Design and Styling
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Well, thats kind of what I meant. I'm a UI / designer / software engineer guy and I know what looks good & professional and what looks bad & cheezy, but its not something I can explain or teach to somebody. Its just something that I have a "feel" for. It does go beyond pixel alignment, etc. obviously... like you may have a dialog and it could be all perfectly aligned and fully 100% usable, but its possible that it could look visually more appealing if you laid it out another way. I could tell you to use the Segoe UI font on your UI and to generally use the system colors, but thats not really explaining anything. What I'd suggest is looking at all the popular applications out there and kind of trying to figure out what people like UI wise. For example, one of the most copied UIs out there has always been Office. People have been copying it since day one. Personally, I think Office 2007 looks better then 2010, but thats just me... On the other hand, I don't think Visual Studio is that great of a UI.
I quite agree with you, UI design is not something you can simply explain. Your must have a sense for design in order to create a good look and feel. Beauty, they say is in the eyes of the beholder but as far as UI is concern, it's in the sense of the designer.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
This[^] site details some books that you might find useful for designing interfaces.
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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This[^] site details some books that you might find useful for designing interfaces.
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." - Steve Jobs As a software engineer, I found outrageous to spend months/years working on a great technology or software without considering the design part of the interface. Design is a science (just like programming); creativity can be learned. The folks at the Graphic Design School teach graphic & interface design from the ground up, self paced, affordable and online. Here is the link and good luck! http://bit.ly/jH5yA[^]
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"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." - Steve Jobs As a software engineer, I found outrageous to spend months/years working on a great technology or software without considering the design part of the interface. Design is a science (just like programming); creativity can be learned. The folks at the Graphic Design School teach graphic & interface design from the ground up, self paced, affordable and online. Here is the link and good luck! http://bit.ly/jH5yA[^]
And why have you posted this to me? The OP doesn't get replies to other peoples answers you know. You have to specifically answer that question for them to be notified.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
Smashing Magazine is hands down the best IMHO[^]... And for those who prefer to "retire to the library with a book", they've also done a couple which are worth reading...
C# has already designed away most of the tedium of C++.
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And why have you posted this to me? The OP doesn't get replies to other peoples answers you know. You have to specifically answer that question for them to be notified.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
Well I've looked a bit through these chapters. Maybe this is what you're searching. http://www.microsoft.com/design/toolbox/school/default.aspx[^] For example, the Design Principles, Chapter 1, is a recording of Robby Ingebretsen talking about some design concepts and how they apply on software.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
One of the most common issues with UI design that seems to be missed is the consistant placement of the widgets from screen to screen. If the widgit is called "Add" then place it in the same location from screen to screen and make the functionality be the same. This will help the users learn your application quicker and they will have less frustration.
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Not really something you can teach IMO... you either have an eye for detail or you don't. If you don't have an eye for detail or don't care about stuff like aligned UI, shifted pixels, etc... you probably shouldn't be doing UI work and leave it for the guys that like that stuff.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
Try the following link - http://www.perceptualedge.com/library.php#Articles. Tons of insight into designing UI's. Also try "Microsoft Inductive User Interface Guidelines" at MSDN. But Perceptual Edge should be your first stop. :) Best Wishes Steve
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
second that for smashing magazine... here are a few bookmarks I have: http://www.sensible.com/[^] http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/[^] http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2008/12/15/10-useful-techniques-to-improve-your-user-interface-designs/[^] http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/02/7-interface-design-techniques-to-simplify-and-de-clutter-your-interfaces/[^] http://www.usernomics.com/user-interface-design.html[^] http://ui-patterns.com/patterns[^] http://colorfilter.wickline.org/[^]
Toto1107
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Of course it can be taught! Where did you get that dreamy eyed nosense? Maybe the belief that it can't be IS the problem.
Oh, absolutely!!! thats why every musician sells million of records... thats why every fashion designer is famous and selling millions and on the runways in Paris... thats why Megan Fox has a bunch of oscars... thats why ever painter can roll with Picasso and Rembrandt... thats why everybody can dance like Michael Jackson... thats why every chef is famous and has a show on the Food network... UI design is just like every other "artistic" venture out there... you might be able to teach somebody the basics, but in order for them to take it to the next level, they have to have some sort of talent. Thats why if you stepped out of your little bubble and into the real world, you'd see that some people cut hair at SuperCuts for $5/hr and some people cut hair for $2000/hr at salons in Beverly Hills.
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Oh, absolutely!!! thats why every musician sells million of records... thats why every fashion designer is famous and selling millions and on the runways in Paris... thats why Megan Fox has a bunch of oscars... thats why ever painter can roll with Picasso and Rembrandt... thats why everybody can dance like Michael Jackson... thats why every chef is famous and has a show on the Food network... UI design is just like every other "artistic" venture out there... you might be able to teach somebody the basics, but in order for them to take it to the next level, they have to have some sort of talent. Thats why if you stepped out of your little bubble and into the real world, you'd see that some people cut hair at SuperCuts for $5/hr and some people cut hair for $2000/hr at salons in Beverly Hills.
But at the same time every musician had their first lesson at some point in their life every fashion designer had some sort of mentor etc. etc. etc. Yes it may be true that you have to have natural talent, but there are still things a "natural" has to learn or they do not succeed.
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
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second that for smashing magazine... here are a few bookmarks I have: http://www.sensible.com/[^] http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/[^] http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2008/12/15/10-useful-techniques-to-improve-your-user-interface-designs/[^] http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/02/7-interface-design-techniques-to-simplify-and-de-clutter-your-interfaces/[^] http://www.usernomics.com/user-interface-design.html[^] http://ui-patterns.com/patterns[^] http://colorfilter.wickline.org/[^]
Toto1107
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Thank you! Exactly what I am looking for!
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
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Smashing Magazine is hands down the best IMHO[^]... And for those who prefer to "retire to the library with a book", they've also done a couple which are worth reading...
C# has already designed away most of the tedium of C++.
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So as programmers we are usually lacking good asthetic skills. Who knows why. So often we say, "Well I am not a designer but...." And before you know it we are doing the design of the UI etc. Anyways, anybody have some links to blogs or sites that are focused on do's and don'ts of design and asthetics?
Computers have been intelligent for a long time now. It just so happens that the program writers are about as effective as a room full of monkeys trying to crank out a copy of Hamlet.
Check out smashingmagazine.com they've got awesome design tutorials. edit...nevermind, people already said that. I'd highly recommend it though.
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Oh, absolutely!!! thats why every musician sells million of records... thats why every fashion designer is famous and selling millions and on the runways in Paris... thats why Megan Fox has a bunch of oscars... thats why ever painter can roll with Picasso and Rembrandt... thats why everybody can dance like Michael Jackson... thats why every chef is famous and has a show on the Food network... UI design is just like every other "artistic" venture out there... you might be able to teach somebody the basics, but in order for them to take it to the next level, they have to have some sort of talent. Thats why if you stepped out of your little bubble and into the real world, you'd see that some people cut hair at SuperCuts for $5/hr and some people cut hair for $2000/hr at salons in Beverly Hills.
I know some very good musicians that have no interest in selling records and I hardly think Megan Fox's Oscars have much to do with the type of talent were talking about here. And I am sure that you would want Michael teaching your talented kid dance because it one of the best... Talent is only about 90% of being good at something. The other 90% is just plain hard work. Do you really have to be the Rembrandt of UI design to be good at it?
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Oh, absolutely!!! thats why every musician sells million of records... thats why every fashion designer is famous and selling millions and on the runways in Paris... thats why Megan Fox has a bunch of oscars... thats why ever painter can roll with Picasso and Rembrandt... thats why everybody can dance like Michael Jackson... thats why every chef is famous and has a show on the Food network... UI design is just like every other "artistic" venture out there... you might be able to teach somebody the basics, but in order for them to take it to the next level, they have to have some sort of talent. Thats why if you stepped out of your little bubble and into the real world, you'd see that some people cut hair at SuperCuts for $5/hr and some people cut hair for $2000/hr at salons in Beverly Hills.
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I know some very good musicians that have no interest in selling records and I hardly think Megan Fox's Oscars have much to do with the type of talent were talking about here. And I am sure that you would want Michael teaching your talented kid dance because it one of the best... Talent is only about 90% of being good at something. The other 90% is just plain hard work. Do you really have to be the Rembrandt of UI design to be good at it?
Actually, there is a common expression out there: "Those that can do and those that can't teach" :). *Sorry*, I'm not trying to say that you need to be some super special person to do UI design. What I'm trying to say is that not everybody has the eye for it to do it really well. Not every person is the creative type or the artistic type. For example, have you ever come up with anything like the Office UI before Microsoft? Have you ever invented a custom control or a new concept in UI? In regards to your other comment, I have also known some musicians who *SAID* they had no interest in selling records... one guy in particular was always hating on me for liking mainstream music, etc. then one day he got a chance to write a song for a main stream movie... hmm... suddenly he did a 180 and was interested in selling records... Anybody who says they don't care about being super successful just says that because they haven't had the chance to be. Sorry, but thats just the truth. Nobody truly thinks "I'm happy playing music in front of 20 people in a cowboy bar" vs. selling out arenas on a 50 state tour.