The post-Ajaxian Web 2.0 world of wikis, folksonomies, and mashups makes well-planned information architecture even more essential. How do you present large volumes of information to people who ne...
The post-Ajaxian Web 2.0 world of wikis, folksonomies, and mashups makes well-planned information architecture even more essential. How do you present large volumes of information to people who need to find what they're looking for quickly? This classic primer shows information architects, designers, and web site developers how to build large-scale and maintainable web sites that are appealing and easy to navigate. The new edition is thoroughly updated to address emerging technologies -- with recent examples, new scenarios, and information on best practices -- while maintaining its focus on fundamentals. With topics that range from aesthetics to mechanics, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web explains how to create interfaces that users can understand right away. Inside, you'll find:
An overview of information architecture for both newcomers and experienced practitioners
The fundamental components of an architecture, illustrating the interconnected nature of these systems. Updated, with updates for tagging, folksonomies, social classification, and guided navigation
Tools, techniques, and methods that take you from research to strategy and design to implementation. This edition discusses blueprints, wireframes and the role of diagrams in the design phase
A series of short essays that provide practical tips and philosophical advice for those who work on information architecture
The business context of practicing and promoting information architecture, including recent lessons on how to handle enterprise architecture
Case studies on the evolution of two large and very different information architectures, illustrating best practices along the way
How do you document the rich interfaces of web applications? How do you design for multiple platforms and mobile devices? With emphasis on goals and approaches over tactics or technologies, this enormously popular book gives you knowledge about information architecture with a framework that allows you to learn new approaches -- and unlearn outmoded ones.
This book is considered to be the bible for anyone practicing information architect. Affectionately known as "the polar bear book" it is often used in higher-ed courses on IA as the class textbook. True to the title, this book focuses on IA for the web, it does not cover IA within complex applications, tho many of the principals within can be applied to complex web or software based applications. It is a very relevant book for anyone dealing with large continent or information-focused web sites. The first edition was published in 1998, with the third and most recent edition published in 2008.
Inasmuch as IA has an "official tome", this is it. It gives perspective on where IA came from and what IA sets out to do. If you're just starting out definitely give this book a look. My only disclaimer would be that it represents just one way of doing information architecture, and it doesn't personally represent my way.
I thought I would add to this my own personal list of top UX books that have helped me along in my career as well as in recent days. These books I have promoted in several of my presentations as well as to any colleagues who ask for such resources. So here is my list of top UX Books:
If you create digital products, you have a responsibility to make them easy to use. It’s mostly common sense; it’s just not common practice! These books are what I consider the must-haves for any user experience designer. They'll teach you how to design products that are useful, usable and desirable.
If you're new to the practice, where should you start? This is a small compilation of basic-but-essential books that cover core knowledge about the User Experience field.
The field of user experience design is so encompassing that there is a near infinite amount of knowledge to be drawn from other domains. Whilst UX as a discipline is very young it's founded on principles and research from psychology, design and social sciences that give it a definite foot up when it comes to feeling confident in the work we do.
Over the years my UX-related bookshelf turned into a bookcase (or two.) This list is as much about the books that make you think and take a walk as the books that get you to shout "Eureka!" and fix a more immediate problem.
This is a collection of books that I've read and consulted as part of my training in graphic and industrial design and work in user experience and emotional design.
Books on the tools and processes that have taught me the most about not only how to create interface designs, but how to think about design and the techniques that make that thinking concrete and communicable.
I'm starting a new training program at my place of work where employees who choose to move into UX have a solid understanding of UX and its methods. This reading list will grow in time as my new UXers move through the process of creating artifacts for projects. The idea is to learn methods and the big idea of UX at the same time so that work artifacts can be created as we move along. This system will only work with an expert UX practitioner as a guide and mentor. I've started a lessons course: http://ohuxlabs.com/for-students-of-ux/ Follow along with us if you like. :)
A list of the books I've read - and would keep - on my bookshelves, books I'd recommend unreservedly. I'm trying to think here of 'has this book changed the way I work', rather than simply 'is this UX or not?'
