Designing good application interfaces isn’t easy now that companies need to create compelling, seamless user experiences across an exploding number of channels, screens, and contexts. In this updated third edition, you’ll learn how to navigate through the maze of design options. By capturing UI best practices as design patterns, this best-selling book provides solutions to common design problems.

You’ll learn patterns for mobile apps, web applications, and desktop software. Each pattern contains full-color examples and practical design advice you can apply immediately. Experienced designers can use this guide as an idea sourcebook, and novices will find a road map to the world of interface and interaction design.

• Understand your users before you start designing
• Build your software’s structure so it makes sense to users
• Design components to help users complete tasks on any device
• Learn how to promote wayfinding in your software
• Place elements to guide users to information and functions
• Learn how visual design can make or break product usability
• Display complex data with artful visualizations

Jenifer Tidwell has been researching user interface patterns since 1997 and designing and building complex applications and web interfaces since 1991.

Aynne Valencia is design director for the San Francisco Digital Services and associate professor at California College of the Arts.

Charlie Brewer is a director of product design with deep experience in SaaS software, platforms, and marketplaces.