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December 07, 2003
Don't Make Me Think
Can you describe how you use the Internet? What catches your eye, how you scan pages, and generally how you seek information? I know I can't. But it's almost spooky how the author of Don't Make Me Think perfectly describes my surfing mannerisms.
This book should be required reading for anyone involved with designing web pages whether for Internet or Intranet sites. It's a quick read. Steve Krug tells you what you need to know, no more and no less. He offers very specific and sensible suggestions on such things as placement of various elements on the page, the art of writing for the web (remove half the words on your web page), the importance of intuitive navigation, and much more.
Perhaps best of all was the chapter on usability testing on 10 cents a day. According to Krug, usability testing doesn't have to be expensive or difficult. As he points out, testing even one user is 100 percent better than testing none. Doing something as simple as "Cubicle tests" where you show your page to the person in the next cubicle is helpful. He also includes details such as a sample script for more extensive testing.
In many ways, Krug has applied his ideas on web usability to this book, making it an interesting and concise introduction to the topic.
Comments
Great job. This blog will be the "MVP Site" for January at Netlawtools.com, http://www.netlawtools.com.
Posted by: Jerry Lawson at December 8, 2003 08:23 AM
An excellent book. I agree with you 100%. It was also one of the easiest to read books on usability and web design that I've come across.
Posted by: Bill at December 11, 2003 03:09 PM
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