Struggling with a complicated user interface problem? Looking for a way out of the box? Or are you just trying to expand your horizon?

Here’s a couple of resources that should provide you with enough to chew on for at least the first half of 2008.

Pattern libraries

Design patterns are solutions for common functionalities in graphical user interfaces. These pattern liraries are for those among us that don’t have time to reinvent the wheel.

• The Yahoo Design Pattern Library - Yahoo provides us with an extensive library of web interface solution. It provides visual examples, related solutions and even code examples.
• UIpatterns.com - Also a large database of solutions with thorough explanations.
• Welie’s Patterns - Martijn van Welie shares his personal set of design patterns.
• Web Patterns: A UC Berkeley Resource for Building User Interfaces - The UC Berkeley Web Patterns Project has build this resource to speed things up for their developers community.

Flickr image collection

Apart from the usual boring daytrip picture collections, Flickr also hosts many sets with visual examples of interface solutions. Here’s a couple, there are many more out there.

• Patrick Haney’s Design Inspiration Collection - Hundreds of screenshots of webdesign examples.
• Brian Christiansen Design Patterns Collection - A very large set of specific interface components examples.
• Guspim’s Design Solutions Collection - Also a huge set of examples for specific components.

Interface Guidelines

For the rainy days and quiet hours at the job: a couple of extensive documentations by the big players in interface land.

• Introduction to Apple Human Interface Guidelines - The interface guidelines for Apple’s Aqua. It contains many basic interface conventions and principles.
• GNOME Human Interface Guidelines 2.0 - A documentation of usability principles that are applicable to any interface.
• IBM Ease of Use: Design - Guidelines provided by the company with probably the longest range of experience.
• askTOG: First Principles of Interaction Design - Fundamental guidelines for design and implementation of effective interfaces.

Looking for a more classic approach? More meat for you.