Web Application Design Handbook

Web Application Design Handbook

by Susan Fowler, Victor Stanwick
Released July 2004
Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 9780080481708

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

The standards for usability and interaction design for Web sites and software are well known. While not everyone uses those standards, or uses them correctly, there is a large body of knowledge, best practice, and proven results in those fields, and a good education system for teaching professionals "how to." For the newer field of Web application design, however, designers are forced to reuse the old rules on a new platform. This book provides a roadmap that will allow readers to put complete working applications on the Web, display the results of a process that is running elsewhere, and update a database on a remote server using an Internet rather than a network connection. Web Application Design Handbook describes the essential widgets and development tools that will the lead to the right design solutions for your Web application. Written by designers who have made significant contributions to Web-based application design, it delivers a thorough treatment of the subject for many different kinds of applications, and provides quick reference for designers looking for some fast design solutions and opportunities to enhance the Web application experience. This book adds flavor to the standard Web design genre by juxtaposing Web design with programming for the Web and covers design solutions and concepts, such as intelligent generalization, to help software teams successfully switch from one interface to another.

* The first interaction design book that focuses exclusively on Web applications.* Full-color figures throughout the book.* Serves as a "cheat sheet" or "fake book" for designers: a handy reference for standards, rules of thumb, and tricks of the trade.* Applicable to new Web-based applications and for porting existing desktop applications to Web browsers.

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Critical Acclaim For WEB APPLICATION DESIGN HANDBOOK
  5. Endorsements Continued
  6. The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive Technologies
  7. Copyright
  8. PREFACE
  9. Chapter 1: What Is a Web Application?
    1. What’s the Difference Between a Web Page and a Web Application?
    2. Where Does My Program Fit?
  10. Chapter 2: The Browser Framework
    1. Browser Window: A Conceptual Model
    2. Parts of a Browser Window
    3. Parts of the Content Area
    4. Overall Design Issues
  11. Chapter 3: Data Input: Forms
    1. Conceptual Model: Lists versus Objects
    2. Data-Input Forms: The Basics
    3. Use Fields to Collect Free-Form Information
    4. Standard Field, Defined
    5. Label Fields Correctly
    6. How to Group Fields
    7. Offer Automated Entry Fields
    8. How to Show Protected Fields
    9. Required Field, Defined
    10. Prevent Input Errors with Dropdown Lists
    11. When to Use Regular Lists Rather Than Dropdown Lists
    12. Prevent Input Errors with Checkboxes
    13. Prevent Input Errors with Radio Buttons
    14. Make Your Checkboxes and Radio Buttons More Accessible
    15. When to Use Tabs Instead of Pages
    16. When to Use Popups
    17. How to Do Dates, Addresses, and Other Standard Input
    18. Guidelines for Buttons
    19. Mosaic Pages: Syndication and Links
    20. Consider Using Flash to Simplify the Interaction
    21. How to Be Helpful
  12. Chapter 4: Data Input: Lists
    1. A Simple List
    2. List on the Left, Object on the Right
    3. How to Select and Open Objects from Lists
    4. How to Change Objects from Lists
  13. Chapter 5: Data Retrieval: Search
    1. Searching: Doing the Numbers
    2. Simple Search: Good for Uncomplicated Retrievals
    3. Advanced Search: Good for Experienced Users
    4. Complex Search: Good for Difficult Oueries
    5. Results of a Search
    6. Be Careful with Error Messages
  14. Chapter 6: Data Retrieval: Filtering and Browsing
    1. Use Filtering to Control Overloads
    2. Use Browsing When the Ouery Is Fuzzy
  15. Chapter 7: Data Output: Reports
    1. Let Users Print Ad Hoc Queries
    2. Heavy Lifting: Management Reports
    3. Defining Management Reports
  16. Chapter 8: Data Output: Printed Forms
    1. Designing a Form
    2. Email or Post Forms Online
  17. Chapter 9: Interacting with Output
    1. Designing the Formatting Window
    2. Generating Output
    3. Manipulating Reports
    4. Saving Output
    5. Communication and Distribution
    6. “Printer-Friendly” Versions
    7. What to Do if There Are Too Many Records in the Report
  18. Chapter 10: Designing Graphs and Charts
    1. Data Rectangles Hold the Information
  19. Chapter 11: Graph Types Based on Use
    1. Simple Comparisons
    2. Changes Over Time
    3. Statistical Analysis
    4. Proportion
  20. Chapter 12: Designing Diagrams
    1. When to Use Diagrams
    2. Designing Diagram Software
    3. Creating Diagrams
    4. Showing Diagrams
    5. Use the Right Colors, Patterns, and Symbols
    6. Should You Pull or Push?
    7. Should the Diagram Be Live or Recorded?
    8. Provide a Rule Editor
  21. Chapter 13: Diagram Types
    1. Cause-and-Effect Diagrams
    2. Engineering and Scientific Diagrams
    3. Flowcharts
    4. Network Diagrams
    5. Organization Charts
    6. Software Design Diagrams
    7. Time-and-Activity Charts
    8. Variations
  22. Chapter 14: Designing Geographic Maps
    1. When to Use Maps
    2. Maps Are Data Made Visual
    3. Follow the Rules for Color on Maps
    4. Know Your Map Data
  23. Chapter 15: Interacting with Geographic Maps
    1. Viewing Maps
    2. Acting on Maps
  24. Chapter 16: Types of Maps
    1. Help Users Find Locations
    2. Overlay Information on Locations
    3. Show How Data Are Distributed Geographically
    4. Use the Right Method for the Data
    5. Provide Decision Support and Analysis
  25. Appendix A: Web Application Design Worksheets
  26. Appendix B: Quality Testing
  27. Appendix C: Usability Testing
  28. Appendix D: Design Checklists
  29. Glossary
  30. REFERENCES
  31. RESOURCES
  32. BIOGRAPHIES
  33. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: Web Application Design Handbook
  • Author(s): Susan Fowler, Victor Stanwick
  • Release date: July 2004
  • Publisher(s): Morgan Kaufmann
  • ISBN: 9780080481708