Review of "Designing Interactions by Bill Moggridge," MIT Press, 2006, ISBN 978-0-262-13474-3, $39.95

Abstract

reviewed by Jeroen de Bruin DEP AR T M EN T > B OO K S If you are an interaction designer and want to make an impression on friends or colleagues, reading Bill Moggridge's new book should be at the top of your to-do list. On seeing it, my colleagues made remarks like, "Wow, that book must be good; it weighs a ton, is designed nicely, and has an authoritative title!" These remarks were almost always followed by, "So, did you actually read it?" Well I did, and it left me with mixed emotions. If you work in the interaction design field, this book should be a joy. The read is a similar experience to watching a "making of" documentary after the main feature on a DVD. Moggridge interviewed more than 40 leading interaction designers on their involvement in groundbreaking design like the Apple Macintosh, the Palm handheld, and Google. The interviews are embedded within a "voice-over" narrative from Moggridge. The approach of combining interview snippets with well-written accompanying text by the author creates a behind-the-scenes experience for the reader. Moggridge sets the stage by visiting the early history of modern interaction design at the now famous PARC, with interviews of pioneers like Doug Engelbart,