resource center: books
Edited by Dave Rogers
The Classics
These books have earned the universal respect of Web designers— the foundation of a user experience library.
Alan Cooper and Robert Reimann. I haven't owned this book for all that long and it's already dog-eared and soiled. I constantly refer to it while wireframing. It's immensely practical and comprehensive. But just don't use it as a reference; its first section provides a solid grounding in the philosophies of interaction design profoundly worthy of your time.
Jakob Nielsen. Love him or hate him, Jakob Nielsen is a vital force for good in usability—and this book is a paramount guide to designing usable Web sites. Because Web-time passes so swiftly, this book is already dated, but it belongs within easy reach on every IA's shelf.
Steve Krug. I wish I had written this book! In a brilliant deception, Krug takes research-proven principles of usability and presents them in such simple and good-natured ways that you'll find yourself laughing as you read—and inspired to use his model on the job. The best book on practical usability testing on the market today.
Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. Dubbed "The Polar Bear Book" because of the image on its cover, this is as close as we come to an IA textbook. Because its authors have a library science background, the book focuses more on information structure and organization than on skills such as wireframing—but its underlying emphasis on "findability" is powerful.
Donald Norman. If you design things that people will use—and Web designers do—you must read this book. Although it predates the Web, Norman provides essential insights into the psychology of usability and design. It will make you a far better Web designer.
Jesse James Garrett. This is it—JJG's outstanding exposition on his famous visual model of user experience.Concise and clear, Garrett puts everything in its place, giving us a coherent big picture of the UX discipline.
Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler. Don't let the title fool you! This isn't just about redesigning sites. This book leads you through an excellent model. This updated edition is loaded with lots of tips, samples and case studies, many of which are available online. You'll be glad you bought it.
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