A unique resource to help software developers create a desirable user experienceToday, top-flight software must feature a desirable user experience. This one-of-a-kind book creates a design process specifically for software, making it easy for developers who lack design background to create that compelling user experience. Appealing to both tech-savvy designers and creative-minded technologists, it establishes a hybrid discipline that will produce first-rate software. Illustrated in full color, it shows how to plan and visualize the design to create software that works on every level.
- Today's software demands attention to the quality of the user experience; this book guides you through a practical design process to achieve that goal
- Approaches the mechanics of design with a process inspired by art and science
- Avoids the abstract and moves step by step through techniques you can put to use immediately
- Covers planning your design, tested methods, how to visualize like a designer, psychology of design, and how to create software that developers will appreciate
- Explores such elements as choosing the right typeface and managing interactivity
Design for Software: A Playbook for Developers brings the art of good design together with the science of software development to create programs with pizazz.
Design for Software: A Playbook for Developers......Page 1
Contents......Page 11
PART I: RESEARCH......Page 21
CHAPTER 1: PLANNING......Page 23
An Introduction to User Research......Page 24
Summary......Page 36
CHAPTER 2: INSPIRATION......Page 37
Steal Like an Artist......Page 38
If All Else Fails . . .......Page 50
Summary......Page 52
PART II: DESIGN THINKING......Page 53
CHAPTER 3: SKETCHING......Page 55
Sketching—Where It All Begins......Page 56
Summary......Page 78
CHAPTER 4: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE......Page 79
What Is information Architecture, Exactly?......Page 81
Information Architecture Deliverables......Page 82
Information Architecture Is All About the Content......Page 86
Information Architecture: Like a Boss in Five Steps......Page 88
Summary......Page 104
CHAPTER 5: WIREFRAMES......Page 107
Debunking Wireframes......Page 108
Wireframes 101......Page 109
Wireframe Techniques......Page 123
Summary......Page 130
CHAPTER 6: PROTOTYPING......Page 131
When Should I Prototype?......Page 132
What Makes an Effective Prototype?......Page 134
Making “Little Bets”......Page 137
Awesome Tools for Prototyping......Page 138
Prototyping Techniques......Page 145
Summary......Page 156
PART III: VISUAL DESIGN......Page 157
CHAPTER 7: COLOR......Page 159
Color Basics......Page 160
Applied Color: A Few Rules of Thumb......Page 172
What Makes a Good Color Palette?......Page 174
Five Color Palettes You Can’t Go Wrong With......Page 176
Color Techniques......Page 179
Summary......Page 189
CHAPTER 8: DIGITAL TYPOGRAPHY......Page 191
First Things First......Page 192
A Lap Around Typography......Page 193
Type Classification......Page 198
Eight Ways to Improve Your Typography......Page 203
Summary......Page 215
CHAPTER 9: VISUAL COMMUNICATION......Page 217
It Ain’t That Simple......Page 218
Five Ways to Clarify Your Design......Page 220
Summary......Page 242
CHAPTER 10: MOTION......Page 243
Animations Look Cool, but Can They Actually Make It Work Better?......Page 244
Transitions, Animations, and Timing Guidelines......Page 245
Fade, Slide, and Scale—Animation’s Super Tools......Page 248
Motion Principles......Page 250
Advanced Motion Techniques......Page 258
Summary......Page 260
PART IV: INTERACTION DESIGN......Page 261
CHAPTER 11: INTERACTION DESIGN PRINCIPLES......Page 263
An Introduction to Interaction Design......Page 264
Getting In the Flow......Page 265
Learnability Versus Usability......Page 272
Ergonomics......Page 275
Summary......Page 283
CHAPTER 12: DESIGN PATTERNS......Page 285
Why Use Design Patterns?......Page 286
The Patterns......Page 289
Summary......Page 307
Index......Page 309
