Free - The Elements of User Experience competition & mini-review

Smart organiszations recognize that Web design is more than just creating clean code and sharp graphics. A site that really works fulfills your strategic objectives while meeting the needs of your users. Even the best content and the most sophisticated technology won't help you balance those goals without a cohesive, consistent user experience to support it.

But creating the user experience can seem overwhelmingly complex. With so manay issues involved - usability, brand identity, information architecture, interaction design - it can seem as if the only way to build a successful site is to spend a fortune on specialist who understand all the details.

The Elements of User Experience cuts trough the complexity of user-centered design for the Web with clear explanations and vivid illustrations that focus on ideas rather than tools or techniques. Jesse James Garett gives readers the big picture of Web user experience development, from strategy and requirements to information architecture and visual design. This accessible introduction helps any Web development team, large or small, to create a successful user experience.

Overview

Who is this book for?

This book is for users that want to understand the big picture about user experience and usability. It contains a great framework for developing a design strategy.

Conclusion

In 2000 Jesse James Garrett released a diagram called “The Elements of User Experience,” it became a model for web designers and information architects worldwide. In this book Jesse expands the diagram to give more insight into all five “planes” of user experience, from strategy to visual design.

It is a great book to develop a "helicopter view" on design strategy. The best part of the book is found in the first chapters of the book as these hold the essential information to get a better insight into usability, the later chapters offer more insight in the details of the model that is being used.

Unfortunately the book doesn't contain case studies to put the theory into practice. On the other hand this keeps the book short, and straightforward. This book develops your insight into usability and design and is essential for any designer or usability expert.

Competition

The friendly people of New Riders are giving away 5 books. All you need to do, to enter the competition is; download the extract (press read more and then download sample PDF on your right)and answer the following question:

Which planes are used in Jesse James conceptual framework?

Send your answer to this e-mail address, before Thursday the 17th of August 2006. Don't forget to include your post address and phone number (required for international shipping) in the e-mail.

Good Luck!

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