Customer Reviews

Gui Design for Dummies

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I reviewed this book hoping to find a good reference document for the GUI Design courses we teach. While my quest for the ideal reference continues, I am happy to recommend this book as supplementary reading. 'GUI Design for Dummies' certainly tackles the GUI topic as a process. Of the things I found lacking these items stood out:

* lack of discipline with terminology. Like many IT-related authors these days, Laura Arlov takes quite a bit of license when it comes to inventing terms. Perhaps they are not her invention, but little attempt is made to validate the origins of numerous words and phrases

* outdated conventions with repect to tasks and workflow (Use Case scenarios would be more appropriate than just 'task' and [navigational] scenario.

* very little material on transaction-based systems.

In Ms. Orlov's defense, most of these issues are not addressed in any of the other books I have reviewed.

Bottom line: an easy read. Examples are well matched to an overall process. Good start for developers that need an orientation to GUI concepts.

If you're looking for one book to introduce you to GUI design and give you a solid grounding in design for usability, this isn't it. It gives many useful tips and truisms, however, and if you buy it as one element of your larger usability/UI design library, you will be well served. In my work, I'm sometimes called upon to provide usability inspections and design critiques. This book has provided good support for some of the improvements I've asked programmers and designers to make.

This is an excellent starting place for anyone who wants to create usable GUI programs. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to get off to a good start.

This book really helped me with my first GUI design project involving a large set of users. Don't let the 'for Dummies' title put you off; it really is 'a reference for the rest of us' as its cover claims. Arlov takes the reader through the basic considerations of GUI design, from determining what your GUI goals are and various ways to achieve them, to how to test and refine your interface design.

This book is easy to read and easy to use. Chapters are defined by practical content and arranged so that a linear reading of the book is not required to get all there is to get-- skip to the part you need to read first. Icons are used to 'tag' selected paragraphs by the kind of information they contain.

There are a lot of people out there who say they are GUI designers, who obviously have not considered the very basic elements of interface design. I suggest they get this book and use it to guide them through their next project.

If you are hesitant to read this book because it is for "Dummies", don't be. It is much more substantive than some of the other dummies books, and it may be the best general book on interface design available. This books is very easy to read. Each chapter actual provides useful information without being tedious or technical. Laura's personal opinions appear to be keep to a minimum. I highly recommend this book.

Don't let the title put you off. This book is a real find. Practical, relevant advice on GUI design.

It's true, this is the best book on GUI design out there. It's also true that several others are excellent, but Arlov alone has found a way to balance detail with breadth. I'm steadfast when folks get sarcastic about it being a Dummies book - I look them straight in the eye, rattle off all the other titles I've read, and say "this is the one to read and keep on the desk." The book comes with a CD (not a 3.5). (Laura, when's your next book coming out?).