The Smashing Book 2
I purchased the first Smashing Book when it was released, and of course when this second book came out, I had to get this one too. Although, unlike the first one, this second book is a hard cover and the binding has been improved as well. The book also has a bookmark string to keep track of the page you are on. The size of the book is not too big and not too small either – just right for carrying around in your bag for reading anytime, anywhere.
As I began reading through this book, I was quite impressed with the topics chosen for the chapters. It covers a wide range of areas that many web and design professionals are interested in. From graphic design principles and wireframing to mobile app design and web typography – this book contains all of the things that we love to read about.
I’ve outlined the chapters in the book below with descriptions of each:
The Principles of Great Graphic Design
Matt Ward and Alexander Charchar provide an overview of what graphic design is and the role it plays in web design. They also cover the history and theory of graphic design and then they give in-depth explanations of the principles of design with example screenshots of the designs they discuss. They have done a wonderful job of compiling the most important aspects of design into a lengthy and thorough chapter.
Visible vs. Invisible Design
Francisco Inchauste talks about the importance of balancing style and function in your designs – instead of adding fluffy or decorative elements to a design just to give it more visual appeal. The real work in design is making the interface easy and natural for the user to interact with, and in this chapter, Francisco explains what you need to do to achieve this goal.
Designing Mobile User Experiences
Everyone knows that applications for mobile devices aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. This area of development is expanding faster than we can keep up with. Mike Rundle gives his expert advice on how to make your mobile designs shine with perfection. He covers things such as the importance of the words you choose to communicate with the user, the styles of the buttons to encourage interaction, and keeping features to a minimum so your app doesn’t get too cluttered.
Sketching, Wireframing & Prototyping
Janko Jovanovic provides us with detailed examples of wireframing, and covers everything that goes into this very important step of web design and development. There are several different methods and tools that you can use for wireframing and prototyping, and this chapter covers just about everything you need to know to get started.
Red Flags (Warning Signs) in Web Development
Christian Hielmann shows you how to make your code more easily maintained not only for yourself, but for others that may need to edit your code later on. He shows you how to plan and architect your code so that it does not deteriorate over time, and also provides several code examples throughout the chapter.
The Future of Web Typography
Everything you will ever want to know about web typography is within this chapter by Vivien Anayian. She covers the evolution of web typography and where it is today. She also discusses open-source type and font licensing, and she gives examples of how to use web font services such as @font-face.
Applying Game Design Principles to User Experience Design
Christoph Kolb shows you how to use the principles of game design for user experience design by solving problems and communicating messages in a way that your specific users will understand. He talks about how important science is in determining what is necessary within a particular interface and how understanding your users’ interests and goals can help you to guide them through the steps that you want them to take.
When They Click
People are social animals, with all kinds of unconscious and conscious motivators that determine how a person will react or not react at all to your design. In this chapter, Susan Weinschenk looks at how all of these different motivators can affect how your design is perceived. She covers topics such as decision-making, social validation, trust, mastery, distractions and much more.
Design Patterns on E-Commerce Websites
Steven Bradley takes a look at the theories and best practices of e-commerce design. He covers information architecture, navigation, the checkout process, security and more – and he includes several examples and screenshots of e-commerce websites throughout the chapter.
How to Make a Book (Like the Smashing Book)
The Smashing Magazine team tells you exactly how to create a book just like the one you are reading. What better way to end a great book than with a how-to on how to create a book yourself. A big thank you to the Smashing team and the book’s authors for the hard work put into this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I am sure many others will too. :)
