{ "version": "https:\/\/jsonfeed.org\/version\/1.1", "title": "Ilya Birman’s Blog: posts tagged books", "_rss_description": "Ilya Birman’s blog on design, cities, music, and life", "_rss_language": "en", "_itunes_email": "ilyabirman@ilyabirman.net", "_itunes_categories_xml": "<\/itunes:category>\r\n<\/itunes:category>\r\n\r\n", "_itunes_image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic-square@2x.jpg?1573933764", "_itunes_explicit": "no", "home_page_url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/tags\/books\/", "feed_url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/tags\/books\/json\/", "icon": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1573933764", "authors": [ { "name": "Ilya Birman", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/", "avatar": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/userpic\/userpic@2x.jpg?1573933764" } ], "items": [ { "id": "359", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/introducing-designing-transit-maps\/", "title": "Introducing the book “Designing Transit Maps”", "content_html": "
\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

Please welcome my second book, “Designing Transit Maps<\/u>”<\/a>. It’s a practical guide to transit map design and probably the most important work of my life so far. The digital book is released by Bureau Gorbunov Publishing. The publisher says:<\/p>\n

\n

The book speaks of transit maps history, important principles of their design, and how they evolve together with their networks. The author talks about techniques: plotting the lines, denoting the stops, choosing the fonts, and composing the final poster.<\/p>\n

Few designers have an occasion to design a subway map. But the principles and techniques discussed are applicable to any tasks of complex information display: org charts, family trees, control-flow diagrams, fire escape plans, military operation plans, project timelines, architectural drawings. The book sharpens the reader’s eye and inculcates attention to detail.<\/p>\n

Circuit drawings are beautiful in their own way, but they immediately tell the reader: “I’m for the pros”. This is not an option for public information graphics. The designer has to untangle complex ties, find the best way to represent key objects, correctly position the labels. No matter how sophisticated the material is, it’s crucial to achieve clarity and legibility in display. Transit maps are a great subject to develop this skill.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The book consists of five parts: The challenge, The principle, The layout, The details, and The system. The chapters of the book are being published gradually. We started with the first three chapters, “Maps and Reality”, “The first transit maps”, and “Transit map diversity” in January:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

We followed up with “Map as a symbol” and “Finding a solution” in February, completing the first part:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

By the way, each part ends with an interactive test covering its key ideas.<\/p>\n

In April, we started publishing the next part with the chapters “Correspondence between lines and routes” and “Color coding”:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

In June, we released the chapters “Geometry”, “Orientation”, and “Scope”:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

Today, we are releasing the closing chapters on the second part, “Granularity” and “Freedom”, and the chapter’s interactive test:<\/p>\n

\n\"\"\n<\/div>\n

So two fifths of the book are already available for reading, and I very much encourage you to subscribe and read the book. Learn more about the book and its revolutionary digital format on the publishers website<\/a>. There are also readers reviews and a free sample chapter “Bends” from the fourth part.<\/p>\n

Enjoy and tell your friends and colleagues!<\/p>\n", "summary": "Please welcome my second book, “Designing Transit Maps”. It’s a practical guide to transit map design and probably the most important work of my life so far...", "date_published": "2023-07-27T12:17:14+03:00", "date_modified": "2023-07-27T12:17:07+03:00", "tags": [ "books", "Designing Transit Maps" ], "image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-en-cover@2x.jpg", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:17:14 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "359", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-en-cover@2x.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-map-reality-diversity-en.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-symbol-solution-en.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-lines-routes-color-en.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-geometry-orientation-scope-en.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/book-metro-granularity-freedom-en.jpg" ] } }, { "id": "317", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/announcing-the-book-user-interface\/", "title": "Announcing the book “User Interface”", "content_html": "

I’m very excited to unveil my future book, “User Interface<\/u>”<\/a>, which will be released by Bureau Gorbunov Publishing.<\/p>\n

Below are some spreads from the book.<\/p>\n

Explaining modes using a great Pioneer’s CDJ-1000 player:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

The explanation of Fitts’s experiment opens the chapter on aiming:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

Informativeness and the myth of seven elements:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

One of the brilliant historic examples of how to provide instant and continuous feedback:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

One of the topics is the User Interface Syntax. Here, I’m talking about a notable exception to “command equals verb” rule:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

This one is just beautiful:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

In the chapter “Windows” I show many examples of thoughful workspace organization:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

When the user hasn’t filled a form, the main button is usually disabled. This is not always a good idea:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

The beginning of a chapter on using a grid:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

And here’s just a small part of the book’s table of contents:<\/p>\n

\n\n\"\"\n<\/a><\/div>\n

Please go and see the page about the book<\/a> yourself.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget to try the sample chapter!<\/p>\n

Leave your email address to be notified when the book is out.<\/p>\n

And stay tuned.<\/p>\n", "summary": "I’m very excited to unveil my future book, “User Interface”, which will be released by Bureau Gorbunov Publishing", "date_published": "2018-09-09T12:25:37+03:00", "date_modified": "2018-09-09T15:39:51+03:00", "tags": [ "books" ], "image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p50.jpg", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Sun, 09 Sep 2018 12:25:37 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "317", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": true, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p50.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p102.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p144.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p171.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p233.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p274.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p332.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p361.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-p400.jpg", "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ui-eng-book-index.jpg" ] } }, { "id": "212", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/jony-ive-on-blunt-criticism\/", "title": "Jony Ive on blunt criticism", "content_html": "

I am listening to an audiobook on Steve Jobs<\/a>. A quote about blunt criticism:<\/p>\n

\n

That’s why “That’s shit!” was as common response from Steve as a pointed question or a thoughtful discussion. He wanted smart answers and he didn’t want to waste time on niceties when it was simpler to be clear, no matter how critical his response.<\/p>\n

“The reason you sugarcoat things is that you don’t want anyone to think you are an asshole. So, that’s vanity”, explains Jony Ive […] “As a design chief, I was on a receiving end of Steve’s blunt criticisms as much as anyone”. Whenever he felt abused he would tell himself that someone who sugarcoats his true opinions might not really even be all that concerned about the other person’s feelings, he just doesn’t want to appear to be a jerk. But if he really cared about the work, he would be less vain and would talk directly about the work.<\/p>\n

That’s the way Steve was. That’s why he’d say “That’s shit!”, but then the next day or the next after he also would just as likely come back saying, “Jony, I’ve been thinking a lot about what you’ve showed me, and I think it’s very interesting after all. Let’s talk about it some more”.<\/p>\n

Steve put it this way: “You hire people who are better than you are at certain things and then make sure they know that they need to tell you when you’re wrong”.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n", "summary": "I am listening to an audiobook on Steve Jobs. A quote about blunt criticism", "date_published": "2015-08-19T20:01:44+03:00", "date_modified": "2015-08-19T20:01:16+03:00", "tags": [ "Apple", "books", "quotes" ], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 19 Aug 2015 20:01:44 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "212", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "197", "url": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/all\/ellen-lupton-thinking-with-type-book\/", "title": "Ellen Lupton’s “Thinking with Type”", "content_html": "

Don’t read this book:<\/p>\n

\n\"Ellen\n<\/div>\n

The book is split into three sections: Letter, Text and Grid. This gives the illusion of structure, but don’t be fooled. This is the most disorganized book on design I have ever read.<\/p>\n

There is no narrative. Ellen jumps from topic to topic as if each spread was from a separate book. She would write about obscure InDesign hotkeys, font licensing, HTML header tags and even proofreader’s marks without any coherence. Sometimes she would pretend the reader has no idea about computers at all: did you know, she would ask, that if you press Shift+Enter instead of Enter, you would get a new line, but not a new paragraph?<\/p>\n

Ellen would explain how typeface is not the same as font. Then put a spread of some student works of questionable value. Then write half a page about “branding”. Because why not write about something, if such a thing exists<\/i>? It feels like Ellen just crammed together everything she heard about typography giving no crap as to how these random facts, thoughts and examples would help anyone get better at anything. None of the topics is given any care, many are given just a couple of paragraphs.<\/p>\n

As to author’s credibility, I have to say she thinks that a double prime (˝) is the same as dumb quotes ("). She sets HTML is small caps, but CSS is all-caps — on the same page, that is. She would also explain that CSS is Cascading Style Sheets (very helpful). At some point in the book she mentions Tufte, then tries to redesign a table and comes up with a result that shows that she either did not actually read<\/i> Tufte or completely missed the point.<\/p>\n

If you are new to design and typography, after reading the book you’ll go, wow, there’s so many stuff — I guess I will now have to find real books<\/i> to figure it all out. Well, just go straight to Tufte, Bringhurst, Tschichold and Müller-Brockmann.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Don’t read this book", "date_published": "2015-01-30T20:28:17+03:00", "date_modified": "2015-01-30T20:30:49+03:00", "tags": [ "books", "design", "rants", "reading", "typography" ], "image": "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ellen-lupton-thinking-with-type-book.jpg", "_date_published_rfc2822": "Fri, 30 Jan 2015 20:28:17 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "197", "_rss_enclosures": [], "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [ "https:\/\/ilyabirman.net\/meanwhile\/pictures\/ellen-lupton-thinking-with-type-book.jpg" ] } } ], "_e2_version": 4269, "_e2_ua_string": "Aegea 12.0a (v4269e)" }