Selected Readings

Books, made with actual paper and ink. To use: Place near a source of photonic radiation.
This list is still being updated and expanded.

The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design. Brenda Laurel, ed.
Lots of authors explaining different issues related to this subject. The reference bible for interface concepts, born at the dawn of the interactive age. See it on Amazon.com

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Edward Tufte.
Tufte has strong, well-reasoned opinions. Althought not all of his principles apply well to computer screen design, this volume is very thought-provoking and has lots of examples. Beautiful books. Also check his second volume, Envisioning Information. And his third, Visual Explanations. See it on Amazon.com

The Psychology of Everyday Things. Donald Norman
(Now sold in paperback as The Design of Everyday Things.) A classic. Why certain kinds of manufactured things work well and are easy to understand, and why other things (like computers and VCR's) are often so poorly designed and difficult to use. See it on Amazon.com

Designing the User Interface, third edition 1998. Ben Shneiderman
A comprehensive and scholarly analysis, covering all aspects and forms of interfaces. Practical principles and guidelines. See it on Amazon.com

Designing Web Usability. (The Practice of Simplicity) Jacob Nielsen
The latest thoughts from this professional interface design consultant and critic. Lots of useful examples. See it on Amazon.com

Hamlet on the Holodeck. Janet Murray
What’s the essence of an involving interactive experience? She investigates traditional forms of storytelling, and extends them into the interactive realm. Sometimes drifts a bit, but still thought-provoking. See it on Amazon.com

Computers as Theatre. Brenda Laurel
Computer as medium, portrayed from the perspective of tradtional dramatic form. Explores the challenges of interactive storytelling, beyond the hype of Virtual Reality. See it on Amazon.com

Flash Web Design (v5) and subsequent works. Hillman Curtis
"The art of motion graphics" described by one of the early masters of Flash. Does not cover latest Flash versions specifics, however.See it on Amazon.com