Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
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
Topics covered:
- User patterns
- Designing for scanning
- Wise use of copy
- Navigation design
- Home page layout
- Usability testing
Five years and more than 100,000 copies after it was first published, it's hard to imagine anyone working in Web design who hasn't read Steve Krug's "instant classic" on Web usability, but people are still discovering it every day. In this second edition, Steve adds three new chapters in the same style as the original: wry and entertaining, yet loaded with insights and practical advice for novice and veteran alike. Don't be surprised if it completely changes the way you think about Web design.
Three New Chapters!
- Usability as common courtesy -- Why people really leave Web sites
- Web Accessibility, CSS, and you -- Making sites usable and accessible
- Help! My boss wants me to ______. -- Surviving executive design whims
"I thought usability was the enemy of design until I read the first edition of this book. Don't Make Me Think! showed me how to put myself in the position of the person who uses my site. After reading it over a couple of hours and putting its ideas to work for the past five years, I can say it has done more to improve my abilities as a Web designer than any other book.
In this second edition, Steve Krug adds essential ammunition for those whose bosses, clients, stakeholders, and marketing managers insist on doing the wrong thing. If you design, write, program, own, or manage Web sites, you must read this book." -- Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing with Web Standards
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Additional Product Information
- ISBN: 9780321344755
- Brand: N/A
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420 Reviews
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 25, 2008 Type: User Review |
Very good book for the do it yourselfer
Everyone in our IT department that has anything to do with our products SDLC had to read this book. At first I was a little reluctant since it was "required", however, the book is a very good read. It was easy to understand and a pretty quick...
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 4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 24, 2008 Type: User Review |
Fun, Quick, Easy To Read
This is a great book with good suggestions for anyone involved in Internet sales or development. Without question, you can find a more technical book out there ~ but they are so dry and boring its hard to stay awake while reading them. Not with...
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 5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 14, 2008 Type: User Review |
This book makes me think
Yes, this book makes me think contrary to the title. And I assume that's what the author wanted, and he lives up to it. I am happy I got this one.
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 07, 2008 Type: User Review |
Very good book for Web design
This is a very helpful book for web design. A very easy (and short) read also independent of any technology.
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4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Mar 03, 2008 Type: User Review |
Simple to understand but chock full of important content!
One of the must have books on my reference shelf is "Don't Make Me Think, A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" by Steve Krug. I've recommended this book to many people, so I thought it was about time to give it a proper review.
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5.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 27, 2008 Type: User Review |
Well written, quick read... just what I needed!
I was in the middle of redesigning one of my own web sites, and had a coupon to redeem for Amazon, so I picked up this book. Steve does a great job with this book. Very well written, concise, and to the point. For someone like me, who is an...
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4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 22, 2008 Type: User Review |
What's up with the binding?
A nicely crafted book-like this one-that falls apart with no overuse is like a nice piece of clothing that won't stand the first wash. And we are not taking about cheap clothing here. But anyway, let's focus on what matters most: the content. I...
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 3.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 08, 2008 Type: User Review |
A must-have
If you're involved in developing (as myself) or designing web-sites (or any other software intended for actual people), this book will give you helpful insights in the usability issues you are bound to encounter.
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4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Feb 07, 2008 Type: User Review |
Excellent book about web usability with lots of nice examples
"Don't Make Me Think" refers to the way people tend to use the web: they don't read they scan. That means that your site needs to be organized to make identification and navigation as instinctive as possible. Having an efficient navigation system...
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4.00/5 |
| From: Amazon Posted: Jan 30, 2008 Type: User Review |
Practical
A very accurate and realistic look at the sociology behind user interface development and philosophies on how to deal with it. I recommend this book to all of my front-end developers.
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5.00/5 |
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