Basics Usability 101

Literature in this category is especially useful when you are new to usability, or when you want to check the basics.

Usability basics

Gould, J. D. and C. Lewis (1985) “Designing for usability: key principles and what designers think.” Communications of the ACM 28 (3): 360-411.
An early paper outlining the basic principles of user-centred design
user-centered design, principles, process
Jordan, P. W. (1998) An Introduction To Usability, Taylor and Francis.
In 120 pages Patrick Jordan explains what usability is and discusses a great number of usability methods. The best jumpstart to usability there is.
defining usability, methods, handbook, usability testing, techniques
Leventhal, L. and J. Barnes (2007). Usability engineering : process, products, and examples, Pearson Education, Inc.
Introduction in a general usability approach in the development of consumer products.
introduction
Grudin, J. (1992) “Utility and usability: research issues and development contexts.” Interacting with Computers 4 (2): 209-217.
Discusses the relation between utility (usefullness) and usability and therefore gives a better understanding of usability.
defining usability, functionality, utility, usefullness

Wickens, C.D., Lee, J.L., Liu, Y. and Gordon-Becker, S. (2003) “An introduction to human factors engineering“, Prentice Hall
An introduction into usability engineering; fills the gap between system engineering and cognitive psychology, can be used as a course book
introduction, human factors, methodology, usability
Helen Sharp, Yvonne Rogers & Jenny Preece (2007) “Interaction Design: Beyond Human–Computer Interaction“, 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Overview of all tools and techniques to design interactive products.

Nemeth, C.P. (2004) “Human factors methods for design (making systems human centered)“, CRC Press
An introduction into usability engineering, can be used as a course book.
introduction, human factors, methodology, usability
Roozenburg, N. F. M. and J. Eekels (2006) Produktontwerpen, structuur en methoden. Utrecht, Uitgevery Lemma.
Great reference work about design and development processes, mechanisms and principles. An important notion from this book is the basic design cycle.
fundamentals, designing, development, process, models
Gorlenko and Krause – Managing International Usability Projects: Cooperative Strategy 2006
Outlines a strategy to run a usability project with team, responsibilities and strategy rationale.
introduction, strategy
R. Buurman (1997) “User-centred design of smart products.” Ergonomics 40(10): 1159-1169
Describes the general process of user centered design.
introduction, principles
Cross, N. (2006) “Designerly Ways of Knowing“, Springer
Describes the basic designcyle (based on iteration): the nature and nurture of design ability.
iteration, design cycle, process, design thinking

Hertzum, M. (2010) “Images of Usability.” International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 26 (6): 567-600.
A discussion of the different perspectives/definitions that there are on usability.
defining usability, perspectives, definitions
Shackel, B. (1984) The concept of usability. . Visual Display Terminals. J. Bennet. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Bookchapter that was one of the first attempts at conceptually defining usability and human-product interaction.
defining usability, human-computer interaction, fundamentals
ISO (2007) ISO 20282-3: Ease of operation of everyday products — Part 3: Test method for consumer products. ISO 20282. Geneva, Switzerland, International Organization for Standardization.
Definition of usability for everyday products by the ISO organisation including effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction.
defining usability, definitions
Bevan, N. What is Usability. In: Human Aspects in Computing: Design and Use of Interactive Systems with Terminals. 1991
A more populair description of the ISO definition for usability.
introduction

Ulrich, K.T. and Eppinger, S.D. and others. Product design and development. McGraw-Hill New York, 1995
General introduction in Industrial Design

Lidwell, W., Holden, K. and Butler, J. (2010) “Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated“, Rockport Publishers
Hands out 125 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach through Design
principles

Wixon, D. (2003) “Evaluating usability methods – why the current literature fails the practitioner.” Interactions (July + August 2003): 28 – 34.
Dennis Wixon argues why one should use usability methods and that it should become more practice-oriented.
research method, practice
Jokela, T. (2004) “When good things happen to bad products: where are the benefits of usability in the consumer appliance market?” Interactions 11 (6): 28-35.
Discusses whether usability impacts commercial succes of electronic consumer products.
effects of usability, commercial, business, electronic consumer products
Kanis, H (1998) “Usage centred research for everyday product design” Applied Ergonomics 29(1): 75-82
Shows the reason why usability evaluation is inevitable in product design.
introduction
Reichheld, F. F. (2003) “The one number you need to grow.” Harvard Business Review 81 (12): 46-55.
Why companies need to focus customer satisfaction.
customer satisfaction, effects of usability, business