Pat’s Point of View

I’m currently reading several books simultaneously, which is probably not the best method but I’ve been assured it’s quite normal. On the list are:

• Doing Visual Ethnography by Sarah Pink (2007) – quite an enlightening read, if a bit heavy going (although compared to most anthropology texts I’ve seen it’s pretty easy to read). I first picked it up because of the focus on using photography and video as part of field research, but covers many other topics too, including the generded nature of ethnographic research and the various theoretical stances underpinning this type of work. And I’m only part way through.
• Ethnographic Methods by Karen O’Reilly (2005) – which so far seems to be an excellent introduction to the topic. It has a less academic tone of voice and is thus easier to read than a lot of books on this subject (as I said above). Karen has included many excellent examples and anecdotes from real field research. Quite the practical reference book. Thanks to Stephen for the tip.
• Universal Principles of Design by Lidwell, Holden, Butler (2003) – an overview of 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design. I was browsing the bookshelf at work and thought I’d take a look, as I am quite interested in ‘little d’ design. I wasn’t terribly impressed; it’s embarrassingly brief and superficial in its discussion of these principles. It’s definitely written for visual designers and I don’t think it does any of the content much justice. As one of the reviewers on Amazon says: better for the coffee table than the design desk.

Sadly, there’s a much bigger pile of books for me to read next. It just never ends…

Popularity: 35% [?]