Product Description

Most discussion about Web design seems to focus on the creative process, yet turning concept into reality requires a strong set of deliverables—the documentation (concept model, site maps, usability reports, and more) that serves as the primary communication tool between designers and customers. Here at last is a guide devoted to just that topic. Combining quick tips for improving deliverables with in-depth discussions of presentation and risk mitigation techniques, author Dan Brown shows you how to make the documentation you're required to provide into the most efficient communications tool possible. He begins with an introductory section about deliverables and their place in the overall process, and then delves into to the different types of deliverables. From usability reports to project plans, content maps, flow charts, wireframes, site maps, and more, each chapter includes a contents checklist, presentation strategy, maintenance strategy, a description of the development process and the deliverable's impact on the project, and more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35115 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

About the Author
Dan Brown has been practicing information architecture and user experience design since 1994. Through his consulting work in both public and private sectors, he has improved enterprise communications for both Federal and Fortune 500 clients, currently the Federal Communications Commission. Dan writes and speaks frequently on information architecture, and contributed to the inaugural issue of UX Matters, a new online magazine dedicated to user experience design. Dan is very active in the local Washington, DC information architecture community, and serves on the advisory board for the Information Architecture Institute.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Handbook for Creating Documents
This is an excellent handbook for creating all those design documents you'll need for communicating with others on your team. Each chapter is devoted to a single type of document and I particularly like the layered approach going from simple to complex. I've used it dozens of times in the last year.

While it is true that the templates on the accompanying website never appeared, you can find plenty of templates available through industry associations, such as the IAI's website. And with this book, you'll actually know what is what and how you use it.

Good book but no documentation!!!
I thought the book was quite good but was disappointed that there was no documentation on the website that was promised in the book. Not only that, but the book website had broken links and hasn't been updated in months and our requests have fallen on deaf ears... I've waited a year to write this review as I didn't want to jump to conclusions. So while I found the book an informative read I only rated it one star as I would not have bought the book if the documentation was never going to be made by the author. He has now asked the community to provide the documentation through the website...
It also bring up questions as to whether the documentation was ever used for actual projects or just to sell books. From the Book's website it seems to be the latter.

Wheres the templates and reference material?
EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT book for reference. Actually the best you can find of the type. No filler and I enjoy the authors style.

Only four stars because book offers no companion templates for reference. How could a book focusing on documentation offer no documents/templates for reference in this day and age? Lucky for Dan his writing and explanations are THAT good. Though, shame on both the author and publisher for not going the extra step here.