Designing Effective Wizards: A Multidisciplinary Approach [Paperback]

Daina Pupons Wickham (Author), Debra L. Mayhew (Author), Teresa Stoll (Author), Kenneth June Toley III (Author), Shannon Rouiller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 27, 2001 | Series: Ibm Books

This is the first "nuts and bolts" how-to guide for building wizards that help users perform complex tasks in software. Written by the IBM team that has standardized wizard development across a wide range of software products and families, the book brings together the wisdom of usability experts, programmers, technical writers, and other disciplines. The step-by-step guidance it offers is designed to work equally well on any contemporary platform, from IBM mainframes to Windows, Unix/Linux, Java, and Web-based applications alike. Designing Effective Wizards: A Multidisciplinary Approach outlines a practical set of processes and methods for effective wizard design, identifying key issues and problems encountered during the design process -- and IBM's best solutions. The authors begin by introducing the concept and goals of wizards; then explain how to gather requirements, prototype wizards, and evaluate designs. The book includes specific guidelines for wizard design, as well as techniques for avoiding errors and refining interactivity. The book contains three detailed case studies, as well as practical checklist for planning wizard projects. A four-color insert illustrates a wide range of examples, which may also be found on an accompanying CD-ROM For all software developers, interface designers, usability professionals, and Web interface designers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

• Users want wizards—but there are no books devoted to wizard design!
• Nuts-and-bolts guide to designing wizards
• Includes checklists and examples
• The complete guide to wizard design.
• Practical usability and design techniques for successful wizard and software projects

All you need to know to build wizards your users will love:

• Extensive lists of questions for gathering requirements
• Iterative design and evaluation techniques
• Guidelines for general page layout, controls, and navigation
• Visual design tips and techniques for attractive and enticing wizards
• Launchpad solutions for linking wizards
• Advice for interactive feedback, error prevention, error recovery, and on-line help
• Accommodate any user—experts and novices, worldwide audiences, multiple platforms, plus accessibility for users with special needs!

Designing Effective Wizards: A Multidisciplinary Approach is the first "nuts and bolts" how-to guide for designing wizards that help users perform their tasks. This book brings together key insights from a multidisciplinary team, including usability experts, technical writers, and visual designers—presenting a start-to-finish process for effective wizard design. The authors identify key issues and challenges encountered during the wizard development process, and IBM's best solutions.

Includes...

• CD-ROM that contains interactive samples to help you explore the concepts of color, typography, layout, navigation, and launchpads for wizards. It also contains the screens from the case-study installation
• Extensive examples throughout
• A start-to-finish case study
• Practical checklists, summaries, and sample forms

About the Author

All the authors work at IBM's Silicon Valley Laboratory in San Jose, CA. DAINA PUPONS WICKHAM is a Human Factors Specialist who has designed and tested wizards for multiple IBM products. She has published papers on and filed for patents for her launchpad designs. DR. DEBRA L. MAYHEW is a Human Factors Specialist who helped create wizard guidelines for IBM data management products and has worked on wizards for products on multiple platforms. TERESA STOLL, an Interface Visual Designer, is a member of IBM's Visual Design Board of Directors and oversees the visual design of IBM's award-winning DB2 workstation database product. KENNETH JUNE TOLEY III is a Technical Writer who has designed and tested on-line help systems and web pages, and assisted in wizard and dialog interface design. SHANNON ROUILLER is a Technical Editor who has written and edited books, on-line help, wizards, and product interfaces for worldwide products.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR (August 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013092377X
• ISBN-13: 978-0130923776
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,120,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I've used this book, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Designing Effective Wizards: A Multidisciplinary Approach (Paperback)

(...) My only complaint is the index--it would be better to include a magnifying glass rather than a CD so that the index would be usable. The publisher should have spent the extra penny and made the font size at least 8 points.
Aside from that, this book is packed with useful information, and loaded with examples. If you know nothing about designing wizards, read this book, and you should have the confidence to get started. If you have experience designing wizards, this book will give you the tools you need to make great wizards that help users complete tasks easily. As a reviewer of interfaces, I found this book to be most helpful in answering questions like "Should they be doing that?" and "Isn't there a better way to present those choices?" I highly recommend this book.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Mulitmedia CD, November 1, 2001

By 

L. Cabrera "I <3 motorcycles." (Sunnyvale, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Designing Effective Wizards: A Multidisciplinary Approach (Paperback)

I have to say I spent months looking for a book on designing effective wizards. FINALLY I find one, and am plesantly surprised at its content. As is habit for me I was about to throw the CD in the trash or make it into a coaster but I decided to try it anyway. I have to say 99% of the time the CD's in books are garbage and not even work making a coaster out of. THis time was different though. THe Brilliant use of macro media director shows an understanding of the progam beyond what is usually seen. I was in awe as I worked my way through the CD. I think the person who made the CD is truly truly gifted. Macromedia should offer him a job! So I say to everyone the CD alone is worth the cost of this book!