Peter Bickford s Interface Design

Bickford, Peter. Interface Design: The Art of Developing Easy-to-Use Software. Chestnut Hill, MA: Academic Press, 1997.

This book is based on a user interface design column that Peter Bickford wrote for Apple Directions. (He took over the column after Bruce Tognazzini moved on.) It consists of 38 chapters, each covering a single subject. Among the subjects that I find the most interesting are transparency, error messages, preferences, icons, speed and feedback, usability testing, complexity, and providing intelligence. Though fairly short, each chapter typically has worthwhile insight that can be quite helpful. This book also has the advantage of being a relatively quick read.

Windows programmers should note that although Bickford made a token effort to expand the coverage to include Windows, this book is clearly written from the Macintosh point of view. While this in itself isn't a problem, the fact is that Bickford is a serious Mac-head with an agenda. You know what I mean: The Macintosh is ten years ahead of Windows. (He doesn't literally make this statement, but that's what comes across since every reference to Windows is negative.) All the user interface innovations developed in Windows are terrible. And so on. Try to ignore that stuff, and you'll find some really good ideas in this book.

Of course, these are my personal opinions. I can only guarantee that these books have helped me.