments is critical to successful design; How to prepare and set up your site visits; How to select and train your user and task analysis team; What observations to make, questions to ask, and questions to avoid; How to record and report what you have learned to your development team members; How to turn the information you've gathered into design ideas; How to create paper prototypes of your interface design; and How to conduct usability tests with your prototypes to find out if you're on the right track.

Most programmers' fear of user interface (UI) programming comes from their fear of doing UI design. They think that UI design is like graphic design—the mysterious process by which creative, latte-drinking, all-black-wearing people produce cool-looking, artistic pieces. Most programmers see themselves as analytic, logical thinkers instead—strong at reasoning, weak on artistic judgment, and incapable of doing UI design. In this brilliantly readable book, author Joel Spolsky proposes simple, logical rules that can be applied without any artistic talent to improve any user interface, from traditional GUI applications to websites to consumer electronics. Spolsky's primary axiom, the importance of bringing the program model in line with the user model, is both rational and simple. In a fun and entertaining way, Spolky makes user interface design easy for programmers to grasp. After reading User Interface Design for Programmers, you'll know how to design interfaces with the user in mind. You'll learn the important principles that underlie all good UI design, and you'll learn how to perform usability testing that works.

Using extensive practical examples, the Practitioner's Handbook for User Interface Design and Development illuminates today's best practices for user interface design, usability, and user-centered development. Robert J. Torres introduces user interfaces from three points of view: the user, the developer, and the system. Next, he introduces a complete user-centered UI development process, beginning at the highest level and then drilling down to each phase of the lifecycle. For every stage, Torres offers clear principles, specific guidelines, and practical heuristics for self-assessment.

A comprehensive review of the current state of research and use of task analysis for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), this multi-authored and diligently edited handbook offers the best reference source available on this diverse subject whose foundations date to the turn of the last century. Each chapter begins with an abstract and is cross-referen

User Interface Design for Mere Mortals takes the mystery out of designing effective interfaces for both desktop and web applications. It is recommended reading for anyone who wants to provide users of their software with interfaces that are intuitive and easy-to-use. The key to any successful application lies in providing an interface users not only enjoy interacting with but which also saves time, eliminates frustration, and gets the job done with a minimum of effort. Readers will discover the secrets of good interface design by learning how users behave and the expectations that users have of different types of interfaces. Anyone who reads User Interface Design for Mere Mortals will benefit from • Gaining an appreciation of the differences in the “look and feel” of interfaces for a variety of systems and platforms • Learning how to go about designing and creating the most appropriate interface for the application or website being developed • Becoming familiar with all the different components that make up an interface and the important role that each of those components plays in communicating with users • Understanding the business benefits that flow from good interface design such as significantly reduced support costs • Gaining invaluable insights into how users behave, including the seven stages of human interaction with computers • Working through case study based, in-depth analysis of each of the stages involved in designing a user interface • Acquiring practical knowledge about the similarities and differences between designing websites and traditional desktop applications • Learning how to define, conduct, and analyze usability testing Through the use of the proven For Mere Mortals format, User Interface Design for Mere Mortals succeeds in parting the veil of mystery surrounding effective user interface design. Whatever your background, the For Mere Mortals format makes the information easily accessible and usable. Contents Preface Introduction CHAPTER 1 Brief Histories CHAPTER 2 Concepts and Issues CHAPTER 3 Making the Business Case CHAPTER 4 Good Design CHAPTER 5 How User Behave CHAPTER 6 Analyzing Your Users CHAPTER 7 Designing a User Interface CHAPTER 8 Designing a Web Site CHAPTER 9 Usability APPENDIX A Answers to Review Questions APPENDIX B Recommended Reading Glossary References Index

Cognitive task analysis is a broad area consisting of tools and techniques for describing the knowledge and strategies required for task performance. Cognitive task analysis has implications for the development of expert systems, training and instructional design, expert decision making and policymaking. It has been applied in a wide range of settings, with different purposes, for instance: specifying user requirements in system design or specifying training requirements in training needs analysis. The topics to be covered by this work include: general approaches to cognitive task analysis, system design, instruction, and cognitive task analysis for teams. The work settings to which the tools and techniques described in this work have been applied include: 911 dispatching, faultfinding on board naval ships, design aircraft, and various support systems. The editors' goal in this book is to present in a single source a comprehensive, in-depth introduction to the field of cognitive task analysis. They have attempted to include as many examples as possible in the book, making it highly suitable for those wishing to undertake a cognitive task analysis themselves. The book also contains a historical introduction to the field and an annotated bibliography, making it an excellent guide to additional resources.

Essence of Top Tasks is a prioritized list of what matters most to customers. You then continuously improve these top tasks based on evidence of customers trying to complete them. Developed as a result of 15 years of research and practice. Implemented by some of the world's largest organizations: Cisco, Microsoft, NetApp, IBM, Google, European Union, Toyota, Tetra Pak, and hundreds more. More than 300,000 customers have participated in Top Tasks studies in over 40 countries and 30 languages.