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Developing User Interfaces Microsoft for Windows
Everett N. McKay, Microsoft Pr
ISBN:0735605866, Edition: , 1999-04
Price: $49.99
Table of Contents
- Cover
- LOC Page
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I: The Basics
- Chapter 1 -- Know the Standards
- What Are the Standards?
- Take the Quiz
- So What?
- When to Violate the Standards
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 2 -- Read Other User Interface Design Books
- Alan Cooper's About Face
- Microsoft's Designing for the User Experience
- Virginia Howlett's Visual Interface Design
- Donald A. Norman's The Design of Everyday Things
- Bruce Tognazzini's Tog on Interface
- Jakob Nielsen's Usability Engineering
- Laura Arlov's GUI Design for Dummies
- Peter Bickford's Interface Design
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 3 -- Establish Consistent Terminology
- Why Terminology Is Important
- What to Name
- When to Name
- How to Name
- Naming Is Serious Business
- Problematic Terms
- Speak the User's Language
- Terms to Avoid
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 4 -- Establish a Consistent User Interface Style
- Appearance vs. Behavior
- Guideline Goals
- Guidelines for Guidelines
- Create Resource Templates
- Get Le Look
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 5 -- Pay Attention to Other Programs
- General Characteristics
- Easy to Learn
- Configurability
- Operation
- Details
- Case Study: Visual C++
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 1 -- Know the Standards
- Part II: Understanding Users
- Chapter 6 -- Beginning vs. Advanced Users
- Types of Users
- Choosing Appropriate Interface Features
- Handling All Types of Users
- Avoid User Modes
- Choose the Default Configuration Carefully
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 7 -- Using Applications vs. Utilities
- Types of Programs
- Choosing Appropriate Interface Features
- Exceptions to the Rule
- Program Categories
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 8 -- Users Aren't Designers
- Determine the Target User
- Talk to Target Users
- User-Centered Design
- Marketing-Centered Design
- Vision-Centered Design
- Vision-Centered vs. User-Centered Design
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 9 -- Users Aren't You
- Users Have Different Goals
- Users Have Different Knowledge
- Users Have Different Personal Preferences
- Key Questions to Ask
- What Does All This Mean?
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 6 -- Beginning vs. Advanced Users
- Part III: Design Concepts
- Chapter 10 -- Good User Interfaces Are Visible
- Windows Visual Affordances
- Visible Interfaces
- Visual Feedback
- Invisible Interfaces
- Examples of Visible Interfaces
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 11 -- Good User Interfaces Are Invisible
- Death Comes to Bob the Waiter
- How a Program Draws Unwanted Attention
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 12 -- Learn From The Design of Everyday Things
- How Users Learn to Use Everyday Things
- Users Perform Tasks, Not Features
- The Evolution of Everyday Things
- Visible Navigation
- Affordance
- Natural Mapping
- Constraints
- Conceptual Models
- Feedback
- The Need for Design
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 13 -- Learn from the Web
- The Limitations of HTML
- Using HTML Documents
- Considering Hyperlinks
- Simplifying Navigation
- Simplifying Interaction
- Using In-Place Help
- Simplifying Windows
- Eliminating Dialog Boxes
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 14 -- Prototype with Caution
- The Promise of Prototyping
- The Myths of Prototyping
- Avoid Vaporware -- The Prototype of Doom
- The Goals of Prototyping
- Prototyping Success Factors
- My Favorite Prototyping Techniques
- Functional Prototyping
- Visual Basic vs. Visual C++
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 15 -- Keep It Simple
- A Windows Interface Road Map
- Simplifying Window and Dialog Box Layout
- Simplifying Menu Layout
- Simplifying Appearance
- Use Simple Interactions
- Making Trade-Offs
- A Case Study: Tooltips vs. Balloon Help
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Footnotes
- Chapter 10 -- Good User Interfaces Are Visible
- Part IV: Design Details
- Chapter 16 -- Prefer the Standard Controls
- Good Reasons to Use Custom Controls
- Bad Reasons to Use Custom Controls
- A Case Study: The Borland Custom Controls
- How to Select a Custom Control
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 17 -- Direct Manipulation is Cool
- The Alternatives
- Types of Direct Manipulation
- Direct Manipulation Opportunities
- Making Direct Manipulation Visible
- Other Direct Manipulation Problems
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 18 -- Appropriate Defaults Are Cool
- What Defaults Are Appropriate?
- Defaults vs. Placeholders
- Default Examples
- Don't Surprise the User
- Example Code
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 19 -- Configurability Is Cool
- Configurability vs. Design
- Types of Configurability
- Power vs. Simplicity
- Managing Configurability
- Configuration Command Interface
- Case Study: Visual C++ Project Settings
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 20 -- Previews Are Cool
- Types of Previews
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 21 -- Tooltips Are Cool
- Details
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 22 -- Unnecessary Dialog Boxes Are Evil
- Unnecessary Dialog Boxes
- Necessary Dialog Boxes
- Eliminating Unnecessary Dialog Boxes
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 23 -- Unnecessary Message Boxes Are Pure Evil
- Types of Message Boxes
- Notifications
- Flash Boxes
- Confirmations
- Error Messages
- Details
- Case Study: Error Moving File
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 24 -- Unnecessary Repetitive Tasks Are Evil
- Some Examples
- Case Study: A Find Dialog Box
- Guidelines
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 25 -- Speed Is a User Interface Issue
- General Techniques
- Improving the Perception of Speed
- Loading
- Drawing
- Scrolling
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 16 -- Prefer the Standard Controls
- Part V: Testing and QA
- Chapter 26 -- Programmer Testing
- Changing Your Perspective
- User Interface Implementation Testing
- Usability Testing
- Demo Testing
- You Can Do This!
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 27 -- User Testing
- User Testing vs. Other Testing
- The Best Is the Enemy of the Good
- User Testing on the Cheap
- User Testing Goals
- Types of User Testing
- Selecting Users
- User Testing Procedure
- Issues to Consider
- Take the Challenge
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 28 -- Talk to Your Other Team Members
- Involving Team Members in the Process
- The Team Members
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 29 -- Check Your Dialog Boxes
- Dialog Box Navigation Basics
- Rules for the Default Button and Initial Focus
- How to Find Problems
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 30 -- Check Your Error Messages
- Why Error Messages Are Poorly Done
- Attributes of a Good Error Message
- Provide Necessary Error Messages
- Error Messages Are for Users, Not Programmers
- Use Clear, Consistent Messages
- Be Specific
- Keep It Short
- Use Progressive Disclosure
- Construct Messages Carefully
- Consider Internationalization
- Keep the Recommended Solutions Practical
- Bad News Is Never OK
- Talk to Technical Support
- Tips
- Final Example
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 31 -- Check Your Printing
- Direct Printing
- Print Previewing
- How to Find Problems
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 32 -- Check Your Help System and Documentation
- Help Should Be Helpful
- Modern Help Systems
- Printed Documentation
- Preparing the Program
- Programming Context-Sensitive Help
- Preparing the Technical Writer
- Working with the Technical Writer
- How to Find Problems
- The Readme File
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 33 -- Check Your Setup Program
- Setup Goals
- Keep It Simple
- Consider the User Experience
- Eliminate Unnecessary Setup Screens
- An Alternative Approach
- Don't Ask Questions If You Don't Really Need the Answers
- Don't Ask Questions If You Don't Really Want the Answers
- Guidelines for Asking Setup Questions
- Consider Eliminating Installation
- Setup Settings vs. Program Settings
- Top Dozen Setup Tips
- Bonus Setup Tips
- How to Find Problems
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 34 -- Use System Colors
- Windows API Support
- How to Find Problems
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 35 -- Handle All Video Modes
- Choosing a Minimum Recommended Video Mode
- Typical Video Mode Problems
- How to Find Problems
- Recommended Reading
- CD-ROM Resources
- Chapter 36 -- Learn How to Play QA Gefahren
- How to Play the Game
- Let's Play a Round
- And Now for the Prizes
- Related Chapters
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 37 -- Keep Looking for Improvements
- Plan for the Next Release Now
- Get Feedback and Take It Seriously
- Avoid the Second-System Effect
- Use Restraint
- Don't Develop an Attitude
- Recommended Reading
- Chapter 26 -- Programmer Testing
- Appendix
- Summary of CD-ROM Resources
- About the Author