[IxDA Discuss] The bible for UCD?

[Dave (Heller) Malouf]

If I could tell someone to read only one book, I would have to say it is 
the "design of everyday things" by Don Norman.
It is not a how-to, but it is a why-to book that is so important before 
you start doing.

My big question to Russell would be, why 1-book? Is the person dying in 
a month?

If time collapsing is really key then I think one of the week-long 
seminars that Adaptive Path, NN/G and of course UIE offers (disclaimer, 
I'm a presenter at UIE this October). There are also the Cooper and 
InContext courses which are very how-to centric.

Anyway, DoET is definitely my primary recommended book.

-- dave



Mark Schraad wrote:
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted material.]
>
> Russell,
>
> Depends upon your goal. I assume that by UCD, you mean User Centered  
> Design and not Usability. If that is the situation, and you are  
> trying to make the case for UCD, then the first three chapters of  
> "the inmates are running the asylum" are as good as it gets. Though  
> there is very little in the way of "how to" in either that book or  
> "About Face".
>
> There are many models you can use for analysis, the human factors  
> model, Norman's design and user principles work... plus his later  
> emotional component, there is Patrick Jordan's early work regarding  
> Pleasurability, plus behavioral, cognitive, humanist, social and  
> cybernetics theories. Then you get to ethnography and education  
> theory with early work from Lorenz, Tinbergen, Frisch and Edward Hall.
>
> Not only are we in an embryonic and evolving evolving science/ 
> practice - it is way more cross disciplinary than most designers  
> realize. To ask for "the bible" is a challenge. To short cut the  
> learning curve of UCD, is at best a misdirection. Many of the people  
> you read on this forum have had years of education, teaching and  
> practice just to get to the point of understanding and discussion,  
> much less those that advance the field.
>
> Sorry for the rant, but all too many designers just want the elevator  
> pitch... for that:
>
> "Research, design, test - repeat as necessary. Results will vary"
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> On Jul 10, 2006, at 8:50 AM, Wilson, Russell wrote:
>
>   
>> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted  
>> material.]
>>
>> What would be considered "the bible" on UCD?
>> (if there is such a thing)
>>
>> I've got a few good books, but want to recommend
>> a single book to an employee.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Russ
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Russell Wilson | Director of Product Design
>> NetQoS, Inc. | 5001 Plaza on the Lake, Austin, TX 78746
>> 512.334.3725 | russell.wilson at netqos.com
>>
>> NetQoS: Performance Experts
>> www.netqos.com
>>
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-- 
 
David (Heller) Malouf
Vice President
dave(at)ixda(dot)org
http://ixda.org/
http://synapticburn.com/

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