GUI Design Essentials

Book excerpt: Developing software interfaces and company-wide GUI standards can be difficult, but it is nothing like having to continually redesign software that end users can't work with. This powerful book/CD-ROM package takes the uncertainty out of GUI design by providing you with everything you need to know to quickly design interfaces and your own GUI standards. Drawing upon their experience as leading interface designers, educators, and constultants, the authors teach you the art and science of user centered design. They show you how to bring end users into the design process in order to dramatically enhance the usability of your designs, while making efficient use of your design time. They tell you the right questions to ask and how to translate user feedback into practical design solutions. First, they describe the entire design process in detail, breaking it down into a series of steps accompanied by useful forms and checklists. Then they provide practical, step-by-step guidelines on how to design Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and the Web. On the CD-ROM you will find: Design quidelines as an online document; design guidelines in Microsoft Word 7.0 for you to use and customize; and, forms and checklists in Microsoft Word 7.0 for you to use and customize.