Visual Usability Book

I wrote Visual Usability: Principles and Practices for Designing Web Applications with Deborah Levinson, my cofounder and partner in Nimble Partners. Published by Morgan Kaufmann in 2013, the book outlines methodology for applying visual characteristics to support effective communication and use. It helps design and development teams collaborate to make interface decisions by focusing on three “meta-principles,” consistency, hierarchy and personality. Each chapter offers guidance on how to make strategic decisions about layout, type, color, imagery, and controls to bridge the gap between beautiful and useful applications.

Reviews

"Unlike many simplistic show-and-tell how-tos, this thoughtful, serious, and clearly written book is organized to first provide the logic for design decisions and then the tools to make them. This approach delivers a deep appreciation for designing intuitive digital applications that promote understanding and satisfaction for the user."

– Chris Pullman, senior critic, Yale School of Art, former VP of design and branding, WGBH Boston

"This book provides very valuable information on how to improve the usability of visual human-computer interfaces. All of the chapters will interest researchers, practitioners, and students of usability, human-computer interaction, interaction design, graphic design, and other related fields who want to know more about the important and expanding area of visual usability."

– Computing Reviews, May 28, 2014

"[A]n excellent choice for the instructor looking for a textbook detailing the major principles and practices of designing Web site or mobile device interfaces. Particularly effective is the authors' running critique of the USDA Web site, SuperTracker, for its strengths and weaknesses in visual usability."

– Technical Communication, May 2014

Authors

Tania Schlatter and Deborah Levinson work with developers and business owners to research and design application interfaces that help people work, find, learn, and connect. Through their firm, Nimble Partners, they worked with over 15 departments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, designed suites of productivity applications, helped launch social good and digital magazine start ups, and consulted with e-commerce product and service sites.

Tania and Debby met, and together designed, the first website for a Boston university in 1996. Fortunately, they've learned a lot since then.

ISBN #0123985366