Product Description

Whether a marketing campaign or a museum exhibit, a video game or a complex control system, the design we see is the culmination of many concepts and practices brought together from a variety of disciplines. Because no one can be an expert on everything, designers have always had to scramble to find the information and know-how required to make a design work - until now. This comprehensive, cross-disciplinary encyclopaedia of design pairs clear explanations of every design concept with visual examples of the concepts applied in practice. From the "80/20" rule to chunking, from baby-face bias to Occam's razor and from self-similarity to storytelling, every major design concept is defined and illustrated for readers to expand their knowledge.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24280 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 216 pages

Customer Reviews

At last a book about design not focussed on aesthetics
If you go to your local bookshop, and browse the section on Design books, you will see a selection of curiously bound offerings. But you will be very very hard pressed to find a book that genuinely covers design in a broad sense.

The problem, it seems, as manifested by places like The Design Museum, is that the concept 'design' has become equated with appearance. This narrow perspective allows designers to shirk the responsibilities they have to end users in the design process. All too often a newly graduated designer will seek to stamp their personality or ideas on a product, flagrantly disregarding the basic principles of design.

In one fell swoop, this book destroys any excuses designers may have. It is itself an elegant, highly accessible and successful example of good design. Each concept is covered in narrative, by reference and by example(s).

From Occam's Razor, Affordability, Hick's Law to many areas not immediately obvious, the breadth of the book is wonderful, and no subject is anything other than easily understood.

This coverage is no mean effort, and the beneficiaries cross all industries.

Mandatory reading and reference for anyone who calls themselves a designer.

should be on the curriculum
absolutely brilliant, should be required reading for all design courses. Clear and concise delivery of design theory, matched with excellent real world examples, make this a must for all those studying design at any level. The theory will help you examine your own work and that of others in a more technically analitical way.

Pleasant Suprise!
I'm a student at University studying Graphic Design - I bought this bookon the off chance that it might have something relevant to my course init. I flipped through the book quickly and had learnt a huge amount within5 minutes - the book isnt targeted for my course but all the informationwill help me improve as a designer a huge amount. From learning aboutcolour to finding out about how people interpret what they see, this bookhas it all!
Whatever field of design your in, this book will definately be somethingyou will read and reread when thinking about how your next project willprogress! All I can say is buy it now!