Resources to create applications with a great user experience?

Question

I am making the distinction between User Experience and pure User Interface (UI) design here, even though there is usually a tie-in. You can have great user interaction even with a ‘boring’ grey interface, (note that it is not a requirement!).

My bookshelf contains the following:

• The Inmates are running the Asylum
• Don’t Make Me Think
• The Design of Everyday Things
• About Face 3.0
• Designing Interfaces
• The Laws of Simplicity
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
• Designing Interactions
• Getting Real (web)

What other books or resources would you add to this list?

Answer 1

User Interface Design for Programmers

Answer 2

Nice list. Have you tried:

uxfind.com

This is really useful site for finding online resources related to user experience and interaction.

Answer 3

The site hasn't been updated for a year, but the essays are all still valid: AskTog. Also the UX design guidelines for your platform of choice:

• Windows Vista
• Mac OS X
• Java
• KDE User Interface Guidelines

Note that while it looks like I'm hung up on look-and-feel, most of these guides provide much, much more than just positioning and metrics. Most of them have detailed interaction guidelines, widget usage guidelines, what's appropriate where and when, etc.

Answer 4

This blog collates a number of others and often links to interesting articles. Both web, application and hardware design and UX is featured.

Answer 5

On Web usability, Jakob Nielsen: http://www.useit.com/

Answer 6

I like these books:

• Developer to Designer: GUI Design for the Busy Developer
• GUI Bloopers 2.0
• Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design

Answer 7

The UX Hero blog is worth subscribing to. It's pretty new, but off to a good start.

Answer 8

I think one of the keys to designing a good User Experience rather than only designing a User Interface is a deep understanding of users, their needs and goals. I'd recommend picking up at least one or two books that focus on this.

Some of the good ones I've read have been from the people at IDEO or Adaptive Path, particularly Mental Models by Indi Young.

Answer 9

For Windows Vista apps I would also include Windows User Experience Interaction Guidelines. UX Guide PDF format

Answer 10

I find SmashingMagazine and AlertBox to excellent online resources for usability.