Books › Designing the user interface
Designing the user interface
First published 1987 · 672 pages
An authoritative, structured deep-dive into the principles of making technology comprehensible and satisfying for human users.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a masterclass on the intersection of human psychology and computer science. The pace is steady and methodical, building a comprehensive framework for understanding how people interact with machines. Its tone is deeply authoritative yet pragmatic, grounded in decades of experience and empirical research rather than abstract theory. The atmosphere is highly structured and professional, inviting the reader to think analytically about screen design, color, and direct manipulation. The prose prioritizes absolute clarity, ensuring that complex software engineering concepts remain accessible and actionable. It is a deeply satisfying read for software engineers, product managers, and interface designers who want to master the art of creating predictable, controllable, and user-friendly systems.
- Mood
- intellectual
- structured
- professional
- focused
- Tone
- authoritative
- instructive
- pragmatic
- analytical
- objective
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- human-centric design · systematic problem solving · technological usability · empirical validation
- The writing
- Clear, methodical, and grounded in empirical research, prioritizing clarity and practical instruction over stylistic flourish.
- The arc
- Moves from foundational understanding of human factors to the confident application of practical design principles.
- Who it's for
- Interface designers, software engineers, and product managers seeking a comprehensive, research-backed guide to creating effective user experiences.
About the book
In revising this popular book, Ben Shneiderman again provides a complete, current, and authoritative introduction to user-interface design. The user interface is the part of every computer system that determines how people control and operate that system. When the interface is well designed, it is comprehensible, predictable, and controllable; users feel competent, satisfied, and responsible for their actions.
Shneiderman discusses the principles and practices needed to design such effective interaction.
Based on 20 years experience, Shneiderman offers readers practical techniques and guidelines for interface design. He also takes great care to discuss underlying issues and to support conclusions with empirical results. Interface designers, software engineers, and product managers will find this book an invaluable resource for creating systems that facilitate rapid learning and performance, yield low error rates, and generate high user satisfaction.
Coverage includes the human factors of interactive software (with a new discussion of diverse user communities), tested methods to develop and assess interfaces, interaction styles such as direct manipulation for graphical user interfaces, and design considerations such as effective messages, consistent screen design, and appropriate color.
Description from Open Library.
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