The user interface-the all-important point of contact between people and technology-is the key to unlocking the full potential of multimedia and the Internet. With a balanced blend of theory and practice, this timely new book explores the art and science of user interface design, teaching a step-by-step methodology guaranteed to result in a productive and rewarding user experience. A no-nonsense, hands-on approach teaches best practice by proposing design problems, presenting potential solutions, and then analyzing each approach to determine which works best and why. Drawing on his years of experience, author Marc Silver deconstructs several commercial multimedia and Web site interfaces, showing where they succeed and where they fail and offering workable redesign suggestions to help readers better understand the principles they've learned Armed with the knowledge gained from Exploring Interface Design, readers will be able to confidently apply interface design principles to their own design projects and achieve stunning results.

Table of Contents

Realizing the Power of Multimedia and Web. The Art of Designing Elegant Software. The User Interface Design Process. Goal Setting and Need Assessment. Creativity and Idea Generation. Menus and Controls. Designing Usable Navigation. Solving Design Problems. The Visual Display of Data. Writing for Usability. Designing for Accessibility. Specifying the Design. Performing Usability Testing. The User Interface Designer in Professional Practice.