This innovative new text encourages students to utilize the "Outside-In" approach to learning the use, design and implementation of data structures. The author introduces every data structure by first narrating its properties and use in applications (the "outside" view) - enabling instructors to introduce a data structure in a realistic context where it is used. He then teaches how to build data structures (the "inside" view); students learn how to evaluate usability, flexibility, extensibility, and performance in designing and implementing classic data structures.