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User Interface Design for Programmers (Paperback)

by Joel Spolsky (Author), Dave Winer (Author)

4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 159 pages
Publisher: APRESS (1 May 2001)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1893115941
ISBN-13: 978-1893115941
Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 18.6 x 1.2 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 198,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Most programmers' fear of user interface (UI) programming comes from their fear of doing UI design. They think that UI design is like graphic design--the mysterious process by which creative, latte-drinking, all-black-wearing people produce cool-looking, artistic pieces. Most programmers see themselves as analytic, logical thinkers instead--strong at reasoning, weak on artistic judgment, and incapable of doing UI design. In this brilliantly readable book, author Joel Spolsky proposes simple, logical rules that can be applied without any artistic talent to improve any user interface, from traditional GUI applications to websites to consumer electronics. Spolky's primary axiom, the importance of bringing the program model in line with the user model, is both rational and simple. In a fun and entertaining way, Spolky makes UI design easy for programmers to grasp. After reading User Interface Design for Programmers, you'll know how to design interfaces with the user in mind. You'll learn the important principles that underlie all good UI design, and you'll learn how to perform usability testing that works.

About the Author

Joel Spolsky, a software industry veteran, writes a column called Joel on Software on the Web (http://www.joel.editthispage.com). He has designed and developed software used by millions of people and has worked on a variety of products, from Microsoft Excel to the Juno user interface. He is a founder of Fog Creek Software in New York City.

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	67% buy the item featured on this page: User Interface Design for Programmers 4.8 out of 5 stars (8)
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	10% buy Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability 4.8 out of 5 stars (78) �12.46
	5% buy Smart and Gets Things Done: Joel Spolsky's Concise Guide to Finding the Best Technical Talent, Hardback: Joel Spolsky's Concise Guide to Finding the Best Technical Talent 5.0 out of 5 stars (4) �7.91

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not a 'must have', 29 Aug 2001

By A Customer

An enlightening book, much in the same vein as "Don't make me think". It even has the token chapter on designing for the web! (where users are even less likely to be computer literate)

Although the title refers to being specifically for 'programmers' it's not focused at programmers per se, more at applications developed by programmers, and then used by everyone.

Well written and often well argued, although occasionally contadictory. The examples used in the book, although timely, tend to feature and focus on bad design rather than pointing to a good design and saying why. I suppose this helps you to avoid the same mistakes, but you might just as easily make different ones!

I wouldn't take the content as gospel, but it did create a few interesting discussion points between developers at work.

If you've not read a book on Usability/UI for a while then you could do worse than this - especially for the way it points out some of microsofts stupidest mistakes. (moving the start button in and up 2px!)

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly enjoyable read, 17 April 2002

By A Customer

I'll start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it's been a long time since I read something that I actually wanted to take home with me.
That said, it's a very short book and doesn't have a lot to say. Unlike every other UI book ever written there are no rules, no guidelines, not even much in the way of suggestions. It doesn't tell you what to do or not do and it doesn't tell you when or even why!
So why the five-star rating? Because the one underlying message that's hammered (entertainingly) home over 135 pages is so incredibly vital and I can't think of anywhere else I've ever seen it actually written down. The message is very simple - think about what you're doing. Think about the interface you're designing, what it's going to be used for and who by. This is the first book I've ever read where the author actually seems to understand that no set of rules can possibly cover all the bases and therefore it is equally applicable whether you're designing a complex Windows application or a single-screen web page.
I'd imagine there are some pixel-perfect uniformity junkies out there who might hate this book, but to everyone else - read and enjoy!

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experienced, Perceptive, and Easy to Read, 26 Sep 2002

By	Dr. R. Spooner (UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book. It is written for those programmers that know they don't know much about user interfaces, but also know they'll have to make the decisions because their employer doesn't have anyone else. From a mainly Windows point of view, it goes through common features in dialogue boxes, menus, task structure, and so on, discussing the common principles and things that are easy to fix.

It points out that users can't remember and can't use the mouse. Convention-following design is often better simply because it doesn't surprise users. Things that take you weeks to code may be experienced by the user in seconds, so they had better be clear.

The book is very easy to read, in plain English with plenty of screen shots. It says things that all application programmers should know. I think of it as being the desktop-application equivalent to "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug, which is about web usability.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Get rid of those pesky combo-boxes!
Lots of good ideas on how to make your software more user friendly. Of particular interest are the sections on "windows controls that should only be used as a last resort" such... Read more

Published 9 months ago by Bandidoz

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Style - very accessible
This book is written in such a way that it is almost as if you are having a conversation with Joel about UI design. Read more

Published on 12 April 2006 by P. Hornby

5.0 out of 5 stars A cover to cover read
I've just spent a very enjoyable afternoon reading this book. Joel has a very engaging writing style and avoids being preachy or overly flippant. Read more

Published on 24 Jun 2005 by D. C. Minter

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and helpful book
This book reminds me of an entertaining evening lecture, rather than a dull college one. It is humourous and light, I read it in an evening. Read more

Published on 21 Nov 2003 by Photovalve

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down 'til I'd read it from cover to cover
Joel Spolsky's amusing yet informative style of writing gets the important points across in a way that makes them stick in the mind. Read more

Published on 30 Jul 2003 by svandome

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