The Humane Interface. New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems. (Taschenbuch)

The Humane Interface. New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems. (Taschenbuch)
von Jef Raskin

Rezensionen:

"The book that explains why you really hate computers."

I've admired Jef Raskin for years. For those who don't know, he is the "Father of the Macintosh," one of the original geniuses who guided the Mac in the early days. But, more than a computer scientist, Raskin is a cognitive psychologist. He studies how the brain works with special emphasis on how that relates to us using computers. His magnum opus was the Canon Cat, which was an excellent and well-thought-out little computer.

InThe Humane Interface, Raskin goes into detail describing how computers can be made easier to understand and use. Ever want to know why you really don't like Windows? The answer is in this book. In fact, there's so much in this book that makes sense, I really want to send a copy to every employee at Microsoft.

I loved reading this book and nodding my head in rabid agreement. Raskin states, "There has never been any technical reason for a computer to take more than a few seconds to begin operation when it is turned on." So why then does Windows (or Linux!) take so darn long to start up? The PalmPilot is on instantly, as is your cell phone. But for some reason, we tolerate the computer taking a few eons to start. (And until consumers complain about it, things won't change.)

Computers can be easy to use, and the people who design them and design software need to read this book. Do you ever get the impression that the person who designed a piece of software must have come from the same company that designed the front panel on your VCR? Why should you have to double-click anything? What does Ctrl+D mean one thing in one program and a completely different thing in another? And what's the point of the Yes/No confirmation if the user is in the habit of clicking Yes without thinking about it? Raskin neatly probes all these areas.

While I admire everything Raskin has to say, the book is pretty heavy on the psychology end. Myself, I enjoy cognitive psychology (especially books by Raskin's cohort Donald Norman), though some may find that part of the book boring. Even so, Raskin builds and backs his argument in a most eloquent and scientific manner. Especially if you design software or need to teach or train people to use computers, this book deserves a spot on your shelf.--Dan Gookin

Aptly subtitled "New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems",The Humane Interfaceis essentially an introduction to a new school of the craft of semiotics. Although the author doesn't use this specific term,The Human Interface, the book explores the intelligent design of efficient signs and symbols for the "conversation" between man and computer. The book deals with many types of conceptual devices we use, both to find our way to a piece of data or program function, and to set parameters for searches or other commands, investigating the various strategies used, evaluating them and proposing new, more powerful yet less complicated interfaces.

The author introduces new tactics for communicating information, both inward to and outward from a computer--but does not confine this overview to computers. Also under inspection are leads and displays on digital tools such as the oscillograph and the dials of technological commonplaces like the VCR that graces your living room.

For the person who has never broached the subject this is a great introduction to a field that badly needs a shake-up, and in the meantime it delivers some well-placed blows. Replete with criticisms and case studies of bad examples (as if they were needed), this book offers real solutions for designers of tomorrow, demonstrating how fresh ideas can be applied to simplify yet simultaneously enhance the interface between people and digital machines. If you've spent a frustrating afternoon reassigning cable or satellite stations to desired channels with the woeful interface usually provided, you'll immediately see the practical value of this refreshing book. --Wilf Hey

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Siehe auch folgende Artikel:

The Design of Everyday Things von Donald A. Norman
Methoden der Usability Evaluation. Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen und praktische Anwendung von Florian Sarodnick
Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things von Donald A. Norman
GUI Bloopers: Don'ts and Do's for Software Developers and Web Designers (Morgan Kaufmann): Don'ts and Do's for Software Developers and Web Designers von Jeff Johnson

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