I've been doing a number of user experience focused sessions across the midwest that are targeted at architects and developers (www.arcready.com). I've been recommending some books for this audience that I'll reference here as well.
Don't Make Me Think- A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (2nd Edition) is a concise tome about user testing. There are more comprehensive and exhaustive books but this is a great starter book.
The Elements of User Experience- User-Centered Design for the Web is a concise book that presents a user experience framework for building effective Web applications. When one looks at today's applications are a mashup of both procedural codes and dynamic languages I think book has new relevance.
Designing Interfaces- Patterns for Effective Interaction Design is the most rigorous of all of these books and it's focus is on understanding what different interface components are best utilized for. It has absolutely nothing to do with WPF or other Microsoft technologies but everything to do with how empowering WPF can be when used smartly.
Designing for Interaction- Creating Smart Applications and Clever Devices (VOICES) is a book that gives an overview of the processes and techniques that inform the 'what to make' process of design. Dan's book is a great introduction to the skills that talented designers can bring to a team and also serve to educate you on the types of skills you should look for in designers.
Web ReDesign 2.0- Workflow that Works is a book about tasks that one would presume we've all mastered at this point but sadly haven't. In short this book is really about project management and tactics that one can employ is a Web-based or really any project that will focus on User Experience.
Another book I am currently reading provides a lot of applicable and practical techniques for building user centric software: The Usability Engineering Lifecycle
Posted by: Marlon Smith | May 15, 2007 at 10:35 PM