Designing Object Oriented User Interfaces

Published by Addison-Wesley, 1995; ISBN 0-8053-5350-X. Part of the Addison-Wesley Object Technology Series.

The specific platforms and technology presented in this book are dated. Object-oriented interfaces for desktop platforms such as Microsoft Windows^® and the Apple Macintosh^® are now well-understood and often well executed. The principles expressed in the book, however, are timeless, and the general ideas about design, architecture, and development are still valid.

If I were writing the book today, Java would probably replace Smalltalk and C++ in the sample code, simply because it is now the market leader among object-oriented languages. Many of my examples would deal with interfaces for the World Wide Web (lack of content about the Web is—today—a major deficiency). But most of the material about human factors and computer systems architecture would remain the same.

Designing Object-Oriented User Interfaces presents a principled approach to developing user interfaces for modern hardware and software computing platforms. It defines what an object-oriented user interface is, and provides a methodology for designing the visible interface (what the user sees) and its underlying software. The practices presented in the book are based on development experience and research in the field of human-computer interaction. The book is intended for both working developers and for students and teachers in academic and industrial settings.

The book also demonstrates how OOUI design fits into the overall context of object-oriented development. The design methodology, based on object-oriented principles, is consistent with other OO methodologies for system and database design.

It integrates work in diverse fields such as software engineering, cognitive psychology, human factors, and graphic design. Examples in C++ and Smalltalk are provided to illustrate the implementation of object-oriented user interfaces. (Brief C++ and Smalltalk tutorials are provided in an appendix for readers not familiar with these programming languages.)

More information on Designing Object-Oriented User Interfaces, from Amazon.com.

A tutorial on object-orientation (OO) and object-oriented programming (OOP).