Usability design is one of the most important--yet often least
attractive--tasks for a Web developer. In Don't Make Me Think,
author Steve Krug lightens up the subject with good humor and
excellent, to-the-point examples.
The title of the book is its chief
personal design premise. All of the tips, techniques, and
examples presented revolve around users being able to surf
merrily through a well-designed site with minimal cognitive
strain. Readers will quickly come to agree with many of the
book's assumptions, such as "We don't read pages--we scan them"
and "We don't figure out how things work--we muddle through."
Coming to grips with such hard facts sets the stage for Web
design that then produces topnotch sites.
Using an attractive mix of full-color
screen shots, cute cartoons and diagrams, and informative
sidebars, the book keeps your attention and drives home some
crucial points. Much of the content is devoted to proper use of
conventions and content layout, and the "before and after"
examples are superb. Topics such as the wise use of rollovers
and usability testing are covered using a consistently practical
approach.
This is the type of book you can blow
through in a couple of evenings. But despite its conciseness, it
will give you an expert's ability to judge Web design. You'll
never form a first impression of a site in the same way again.
--Stephen W. Plain
