What could I design?

What are the best books and resources about motivating users with a combination of user experience, interface design, psychology, and visual design?

• I am just wondering what books and other great resources (tools, blogs, etc) are out there relating to the above topics (which in my mind kind of go hand in hand)? The end goal would be to create great experiences. What I have had a really hard time is "Visual Design". I have found great resources like http://Lynda.com and The Gnomon Workshop, but it seems that Lynda is more for learning how to use the tools, not the concepts/theory of web design / product [interface] design.. .and Gnomon is what I want but more for 3D games and special effects (concept art, etc). Perhaps partnering up with an artists that is a generalist is ideal... not sure if there are events to meet such artists? I also have to look more into researching Psychology related resources that might apply to startups (I'm sure there are a few TED Talks I need to look up). I'll start off with some resources: ---------------------------------------------------------------------  Interview (psych/marketing): 7 Triggers: : How To Create Something So Fascinating That People Can’t Help But Be Drawn In – with Sally Hogshead http://mixergy.com/sally-hogshead-interview/ UX Book: Don't Make me Think http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-Usability/dp/0321344758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286616227&sr=8-1 Communicating Design: http://www.amazon.com/Communicating-Design-Developing-Documentation-ebook/dp/B000P28WIA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1286616301&sr=8-5 [Graphic] Design: http://Lynda.com (mostly for learning tools, here and there things like Color Theory) http://thegnomonworkshop.com Great for 3D and FX (movies/games, etc), some general design and drawing lessons -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks

• Answer:

  Books: Designing for the Social Web by Joshua Porter http://amzn.com/0321534921 Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? by Susan M. Weinschenk http://amzn.com/0321603605 Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do (Interactive Technologies) by B.J. Fogg http://amzn.com/1558606432 Universal Principles of Design: 125 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decision by William Lidwell, et al http://amzn.com/1592535879 Building Web Reputation Systems by Randy Farmer and Bryce Glass http://amzn.com/059615979X Designing Social Interfaces: Principles, Patterns, and Practices for Improving the User Experience (Animal Guide) by Christian Crumlish and Erin Malone http://amzn.com/0596154925 These books do a good job of discussing the psychology of aesthetics: Visual Thinking: for Design by Colin Ware http://amzn.com/0123708966 Designing with the Mind in Mind: Simple Guide to Understanding User Interface Design Rules by Jeff Johnson http://amzn.com/012375030X Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott Mccloud http://amzn.com/006097625X Tools: The Mental Notes card deck (Disclosure: I made these to connect ideas from psychology with interaction design) http://getmentalnotes.com Dan Lockton's Design with Intent cards http://www.danlockton.com/dwi/Main_Page The Behavior Wizard: http://www.behaviorwizard.org/wp/ Slides/Presentations: "The Art & Science of Seductive Interactions" by Stephen P. Anderson (Disclosure: me) http://www.slideshare.net/stephenpa/seductive-interactions-idea-09-version and others: http://www.slideshare.net/stephenpa/presentations "The Seduction of the Interface" by Chris Fahey http://www.slideshare.net/askrom/the-seduction-of-the-interface-presentation "Seductive Design" by Andy Budd http://www.slideshare.net/andybudd/seductive-design Presentations by Adrian Chan: http://www.slideshare.net/gravity7/presentations Presentations by Joshua Porter: http://www.slideshare.net/bokardo/presentations "Website Psychology" http://www.slideshare.net/gavin/website-psychology Presentations by Sebastian Deterding: http://www.slideshare.net/dings/presentations (especially "Persuasive Design" http://www.slideshare.net/dings/persuasive-web-design-how-to-separate-users-from-their-bad-behaviours ) "Interaction Design & Psychology  http://www.slideshare.net/ferrydd/2002-02-interaction-design-and-psychology-ferry-den-dopper Presentations by Nicole Lazzaro: http://www.slideshare.net/NicoleLazzaro Presentations by Amy Jo Kim: http://www.slideshare.net/amyjokim/presentations Emotion, Arousal, Attention and Flow by Trevor van Gorp http://www.slideshare.net/trevor.vangorp/emotion-arousal-attention-and-flow-chaining-emotional-states-to-improve-human-computer-interaction <Shameless Self-Promotion> This topic of Psychology applied to interaction design is an interest of mine, which led to the creation of the Mental Notes card deck (listed above). I am also writing a book on "Seductive Interactions" that will explore this topic more fully. You should grab a few books about human behavior that don't have to do (directly) with design. Read some of these studies and then ask how this insight into human behavior might apply to an interaction design challenge. I try to maintain a list of resources at: http://getmentalnotes.com/resources http://getmentalnotes.com/resources/etc …I also offer an all-day workshop on this very topic: http://www.poetpainter.com/seductive-interactions/ :-)