Comments on Our Favorite Books: Recommendations from the Staff of Boxes and Arrows

laurie kalmanson — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:50:19 GMT

very nicely done

here’s my list: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/lauriekalmanson

Erin McClennan — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:40:17 GMT

I would highly recommend Set Phasers on Stun by Steven M. Casey. It is a collection of true stories blamed on “human error”. It is clear as you read the stories that design decisions are the root of the problems. It’s a quick, easy and fun read.

Charlie Brewer — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

WOW! This list is amazing…and I thought there were no more cool books to read. How wrong I was! Thanks for posting this. The circular paper charts book is #1 on my list. Now, where is that 1-click-to-add-everything-to-my-Amazon-shopping-cart button?

....uh, might need bit of a discount with that. Or an installment plan.

Either way, this is a fantastic bibliography for all of us. Thanks!

Charlie B.
Sr. IA/AGENCY.COM/SF

Bob Huerster — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

I would add two books to this excellent list: “Vocabulary Control for Information Retrieval,” by F.W. Lancaster. This book is less technical than “Thesaurus Construction and Use,” by Jean Aitchison, Alan Gilchrist and David Bawden. (The Lancaster book may be out of print. I have the second ed., 1986, published by Information Resources Press). I also recommend “Website Indexing: enhancing access to information within websites” by Glenda Browne and Jonathan Jermey (published by Auslib Press, Adelaide, 2001). Much of the book is devoted to back-of-the-book style website indexes, but it also includes some very helpful material on the information architecture of websites, including hierarchies and navigation structures.

David Dunkle — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

For anyone looking for a user interface design book that offers techniques with an object-oriented flavor, (in fact, a definite UML flavor) see:
“Object Modeling and User Interface Design” (2001) Mark Van Harmelen, Editor.
It is an excellent survey of methods from leading practitioners. Have you ever been flummoxed by “Use Cases”? Three chapters describe suitable methods for using them effectively.

...and although I do have a place in my heart for the UPA, I found the book, “Designing by People for People: Essays on Usability” to be unsubstantial and dated. Meritable collections of essays require a larger pool than that of a young society’s periodic newsletter.

Horacio Salazar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

I’ll second the inclusion of McConnell’s books in the list, though I’d add also “Code Complete”.

I wonder why John Cato’s book, “User-Centered Web Design”, hasn’t been included. It’s a must.

And I’ll definitely would like the list to include Joel Spolsky’s “User Interface Design for Programmers”.

These guys can write. And teach. If only we’d learn…

David Heller — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

I think this list is GREAT!!!!

Additions to the list:
Invisible Computer by D. Norman – This book will be great for people who struggle like I do with putting everything in there software creation. Its time to segregate and communicate as opposed to complete and confuse.

Being Digital – N. Negronponte – This is a great sociological look at changes in technology from atoms to bits.

A Pattern Language – C. Alexander – Learning and exploring patterns in the physical world to help us create patterns in the virtual.

Experience Design – N. Shredoff – Experience Design is a key piece for us and I’m a bit surprised this one wasn’t in the original list.

Leonardos Laptop – B. Sneiderman – a good book. What can I say I liked it.

Humane Interface – J. Raskin – another one I am surprised didn’t make the cut.

I also think we need to add a section of this list towards the inspirational, and to include things that are not books per se, or are books that tell us something about our industry but from a strange point of view. e.g.

Neuromancer by W. Gibson
Johnny Neumonic by W. Gibson
Star Trek TNG +
The Matrix (the movie)
Minority Report (the movie)
AI (the movie)
These have interfaces that while imaginative and not built in the real, are sources for input to what we can make real.

Other sources would include architecture like Geary and Wright and others that teach us about space, navigation and wayfinding in the physical.

Ok I think I can go on and on here. ;-)

Happy Chanukah!

George Olsen — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

I’ll second Joe’s recommendation of Steve McConnell’s and Karen Shriver’s books—I would’ve included them myself, I just overlooked them.

Shriver’s book is one of the few I’ve seen that taken an in-depth look at how text and visual design interact—probably because the author is a both a designer and a writer.

I’d also highly recommend McConnell’s “Rapid Development.” Aside from offering great advice for an iterative development approach, McConnell offers a powerful round-up of the typical problems plaguing lots of projects.

Joe Sokohl — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:50:51 GMT

A Great List! Nicely done, folks.

Books I’d add:

Steve McConnell: Software Project Survival Guide. The book I turn to again and again to explain why the problem with quick & dirty is that DIRTY is remembered loooooooooong after QUICK is forgotten.

Karen Shriver: Dynamics in Document Design. Still the most authoritative document design book, combining rigorous research with practical advice. Helpful for folks who have to produce client-facing documentation.

Eric Reiss: Practical Information Architecture: A Hands-On Approach to Structuring Successful Websites. A nice short intro to IA and a good book to pass on to clients whose eyes glaze over when you’re explaining subsites and metatagging…

Marlana Coe: Human Factors for Technical communicators. I came into the IA/UX world through tech writing, largely influence by Coe’s great intro to the field. Nice to have a good compendium of cog sci stuff related to software.

And of course the new ones by Christina and Jesse James—both of which I’m enjoying immensely.

joe