Review: The Economics of Attention: Style and Substance in the Age of Information, by Richard A. Lanham    

This is a clever, witty, and engaging--if at times frustrating--book. The central thesis is that in our information age, made possible by digital technology, the scarce commodity to be allocated (and thus a matter of economics) is not 'stuff,' broadly defined as what you can kick or the information based on such stuff (also, stuff). We're drowning in stuff. Instead, it's attention that's scarce, and allocating attention is a matter of style, of rhetoric.

Andrews, Deborah C. JBC (2007). Articles>Reviews>Rhetoric

Review: Effective Prototyping for Software Makers

Effective Prototyping for Software Makers is an ambitious undertaking that in some ways redefined the meaning of prototyping for me. No reader is likely to absorb this tome from cover to cover--certainly not in one sitting and maybe never. The authors have tried to include as much information as possible on the topic, resulting in an extensive reference that paradoxically leaves me unsatisfied.

Frishberg, Leo. UXmatters (2007). Articles>Reviews>Prototyping

Review: The Elements of Technical Writing  

The elements of technical writing includes a basic definition of technical writing--'writing about subjects in technical disciplines'--as well as a high-level outline of the book. Few prefaces contain as thorough a summary of changes as Pearsall offers. The summary of changes in this second edition acknowledges the necessity for current information in the changing technical writing arena, listing several specific changes from the first edition.

Williams, Jocelyn Crump. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Writing>Technical Writing

Review: The Elements of User Experience

By advocating a balanced blend of usability, creativity, and business sensibility, this book is a worthwhile introduction—or re-introduction—to the process of creating successful user experiences.

Boxes and Arrows (2002). Resources>Reviews>User Centered Design

Review: English for the Energy Industries: Oil, Gas, and Petrochemicals

Not only people preparing to work in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries, but also students of industrial chemistry and chemical engineering can immensely benefit from the material provided in this coursebook and supplementary CDs.

Kumar Panda, Prasanta. International Journal for Technical Communication (2008). Articles>Reviews>Business Communication>Engineering

Review: Envisioning Science: The Design and Craft of the Science Image  

As an accomplished photographer of science and engineering research, Felice Frankel knows how to capture her readers' attention—her exquisite images in Envisioning science communicate their amazing power, by her design, and ultimately 'teach us to see' science in a different way. We are witnesses to the excitement of discovery represented in such images as cadmium selenide nanocrystals, self-assembled polyhedra, yeast colonies, and mouse embryo lungs, thereby illustrating the book's educational value.

Winn, Wendy. Technical Communication Online (2002). Articles>Reviews>Graphic Design>Scientific Communication

Review: Eric Meyer on CSS: Mastering the Language of Web Design  

When I first looked at this book, I was very much impressed with its layout. There are lots of beautiful and clear examples, along with well laid-out pages. Chapters consist of various CSS projects, such as creating an events calendar. You can download companion files for each chapter in zipped form from a Web site the author has set up. So the book is in fact an instructional one, one that you can use to learn as you go or just read straight through, depending on your preference.

Hawley, Todd. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Web Design>CSS

Review: Ethnography at Work    

Ethnographic methodology is nothing new to the field of rhetoric because the literature in the field is constantly filled with intriguing discoveries from ethnographic studies. These studies, however, usually do not focus on private businesses because of the difficulty of gaining access to these research sites. Moreover, if ethnographic studies are permitted, they usually focus on American nonprofit organizations. Thus, Ethnography at Work, by Brian Moeran, offers a unique research site--an international private business organization--that should spark interest in readers.

Toth, Christopher. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2008). Articles>Reviews>Ethnographies

Review: Everything and the Kitchen Sink

I've used personas for years (though some might regard my process as a slightly heretical perversion of the method). I always think about the big picture, and I was just thinking BIG about personas at work when The Persona Lifecycle landed on my desk. Given my review of what's out there, The Persona Lifecycle is the most comprehensive book on personas I've come across. If you're so inclined, it can taking you from novice to expert. The authors, Jonathan Pruit and Tamara Adlin, take advantage of extensive teaching experience and punctuate their discussion with lots of real-world examples, case studies, anecdotes, bright ideas and handy guidelines. That being said, it's not an easy read, and it's not for everybody.

Govella, Austin. Boxes and Arrows (2007). Articles>Reviews>User Centered Design>Personas

Review: Examining Technology's Wake

Based on world-wide archival research involving more than a hundred researchers, interviews with surviving witnesses, and other sources, the book reconstructs the development and utilization, from the end of the 1890s on, of the Hollerith punch card machine -- the first modern system for rapid processing of data.

Ornatowski, Cezar M. Lore (2002). Articles>Reviews>Technology

Review: Exploring Leadership Conversations  

Gail Fairhurst's book (2007) on discursive leadership is a highly welcome Gcontribution to the endeavor of establishing discourse analysis as a substantial approach to management communication. It presents a range of theories and methodologies for doing research on the central topics of leadership and on the crucial activities in management, such as instruction, mentoring, and performance appraisals. As a linguist doing research on management meetings, I would like to comment on the contribution that the book may make to theory and training in the fields of communication and management, and I wish to make some suggestions about the way forward for empirical research on discourse in management settings.

Svennevig, Jan. Management Communication Quarterly. Articles>Reviews>Management

Review: Faceted Metadata for Information Architecture and Search

Sometimes first impressions are a great way to gauge the likelihood of a successful experience. This wasn't one of those times. I was deeply concerned that I'd signed myself up for some esoteric discussion on the proper use of metadata, but pleasantly surprised to find a real-world interface solution for dealing with large information collections--exactly what the summary said this course would cover.

Frederick, Jessyca. UXmatters (2006). Articles>Reviews>Information Design

Review: Farewell, Netscape, but I Suppose It's Time

Since it's been a decade since Netscape was relevant, I guess it was overdue. But that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to an old friend, no matter how long it's been since you had any fun together.

Connoly, P.J. Software Development Times (2008). Articles>Reviews>History>Web Browsers

Review: The Fine Art of Copyediting  

Even though you might not be a copyeditor in a publishing house, the information that Stainton provides can be useful to any editor as well as to any writer.

Staples, Jeff. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Editing

Review: Free Guide to Color Printing

3M Imaging has come out with a pamphlet that explains these color anomalies and more. And best of all, it's free.

Dahlman, Gayle. Editorial Eye, The (1996). Resources>Reviews>Prepress>Color

Review: Getting to Know the XSL Family of Standards: A Review of The XSL Companion

If you need to learn XSL, or think it might be a career-enhancing move, there are currently very few books that describe XSL. In fact, some of these books can be overwhelming in size and in programming detail. The XSL Companion is different, and, I feel, aptly named a 'companion'.

Boeri, Bob. Boston Broadside (2001). Articles>Reviews>XSL

Review: Grafos

Los grafos son la representación natural de las redes, en las que estamos cada vez más incluidos. Exploramos qué son los grafos, para qué sirven y algunas reglas para dibujarlos bien.

Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2004). (Spanish) Articles>Reviews>Software>Technical Illustration

Review: Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook  

The Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook is not a beginner's manual. Sidles does not walk you step-by-step through the basics of trapping or scanning. Instead, hers is an approach that expands on the knowledge of the graphic design professional. I think her aim is to help you become someone who easily knows how to avoid buying paper that will curl or using overprinted type that is illegible. Sidles, with her print production experience, seems to care about sharing the wisdom she has acquired through decades of haps and mishaps—no small benefit.

Blount Brodersen, Carolyn. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Prepress>Graphic Design

Review: GUI Bloopers 2.0: Common User Interface Design DON'Ts and DO's

GUI Bloopers 2.0 describes common user-interface mistakes found in today's software products and services, and provides design rules and guidelines to avoid them. Johnson describes the design decisions that lead to misuse of controls, poor navigation, prose-riddled labels, bad design and layout, faulty interaction, and poor responsiveness. GUI Bloopers 2.0 is well illustrated with hundreds of examples from real products and online services, and stories from his own experience.

Dick, David J. Usability Interface (2007). Articles>Reviews>User Interface

Review: Hacking Google Maps

A new book in the popular O'Reilly 'Hacks' series shows you how to find and create your own mashups, overlaying all kinds of interesting information on Google maps.

Sherman, Chris. Search Engine Watch (2006). Articles>Reviews>Web Design>Geography

Review: Half the Truth and Something Like the Truth

As an art director, I'm an avowed secret handshake guy from way back. They teach it to us in design school when they make us swear on a stack of Pantone color selectors and old type specimen books that we'll never reveal the secrets of the design world, especially to editors and writers (word people). Early reviews of Type & Layout have been ecstatic, so I had wondered whether someone had finally sold the secret handshake to the enemy. I shouldn't have worried. This is not really a design book, and it is not a book that most designers are going to care for. What worries me is that nondesigners won't know that.

Fleshman, Steven D. Editorial Eye, The (1995). Articles>Reviews>Graphic Design

Review: The Handbook of Digital Publishing  

The Handbook of Digital Publishing is a remarkable work for both its breadth of content and the quality of explanation. The handbook is, quite simply, overwhelming. From animation to ZIP files, surely these two volumes have it covered. I looked up things I knew and things I didn't. For both, I found in Kleper a lucid, detailed explanation, usually complete with topic history, technical specifications, and options for use.

Hudak-David, Ginny. Technical Communication Online (2002). Articles>Reviews>Publishing>Online

Review: The Handbook of Mentoring at Work: Theory, Research, and Practice  

By using the term 'mentoring at work,' the editors, Belle Rose Ragins and Kathy Kram, suggest that they are putting scholars in conversation with each other in their attempts to figure out what mentoring work is and how mentoring actually works.

Weller, Rebecca L., Suzy D'Enbeau and Patrice M. Buzzanell. Management Communication Quarterly (2008). Articles>Reviews>Mentoring

Review: Handbook of Technical Writing  

As with previous editions, the editors have done a marvelous job. This is the type of book that every writer should have. As I stated before, it is not a how-to-write book, but more of a 'tools for writing' book. I find myself referring to it often when I'm thinking of how to pronounce a specific word or how to go about putting together a proposal, abstract or white paper, or even how to interview an engineer or programmer for information about a product I'm documenting.

Hawley, Todd. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Writing>Technical Writing