User and Task Analysis for Interface Design

This book was the best out of several others that I have read realted to usability engineering or UCD. It had several practical examples and stories attached to each topic. Its excellent for starter as well as proffesionals who are working at companies and have to justify several things. Several formates for reports and other resources are available for conducting a good Users and Task Analysis. More so its really easy and interesting to read with all the stories and the diagrams.

If there is one strong message in this book, it is: Go talk to the people who will use your product. It's an important message. Software designers and writers spend too much time with each other developing clever tricks, while the poor user, often left to self-train with a poorly written manual, gives up in frustration. The authors follow their own advice--in addition to telling you how to conduct a site visit to the end users, there are clear instructions (based on experience) on planning a visit, structuring questions, how to make the site visit useful for both the analyzers and the users, and figuring out what the user said and what it means about the product. There are reminders about release forms and examples of the forms themselves. Case studies help make the points clear and undestandable. A thoroughly readable book in clear and simple language that can be started anywhere for quick help, or read cover to cover for a complete course.

I just finished planning a contextual inquiry for a new product. This book covered everything I needed to know, from how to structure the plan to suggestions on what to bring for gifts. I especially like the paragraphs that describe real things that happened to the authors and their friends while doing these studies.If you are considering any kind of site visit or field study in order to learn about the end users of your product (AND YOU SHOULD), you will find this book highly useful. Check with me later as to how well it helped me write up results...

It was a joy to find a book that blends theory and practice as well as this one does. It is clearly written from a wealth of professional experience -- stories and examples illustrate almost every important point. The blend of theory and practical advice is just right. The writing style is clear and direct, setting a nice tone for the practitioners (or those just learning) that the book addresses. Hats off to Hackos and Redish.