The Essential Guide to User Interface Design

Designing a Graphic User Interface (GUI) is difficult and time consuming, especially for novice programmers. Even experienced programmers often don't know the difference between a superior GUI and a mediocre one, and the result can be screens that are too complex and difficult to use.

This book is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to building user-friendly system interfaces so that developers may learn the basics of good interface design, using practical examples from systems that have been proven to work well.

• Pt. 1 The User Interface - An Introduction and Overview 1
• The Importance of the User Interface 3
• Characteristics of Graphical and Web User Interfaces 15
• Pt. 2 The User Interface Design Process 53
• Know Your User or Client 61
• Understand the Business Function 87
• Understand the Principles of Good Screen Design 109
• Develop System Menus and Navigation Schemes 249
• Select the Proper Kinds of Windows 337
• Select the Proper Device-Based Controls 385
• Choose the Proper Screen-Based Controls 403
• Write Clear Text and Messages 517
• Provide Effective Feedback and Guidance and Assistance 541
• Provide Effective Internationalization and Accessibility 569
• Create Meaningful Graphics, Icons and Images 589
• Choose the Proper Colors 621
• Organize and Layout Windows and Pages 655
• Test, Test, and Retest 701
• References 731
• Index