Elsevier S & T

GUI Bloopers 2.0: Common User Interface Design Don'ts and Dos

Johnson, Jeff

In stock
No reviews
8.000 KD inc. VAT
License
Table of contents
  • Cover
  • Contentsvii
  • Acknowledgmentsxiii
  • Introduction1
  • Chapter 1: First Principles7
  • Introduction8
  • Basic Principle 1: Focus on the users and their tasks, not on the technology8
  • Basic Principle 2: Consider function first, presentation later18
  • Basic Principle 3: Conform to the users’ view of the task26
  • Basic Principle 4: Design for the common case32
  • Basic Principle 5: Don’t distract users from their goals35
  • Basic Principle 6: Facilitate learning37
  • Basic Principle 7: Deliver information, not just data41
  • Basic Principle 8: Design for responsiveness45
  • Basic Principle 9: Try it out on users, then fix it!48
  • Chapter 2: GUI Control Bloopers51
  • Introduction52
  • Using the wrong control53
  • Blooper 1: Confusing checkboxes and radio buttons53
  • Blooper 2: Using a checkbox for a non-ON/OFF setting62
  • Blooper 3: Using command buttons as toggles65
  • Blooper 4: Using tabs as radio buttons67
  • Blooper 5: Too many tabs70
  • Blooper 6: Using input controls for display-only data77
  • Blooper 7: Overusing text fi elds for constrained input84
  • Using controls wrongly88
  • Blooper 8: Dynamic menus89
  • Blooper 9: Intolerant data fi elds94
  • Blooper 10: Input fields and controls with no default96
  • Blooper 11: Poor defaults103
  • Blooper 12: Negative checkboxes105
  • Chapter 3: Navigation Bloopers107
  • Introduction108
  • Not showing users where they are108
  • Blooper 13: Window or page not identified108
  • Blooper 14: Same title on different windows112
  • Blooper 15: Window title doesn’t match command or link117
  • Leading users astray and not showing the way122
  • Blooper 16: Distracting off-path buttons and links122
  • Blooper 17: Self-links126
  • Blooper 18: Too many levels of dialog boxes131
  • Poor search navigation138
  • Blooper 19: Competing search boxes139
  • Blooper 20: Poor search results browsing143
  • Blooper 21: Noisy search results145
  • Chapter 4: Textual Bloopers151
  • Introduction152
  • Uncommunicative text152
  • Blooper 22: Inconsistent terminology153
  • Blooper 23: Unclear terminology161
  • Blooper 24: Bad writing165
  • Blooper 25: Too much text169
  • Developer-centric text173
  • Blooper 26: Speaking Geek173
  • Blooper 27: Calling users userŽ to their face181
  • Blooper 28: Vague error messages184
  • Misleading text189
  • Blooper 29: Erroneous messages189
  • Blooper 30: Text makes sense in isolation but is misleading in the GUI193
  • Blooper 31: Misuse (or nonuse) of ƒŽ on command labels193
  • Chapter 5: Graphic Design and Layout Bloopers197
  • Introduction198
  • Bad layout and window placement198
  • Blooper 32: Easily missed information198
  • Blooper 33: Mixing dialog box control buttons with content control buttons208
  • Blooper 34: Misusing group boxes212
  • Blooper 35: Radio buttons too far apart217
  • Blooper 36: Labels too far from data fi elds220
  • Blooper 37: Inconsistent label alignment226
  • Blooper 38: Bad initial window location228
  • Troublesome typography232
  • Blooper 39: Tiny fonts232
  • Chapter 6: Interaction Bloopers239
  • Introduction240
  • Deviating from task focus241
  • Blooper 40: Exposing the implementation to users241
  • Blooper 41: Needless restrictions242
  • Blooper 42: Confusable concepts246
  • Requiring unnecessary steps250
  • Blooper 43: Asking users for unneeded data250
  • Blooper 44: Asking users for random seeds256
  • Blooper 45: Pointless choice258
  • Burdening users’ memory264
  • Blooper 46: Hard to remember ID264
  • Blooper 47: Long instructions that go away too soon267
  • Blooper 48: Unnecessary or poorly marked modes269
  • Taking control away from users277
  • Blooper 49: Automatic rearrangement of display277
  • Blooper 50: Dialog boxes that trap users281
  • Blooper 51: CancelŽ doesnt cancel288
  • Chapter 7: Responsiveness Bloopers293
  • Introduction294
  • Common responsiveness bloopers294
  • Reasons for poor responsiveness298
  • Reason 1: The facts about responsiveness are not widely known298
  • Reason 2: UI designers rarely consider responsiveness during design299
  • Reason 3: Programmers equate responsiveness with performance300
  • Reason 4: Programmers treat user input like machine input301
  • Reason 5: Developers use simple implementations301
  • Reason 6: GUI software tools, components, and platforms are inadequate302
  • Reason 7: Managers hire GUI programmers who lack the required skill303
  • Avoiding responsiveness bloopers: Design principles303
  • Responsiveness Principle 1: Responsiveness is not the same as performance303
  • Responsiveness Principle 2: Processing resources are always limited304
  • Responsiveness Principle 3: The user interface is a real-time interface304
  • Responsiveness Principle 4: All delays are not equal: software need not do everything immediately306
  • Responsiveness Principle 5: Software need not do tasks in the order in which they were requested307
  • Responsiveness Principle 6: Software need not do everything it was asked to do307
  • Responsiveness Principle 7: Human users are not computer programs309
  • Avoiding responsiveness bloopers: Techniques309
  • Timely feedback310
  • Parallel problem solution317
  • Queue optimization319
  • Dynamic time management320
  • Summary of responsiveness techniques326
  • Conclusion326
  • Chapter 8: Management Bloopers329
  • Introduction330
  • Counterproductive attitude331
  • Blooper 64: Treating UI as low priority331
  • Blooper 65: Misunderstanding what user interface professionals do337
  • Blooper 66: Discounting the value of testing and iterative design341
  • Counterproductive process348
  • Blooper 67: Anarchic development348
  • Blooper 68: No task expertise on the team357
  • Blooper 69: Using poor tools and building blocks365
  • Blooper 70: Giving programmers the fastest computers370
  • Appendices373
  • Appendix A: Glossary373
  • Appendix B: How this book was usability tested376
  • Appendix C: Task analysis of creating slide presentations„questions379
  • Appendix D: Illustrating simplicity„the object/action matrix381
  • Appendix E: Usability tests for every time and purpose383
  • Bibliography389
  • Index397
  • About the Author407
  • Web Appendix: Color Bloopers409
  • Blooper 71: Text hard to read on background409
  • Blooper 72: Relying on subtle color differences415
  • References419
Book details
  • Vendor Elsevier S & T
  • SKU 9780123706430R120
  • ISBN-13 9780080552149
  • Author Johnson, Jeff
  • Edition 2nd
  • Category Computers
  • Subject User Interfaces

Do you have questions about this book?

Ask an expert!

Description eBook delivery & access Reviews
Is your application or Web site ready for prime time?

A major revision of a classic reference, GUI Bloopers 2.0 looks at user interface design bloopers from commercial software, Web sites, Web applications, and information appliances, explaining how intelligent, well-intentioned professionals make these mistakes--and how you can avoid them. While equipping you with the minimum of theory, GUI expert Jeff Johnson presents the reality of interface design in an entertaining, anecdotal, and instructive way.

* Updated to reflect the bloopers that are common today, incorporating many comments and suggestions from first edition readers.

* Takes a learn-by-example approach that teaches how to avoid common errors.

* Covers bloopers in a wide range of categories: GUI controls, graphic design and layout, text messages, interaction strategies, Web site design -- including search, link, and navigation, responsiveness issues, and management decision-making.

* Organized and formatted so information needed is quickly found, the new edition features call-outs for the examples and informative captions to enhance quick knowledge building.

* Hundreds of illustrations: both the DOs and the DON'Ts for each topic covered, with checklists and additional bloopers on www.gui-bloopers.com.