I'll second this recommendation. I picked up the 4th edition a few months ago.
It's a great book, but also a very long read. As a developer who is interested in developing usable apps, but not in being a full-time UX designer, I've found that I've been able to pick and choose the bits of the book that are relevant to the tasks I'm working on. It helps if you've read the introductory bits, but later on it has sections about web, desktop, mobile, etc. that are useful on their own. It's almost like having several books in one.
I had bought and read the 1st edition of About Face years ago. Thought it good generally. Might not have understood everything in it at the time. I remember him talking about "affordances". One point I thought was good, was his idea for a scroll bar with both the arrow heads at the same end of the bar, instead of at opposite ends. This saves you from having to move your mouse from one end of the bar to the other, to reverse scroll direction (since you have to click on either the up/left or down/right heads).
Like this (for a horizontal scroll bar):
<||> =============================
instead of this:
<|==============================|>
Cool. Later I heard from someone that some OS/GUI platform actually has his improved version - I forget which.
I tend to rely on the Apple's UI guidelines. They have many hints that are applicable even for non-Apple apps. I remember Apple had a similar thing already back in 80s, which I found amazing.
Over time, iTunes has gotten very cryptic and undiscoverable in its features. I really wonder how users who're not well versed with computers even do anything with iTunes. Or maybe they don't even install it in the first place. :)
Cycle through apps using command-tab. Cycle through a few times. See how it works.
Now cycle through app-windows with command-` and see how that works .. completely differently.[1]
So yes, even the wizards can get it wrong[2].
[1] command-tab has a proper "memory" allowing you to command-tab back and forth quickly between the two most recent apps. command-` is just ... weird. It sort of preserves sequence ... until you let go ? and then reverses sequence ... or something ? 8 years into OSX and I still am not sure what the algorithm is.
[2] Not saying either is the right one - but they are both different, so one of them (as far as apple is concerned) is wrong.
Ditto. Sadly, this got posted three times to HN already and hit my twitter feed without seeing anyone say "you're wrong, there's a book everyone should read!"
A well respected interaction designer was so kind to give me her 1st edition many years ago and I still find myself coming back to it regularly.
New and updated 4th edition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781118766...