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Usability Engineering [Kindle Edition]

Jakob Nielsen (Author)

4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews) |

Digital List Price:	�35.01 What's this?
Print List Price:	�33.99
Kindle Price:	�19.37 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via *Amazon Whispernet*
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Length: 362 pages
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Product Description

Review

"The purpose of Jakob Nielsen's Usability Engineering is to help nontechnical people improve the systems so that they are not only error-free but also easier and more pleasant to use, and more efficient. It is a book that ...shows us how to change the world and does so admirably...One of this book's strengths is that it provides a wide selection of methods for improving systems, and allows for the unavoidable constraints of the real world." --NEW SCIENTIST

Product Description

Written by the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia, this book is an excellent guide to the methods of usability engineering. The book provides the tools needed to avoid usability surprises and improve product quality. Step-by-step information on which method to use at various stages during the development lifecycle are included, along with detailed information on how to run a usability test and the unique issues relating to international usability.

* Emphasizes cost-effective methods that developers can implement immediately
* Instructs readers about which methods to use when, throughout the development lifecycle, which ultimately helps in cost-benefit analysis.
* Shows readers how to avoid the four most frequently listed reasons for delay in software projects.
* Includes detailed information on how to run a usability test.
* Covers unique issues of international usability.
* Features an extensive bibliography allowing readers to find additional information.
* Written by an internationally renowned expert in the field and the author of the best-selling HyperText & HyperMedia.

See all Product Description

Product details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 4434 KB
Print Length: 362 pages
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann; 1st edition (30 Jun 1993)
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.� r.l.
Language English
ASIN: B0029ZBK80
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #304,276 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful

20/20 vision on only 60 percent of the problem 1 May 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

As a Web site designer, I've long been an advocate of JakobNielsen's ideas -- to an extent. Usability is arguably the most important aspect of any design project, and an aspect too often ignored by many software and Web site designers.

Mr. Nielsen, in his book, very aptly points out typical errors and common stumbling blocks of interface design, and presents very convincing arguments and methods for solving these problems. However, strict adherence to Mr. Nielsen's interface design techniques, at the expense of less easily measured human factors, will often result in a sterile and boring product. Both are eminently efficient and usable, but are also wonderful examples of visual blandness -- nearly devoid of the human and aesthetic factors that contributes to a depth of personality and a richness of sensory stimulation.

Although Mr. Nielsen never specifically advocates this, the logical conclusion of his approach is an interface design whose personality and soul have been stripped away in a slavish preference for pure, unencumbered efficiency and usability. Contrary to Mr. Nielsen's examples, the quest for usability should not abrogate the need to avoid ugliness.

For the sake of efficient usability, I wonder if Mr. Nielsen has replaced his impractical, hard-to-maintain backyard lawn with efficient asphalt paving. Or maybe pulled out his expensive, hard-to-clean, dirt collecting, living room carpet and replaced it with an efficient concrete floor. I'm joking of course, but even if Mr. Nielson thinks this way, most do not. Yet, this is the result achieved by many of his user interface examples.

Perhaps on the planet Vulcan where everyone thinks like Mr. Spock, Mr. Nielsen's conclusions and methods might be the eminently rational final word on good interface design. But on Earth the value of his conclusions and usability tests must be weighed against the somewhat hard-to-measure and difficult-to-quantify factors of illogical human personality and perception.

Although Mr. Nielsen's observations, conclusions and suggestions continue to be very valuable in helping to pull interface design towards much needed greater usability and functionality, his mistake seems to be that this is all he sees as being important.

Cory Maylett

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

This book is a must-have for all software developers. 15 Feb 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Over the past 10 years only a few programming books have made it onto my 'must have' list. Usability Engineering is near the top. Jakob Nielsen's style is humorous and exact. More good advice could hardly be packed into one volume than you will find here.

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

Excellent, practical how-to book 16 July 1996

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

"Usability Engineering" explains the principles of software
usability, and clearly outlines techiniques for assesing
the usablility of your product.
His techniques give a lot of bang for the
buck. There is no excuse not to use them.
He makes convincing arguments for the value of
incorporating usability into the entire software design
and development process. This book is an excellent companion
to Cooper's User Interface bible,"About Face".

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Seminal work on UE - essential for e-business managers

Great read - full of useful insights to ensure one can build a better e-business. Memorable, intuitive, interactive and compelling - a paradigm of UE in itself. Read more

Published on 24 July 2000

The standard

Simply the standard on usability engineering.
Buy this one first.

Published on 8 Oct 1996

Popular Highlights

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These principles can be used to explain a very large proportion of the problems one observes in user interface designs. &quote;

Highlighted by 3 Kindle users

Satisfaction: The system should be pleasant to use, so that users are subjectively satisfied when using it; they like it. &quote;

Highlighted by 3 Kindle users

Errors: The system should have a low error rate, so that users make few errors during the use of the system, and so that if they do make errors they can easily recover from them. Further, catastrophic errors must not occur. &quote;

Highlighted by 3 Kindle users

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