Ecological Interface Design

Ecological Interface Design delivers the techniques and examples that provide you with a foundation to succeed in designing advanced display graphics. The opening chapters introduce the "art" of interface design by exposing the analytical methods behind designs, the most common graphical forms, and how these methods and forms are pulled together to create a complete design. The book then incorporates case studies that further emphasize techniques and results. Each example exemplifies a solution to a certain part of the EID puzzle. Some of the examples demonstrate the analysis phase, while others apply more scrutiny to graphical design. Each is unique, allowing allowing you to use them in the development of your own designs. The volume concludes with an analysis that connects ecological interface design with other common interface design methods, enabling you to better understand how to combine approaches in the creation of design solutions.

Table of Contents:
Introduction and Overview Scope of this Book Types of Design Problems The Ecological Part of EID Outline Motivation for EID History Work Domain Analysis Defining the System of Interest What Is an Abstraction Hierarchy? Level by Level, Working through an Abstraction Hierarchy Part-Whole Hierarchies Models with Social Constraints Techniques for Managing Large Models Models of Multiple Domains Testing Your Model for Completeness Summary: Double-Checking Your Work Domain Model - Rules to Use as You Actually Build It The Language of Interface Design Interface Description Forms of Reference A Visual Thesaurus for Data Relationships How to Develop a New Visual Form Summary: Visual Thesaurus Review Sheet Using a Work Domain Model in Design Information Requirements Information Availability Analysis: What to Do if You Can't Measure It Using Information Requirements in Design Example Design Process Functional Information Profiles: Working with Existing Designs Summary: From Information and Constraints to Design Transportation Systems Challenges with Transportation Systems Analysis for Command and Control of a Frigate Analysis for Command and Control of a Destroyer A Display for an Aircraft A Display for Balancing Fuel in an Aircraft Handling the Challenges Process Control Systems Challenges with Process Control Systems Design for Thermal Power Generation System Design for a Nuclear Power Simulation Design for a Pasteurizer Design for an Acetylene Hydrogenation Reactor Design for a Large Refinery Handling the Challenges Telecommunications Systems Challenges with Telecommunications Systems Analysis for Network Management An Alternative Design: Design for Scalability Analysis for Radio Communications Handling the Challenges Medical Systems Challenges Design for Oxygenation Monitoring in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patient Monitoring in the Operating Room Analysis for Diabetes Management Handling the Challenges Social Systems Challenges Casino Gambling Handling the Challenges Using EID with Other Methods A Design Framework: Defining Opportunities to Use EID with Other Methods EID and Other Methods Summary Conclusion References Index