"Deep thinking is rare in this field where most companies are glad to copy designs that were great back in the 1970s. The Humane Interface is a gourmet dish from a master chef. Five mice!"
--Jakob Nielsen, Nielsen Norman Group
Author of Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity This unique guide to interactive system design reflects the experience and vision of Jef Raskin, the creator of the Apple Macintosh. Other books may show how to use today's widgets and interface ideas effectively. Raskin, however, demonstrates that many current interface paradigms are dead ends, and that to make computers significantly easier to use requires new approaches. He explains how to effect desperately needed changes, offering a wealth of innovative and specific interface ideas for software designers, developers, and product managers. The Apple Macintosh helped to introduce a previous revolution in computer interface design, drawing on the best available technology to establish many of the interface techniques and methods now universal in the computer industry. With this book, Raskin proves again both his farsightedness and his practicality. He also demonstrates how design ideas must be built on a scientific basis, presenting just enough cognitive psychology to link the interface of the future to the experimental evidence and to show why that interface will work. Raskin observes that our honeymoon with digital technology is over: We are tired of having to learn huge, arcane programs to do even the simplest of tasks; we have had our fill of crashing computers; and we are fatigued by the continual pressure to upgrade. The Humane Interface delivers a way for computers, information appliances, and other technology-driven products to continue to advance in power and expand their range of applicability, while becoming free of the hassles and obscurities that plague present products.

0201379376B07092001

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 55 Ratings

"Outside the box" and brilliantly so - 2008-01-23
Reviewer Rating:
I learned a lot from this book. Not just how to design efficient interfaces for software, but also how to design efficient interfaces for HUMANS. Some earlier reviewers, "A Customer" in particular, seem to have misunderstood the concepts that Jef so finely explained. Yes, he suggests making content the interface itself because that's what computers are for--creating, editing, and navigating your content. One of Jef's Asimov-esque principles is "Under no circumstance should your computer harm your content or let it come to harm through inaction." Indeed. Hence we should eliminate the Save "feature" and instead the computer should save EVERY action you do AUTOMATICALLY. This way, no matter what happens, your content will be safe--even if there's a power outage.

Jef's key concept was giving the user the complete power of the computer at any time. This means displaying the user's content in a Zoomable User Interface (ZUI; what he termed "ZoomWorld") and allowing the user to access every command of the computer at the press of a button. This button is the Command Key and it interprets our natural language into tasks to perform (an omnipresent, humane command line, if you will). For example, if I found something cool on the web and want to email it to a friend, I would simply type the email address I want it sent to, select it, then make a new selection of the content (ZoomWorld remembers what you selected and in what order!), press and hold the Command Key and type SEND. When you let go of the Command Key, the command is executed. The system will know that you previously selected an email address and that you are currently selecting something to send to that email address--it does the thinking for you.

But reading this book is one thing. Creating what Jef describes is another, but thankfully his son, Aza Raskin, is carrying on his legacy and has created this omnipresent, ubiquitous command line in the form of Enso, which can be downloaded for free at humanized.com. There are actually a number of developments underway that incorporate many of the ideas Jef explains in the book. Things like Microsoft's Surface (utilizes a ZUI), Google's Android (utilizes the software architecture Jef envisioned which eliminates redundant functionality) and a number of free and open source projects that aim to experiment with his ideas (google "raskin, archy" without quotes).

We're at a turning point in software design. Jef Raskin was way ahead of his time but we're finally seeing the fruits of his research, so if you want to find out where software is heading, give this book a read. Also check out what the crew at Humanized are doing to get a hands-on glimpse at what's possible.

Love his lesson on modes ... skip his chapter on icons. - 2009-09-19
Reviewer Rating:
I read this book at the beginning of my career as an interaction designer. At that time I found this book very inspiring. It was an easy and very enjoyable read. I am not giving 5 stars, just because of his section about icons, which I thought was subjective, incomplete and actually deceiving. What I really loved, and still carry with me, was his argument against modes and his suggestions on how to avoid them. I have used his quotes many times in design discussions. I am still amazed how people don't understand the danger of modes, until I remind them of the many occasions they made mistakes because of them ... over and over.
I do have to thank Mr. Raskin for his brilliant and insightful arguments. They help me win many battles and create more usable designs.

Tesla's Holzhausen doesn't grok Knobs - 2009-03-27
Reviewer Rating:
I first read this book years ago but March 27, 2009 the Business-Week article describing "Tesla's Electric Car for the (Well-Off) Masses" quotes designer von Holzhausen on replacing most interior controls with a flat-panel: "I don't understand how I can pay $299 for iPhone and then get in my car and still have to turn knobs." von Holzhausen shoulda read Raskin - hint - you can turn a knob without LOOKING at it.... ( Raskin analyzes this issue in much greater depth )

Outdated, but interesting. - 2006-09-14
Reviewer Rating:
An interesting read, although many of his examples seem quite outdated. Most of the examples of bad user interfaces come from either Microsoft Windows, or a very old version of Microsoft Word running on a Mac. Most of his examples of good use interfaces come from the ancient Canon Cat computer, or occasionally from the original Macintosh project.

The book does spend a fair amount of time describing various laws and rules for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of user interface designs. This portion of the text is sure to remain valid throughout the years.

Although not exactly a page turner, I would recommend this book for anybody who designs user interfaces on a regular basis - even if you don't use the laws described, at least knowing about them is likely to make you design better interfaces unconsciously.

Excellent book on HCI - 2006-08-30
Reviewer Rating:
The level of detail in this book was appropriate and helpful for the field, while not overly boring and technical. Real-world examples given, which are still useful despite the fast development of new systems. Some improvements visible in New Operating Systems, which gives the suggestions validity in the industry.

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