Designing Web Interfaces by O'Reilly

Last week I completed reading Designing Web Interfaces co-authored by Bill Scott/Theresa Neil from O’Reilly. The book is not about the visual design or information architecture but it talks about the standards for interaction design, patterns and principles for creating websites.

The book is divided into six chapters, and each chapter describes a design principle with a step-by-step walkthrough of the principles. Designing Web Interfaces is an handy 293 pages guide for anyone who works on developing designs/creating web interfaces. Over here is an excerpt from the book.

This book is about interaction design: specifically, interaction pattern on the Web. And even more specifically, about rich interaction design on the Web.

Principle 1: Make It Direct
Discuss about the in-page editing, drag and drop and on applying actions to directly selected objects in a page. It’s also covers on making everything on a page is clear and what can’t be modified/edited on it.

Principle 2: Keep it Lightweight
This chapter talks about the best practices for to keep each and every action on a page in a convenient way and to provide sufficient feedback. It also covers on using the contextual tools and secondary menus and their impact on user interactions.

Principle 3: Stay on the Page
Its focuses on where to employ the interaction techniques like overlays, inlays, virtual pages and process flow. On using overlays or refreshing a part of a page technique can be used to avoid opening of a new page for secondary information.

Principle 4: Provide an Invitation
Focus is on teaching the principles of serving visitors to discover the possibilities on a site. By providing cards and a live tour of the site features. It covers the usage of static/dynamic invitations on the web.

Principle 5: Use Transitions
This chapter instructs us about the usage of animation, rich effects to enhance user interaction and to capture a correct attention on a site. It covers about the transition patterns and purpose of it.

Principle 6: React Immediately
This chapter discusses the live response/techniques of receiving suggestion while we are typing and also about the auto-completion. It primarily discusses about the use of lookup/feedback pattern on web sites.

It is detailed book that describes patterns/principles on interaction design. It also talks about the pros/cons of using diverse pattern. Designing Web Interface is a nice to have for everyone who are involved in developing/designing web sites.