Medford, NJ, September 1999—Design Wise: A Guide for Evaluating the Interface Design of Information Resources by Alison J. Head was recently released by CyberAge Books, an imprint of Information Today, Inc. A new-fashioned guide, Design Wise takes the lessons of history and the results of multidisciplinary research to help users effectively evaluate the usability of computer-based information resources before making a commitment to use, to purchase or recommend to others. Whether you are an information center manager or a student interested in Web research resources, Design Wise doesn’t just tell you how to evaluate, it also tells you why.

An information management consultant, lecturer, and writer, Alison J. Head uses this book to demystify both the conceptual foundation and the practical application of interactive media.

In the midst of an information access explosion, she offers practical advice, tools, and techniques:

• Interface design basics
• Easy-to-implement design evaluation strategy
• Design evaluation template, with checklists for practical use
• Expert interviews
• Design analyses of specific information resources