The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design (Human Factors and Ergonomics) [Paperback]

Kim-Phuong L. Vu (Editor), Robert W. Proctor (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805846123 | ISBN-13: 978-0805846126 | Publication Date: November 30, 2004 | Edition: 1

The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design covers basic human factors issues relating to screen design, input devices, and information organization and processing, as well as addresses newer features which will become prominent in the next generation of Web technologies. These include multimodal interfaces, wireless capabilities, and agents that can improve convenience and usability. Written by leading researchers and/or practitioners in the field, this volume reflects the varied backgrounds and interests of individuals involved in all aspects of human factors and Web design and includes chapters on a full range of topics.

Divided into 12 sections, this book addresses:
*historical backgrounds and overviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE);
*specific subfields of HFE;
*issues involved in content preparation for the Web;
*information search and interactive information agents;
*designing for universal access and specific user populations;
*the importance of incorporating usability evaluations in the design process;
*task analysis, meaning analysis, and performance modeling;
*specific Web applications in academic and industrial settings;
*Web psychology and information security;
*emerging technological developments and applications for the Web; and
*the costs and benefits of incorporating human factors for the Web and the state of current guidelines.

The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design is intended for researchers and practitioners concerned with all aspects of Web design. It could also be used as a text for advanced courses in computer science, industrial engineering, and psychology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An important way in which the volume contributes to psychology is by documenting the varied ways in which human factors research can be applied to Web design.... the articles are reasonable in their scope and written in a very approachable manner....For a field that changes so quickly, an edited handbook is probably the best way of bringing together all of the necessary material that needs to be covered with the appropriate blend of perspectives. I highly recommend the volume to those interested in designing material for the Web.
—PsycCRITIQUES

About the Author

California State University, Long Beach, USA Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 737 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 1 edition (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805846123
• ISBN-13: 978-0805846126
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,606,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One HUGE Book worth the $$$, June 9, 2011

By 

T. Anderson (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design, Second Edition (Human Factors and Ergonomics) (Hardcover)

This is a huge book and there is a ton of information covered. Some of it in depth and some at a high level.

Most of the contributor's names are followed with PhD. That is not a bad thing, it is actually good, because the book does not read like it was written by people who's names are followed by PhD, but the material is PhD quality.

The book reads like a collection of thesis papers that have been translated for us mere mortals to understand. It is a collection of papers gathered into sections by topic, which means the chapters do not always flow into one another, but some do build on one another.

Some of the topics covered are Historical Overview of Human Factors and Ergonomics, History of Computers and the Internet, Human-Computer Interaction, Physical Ergonomics and the Web, Developing Adaptive Interfaces for the Web, Organization and Structure of Information using Semantic Web Technologies, Intranets and Intra-organizational Communication, User-Centered Methods for the Designing Web Interfaces, Task Analysis Methods and Tools for Developing Web Applications, Human Factors in Online Consumer Behavior, Analyzing and Modeling User Activity for Web Interactions, and Mobile Interface Design for M-commerce.

The book is very expensive and at its current price I can't say that the information you get out of it is worth the price or not. It will depend on how much of it you end up using and how much of it is new to you.

I am assuming it is so salty partly because of the construction of the book, which is very high quality. It is one of the best constructed book I have purchased.

The thing I like most about the book is that its chapters are self contained. I read this book in absolutely no order at all. I picked the topic I was most interested in and started there. I continued down the list of topics that interested me.

Each chapter is followed by a very extensive reference section that allows you to continue digging further into the topic if so desired.

Although the book is not in color, there is a nice section of colored figures. It includes all the figures that benefit seeing them in color.

One thing is for certain, after lugging this thing around for a month you are sure to be in better shape.

If you build web sites, and you care about your customers getting a high quality product from your efforts, invest in this book. I rarely pay $111.00 for a book, but I can say I am glad I did, this was worth every penny.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for web designers and developers interested in the research behind the guidelines, August 13, 2006

By 

S. FADDEN - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Handbook of Human Factors in Web Design (Human Factors and Ergonomics) (Hardcover)

Consider the following questions about web design:

*Which font is the best to use for online information?
*What kind of navigation structure best supports user performance?
*What does airplane cockpit research have to do with effective web design?
*How can you design and measure search interfaces to ensure that users view the search results as relevant?
*What must a web designer do in order to ensure that web-based content is accessible to users with physical and cognitive disabilities?
*What task analysis, knowledge elicitation, and user modeling methods are best suited for developing web interfaces and systems?

This handbook gives readers the answers to these questions and more. The book provides a comprehensive treatment of human factors research methods, design guidelines, and processes for use in developing effective websites and web-based technologies. Its 38 chapters are written for a wide audience, and many of the chapter authors lead the field in human factors research and web interface development.

Topics range from the history of human factors and the origins of networked computing, to research methods for understanding user needs and task requirements, to effective interface design guidelines and emerging technologies in the field. Each chapter contains a rich collection of historical and contemporary references, and many chapters provide the reader with links to additional information available online. While some of the information published in this book can be found elsewhere, this text is truly a "one stop shop."

If you can only get one book on web design guidelines and methods (as well as the human factors research behind them), this is the one to have!