Computing Reviews
Today's Issue Hot Topics Search Browse Recommended My Account Log In
Review Help
Search
Software by design
Bauersfeld P., M & T Books, New York, NY, 1994. Type: Book (9781558282964)
Date Reviewed: Mar 1 1995

Bauersfeld reports “techniques, tips and tricks--and common pitfalls” (p. 1) learned over “many years of experience developing interactive graphical software for Macintosh systems” (p. 4). The book’s purpose is to support the design of software that does what the users need, which Bauersfeld calls the primary goal of a software system.

Bauersfeld is to be commended for addressing a critical portion of system design, one that is frequently treated rather summarily in software projects. Her concern is the identification of system functionality from the user’s viewpoint, with an emphasis on the user interface. She presents 28 methods that may be applied during user interface design, covering software project stages from the beginning, with early user studies, through the operational stage, with usability testing and iteration of the system.

Bauersfeld grounds her presentation in a widely applicable pseudo-project of building a supermarket guide. Each method is accompanied by an exercise that, if done, gives hands-on experience with the technique. As Bauersfeld says, “The best way to learn the techniques is to do them” (p. 25). She advises, “With experience, you will understand which techniques make sense for your specific design problems, and practicing them now will help you understand how to apply them” (p. 26).

After setting the stage with two introductory chapters, consisting of a brief discussion of contributing design disciplines for user-oriented interface design and the pseudoproject, Bauersfeld presents six chapters of various design techniques. The titles of these chapters give only a general indication of the type of methods one will find there: “Early User Studies,” “Off-line Tools and Procedures,” “On-line Tools and Procedures,” “Prototyping,” “Usability Testing,” and “Iteration.” Methods range from those intended to capture user activities in the workplace (including user observation and user interviews) to those that aid communication among the design team members (such as drawing and prototyping).

Each chapter begins with a description of the technique to be discussed, a list and discussion of the advantages of the tool, and a “How to Select, Design, and Perform” section. Each technique is illustrated with several methods. This compilation of methods is the heart of the book. A useful “Steps for --” section appears for each method, thus providing a general checklist for the beginner. These sections, though short, seem to be among the most valuable parts of the book and contain the most concrete advice about the techniques.

Chapter 9 pulls together the various design processes that have been discussed by giving advice on how to integrate them into your own situation and organization. Chapter 10 reminds the reader that these are a set of methods to be applied as appropriate for the project and project team.

Hands-on experience is essential if one is to insightfully apply the techniques identified in the book. While  Bauersfeld  provides a nice selection of techniques, she does not compare them to aid the reader in choosing the right method for the right problem. She states, “choosing the type of study and designing it appropriately is a skill that is developed over time” (p. 30). While this dictum is not seriously disputed, it would have been useful to both beginning and more advanced designers to be able to draw upon Bauersfeld’s experience in matching techniques to problems. A summary chart or table of the methods in each chapter that compared the strengths and weaknesses of the methods, presented common pitfalls of implementation, and gave examples of when to use and when not to use a method would be a welcome and useful addition to Bauersfeld’s format.

That one comment aside, this book will be a useful addition to a designer’s bookshelf. It addresses a portion of the design process that repays focus and attention by the designer, and it gives a number of serviceable techniques for supplying that focus and attention. It will be particularly valuable to those who teach software design of the human-computer interface. The potpourri of exercises is a handy source of activities that may be done independently, in conjunction with classmates, or even in cooperation with students from a related class on system development. Because choice of technique is somewhat dependent upon experience, the teacher’s greater experience will be beneficial in developing the student’s appreciation of the tradeoff among the techniques.

Reviewer:  Dara Lee Howard Review #: CR118257
Bookmark and Share
 
Evaluation/ Methodology (H.5.2 ... )
 
 
Human Factors (H.1.2 ... )
 
 
Human Information Processing (H.1.2 ... )
 
 
Macintosh (K.8 ... )
 
 
Screen Design (H.5.2 ... )
 
Would you recommend this review?
yes
no
Other reviews under "Evaluation/Methodology": Date
Computer analysis of user interfaces based on repetition in transcripts of user sessions
Siochi A., Ehrich R. ACM Transactions on Information Systems 9(4): 309-335, 1991. Type: Article
Aug 1 1992
Prototyping for tiny fingers
Rettig M. Communications of the ACM 37(4): 21-27, 1994. Type: Article
Dec 1 1994
Remote usability testing
Hammontree M., Weiler P., Nayak N. interactions 1(3): 21-25, 1994. Type: Article
Jun 1 1996
more...

E-Mail This Printer-Friendly
Send Your Comments
Contact Us
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.   Copyright 1999-2024 ThinkLoud®
Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy