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Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

List Price: $35.00
Your Price: $23.80
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Real Eye-Opener!
Review: This book really made me look at web sites in a completely different way. While surfing, we've all come across sites that we don't quite "get" right away; usually we don't spend more than a couple of seconds trying to figure them out before we move on to something else. As the book says - web users are like sharks: if they don't keep moving, they'll die. Of course you don't want people leaving your site because they can't be bothered to figure it out. "Don't Make Me Think" explains exactly why some sites don't work and how to fix them.

One of my favorite things is that Krug asks you to look at actual web pages (pictured in the book in full color) and try to figure out what they are about and how to use them. You become a usability test subject! Turn the page and he gives you his ideas about why it works or doesn't work.

Another aspect of the book you may find useful is the guidelines for holding your own usability tests. It's can be a much simpler process than you might think. These sections include a sample test script, the kind of tools and environment you'd need, and URLs to more helpful stuff (including a confidentiality/permissions agreement you can ask a test subject to sign).

Oh, and the book was very readable, quite funny, and to the point - it only took a few hours to read. The size of the book would actually have been disappointing given the price if the book hadn't have been so useful and interesting.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great book for learning practical wisdom
Review: As entrepreneur and owner of a web site, I appreciate the simple and effective approach of the author. If you want to design a web site to get results, read this book. You will benefit.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This book will make you think!
Review: Steve Krug does a great job of pointing out the necessity and effectiveness of site design that incorporates good usability features. We all know that usability is important, but we often forget is that what seems obvious to us may not be obvious to our visitors. Between the book's concise explanations and very effective graphic visuals, I was really able to walk away with a better feel for "user friendly" design.

The fact that this book is short, simple, and easy to read makes it a handy addition to any developers library!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not technical, but very helpful
Review: Don't Make Me Think will help you think more about usability when you're designing sites. It doesn't include any information concerning current web technologies, but has some great explanations about how techies, managers, and designers can go awry in their project decisions. The chapter called the Farmer and the Cowman is worth the money in itself.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent overview of subject
Review: This book provides a concise overview of the subject of usability on the web. It is short enough to be read in your spare time (it took me less than a week), but it covers the salient points well. What it leaves out are the statistics and detailed scientific justifications for its "rules". As a web developer, I am most interested in "what to do", and as the book states, I already believe that usability is important. By keeping the book at a digestible size, Krug enabled me to read it cover-to-cover rather than just skimming chapters that seemed interesting or relevant. It also provided a good list of references for more in-depth coverage of individual areas.

Overall, the book provides a well-written overview of the subject of usability. It is well worth the cost, and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to improve the usability of their web site without hiring a team of consultants.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A very pleasant and illustrative view on important concepts
Review: Krug has successfully compiled into one book, the relevant and important issues you need to take into consideration when developing a Web site. This book is specially useful if you are compiling guidelines and practices for your own use, as it provides a broad and interesting take on some over-discussed issues.

If you are looking for a book about usability testing, this is not it. This information is rather introductory in this level so, if you already have some experience and familiarity with the subject, go for more powerful approaches with authors like Jakob Nielsen or Jared Spool. I highly recommend the book if you are new to the area and looking for the basic information to get started.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Book for the begining and independent Web developer
Review: One of the tings i really enjoyed about this book is its brevity and to-the-point attitude. It's not Nielsen, nor does it attempt to be. It clearly states at the beginning what it is.

While a lot of it is not earth-shatteringly new, none of it is stupid or wrong. There are many, many good tips for beginners and a lot of good reminders for folks who have been doing this sort of thing for a couple years.

I think it's a great book to introduce some of the real basics of usability in a digestable form (I personally have a copy of Nielsen by my bedside to put me to sleep it's so boring). Not a book for the seasoned "Information Architect", and I'm surprised that any of them have bought it, what did they think they were getting into? It's a book for the independent designer who doesn't have the benefit of working with an IA. They can use this book and apply there talent in useful effective ways.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This book opened my eyes to the way we really use the web
Review: If there is only one book that you ever read on Web site design, this should be it. This book completely changed the way I think about web site usage. Previously I made the assumption that people might actually read something in print on a web site. But the authors gave me the insight into how it really is. Web pages have to be visually obvious.

The guidelines that the book gave me inspired me to do a compete redesign around the principles in the book. I have read about 4 website design books but this was the only book that gave the overall feel about how people use websites and how to design them so that user can be productive without having to think, read or figure things out, because they won't.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brief, yet somewhat light content
Review: Steve knows how to be brief. One of his points is something like "Remove 50% of the words." (I've borrowed the book now so I can't verify). But on some cases his briefness makes this book look like it lacks some content, especially compared to Jakob Nielsen's books.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Steve Krug's Mother must have reviewed this book!
Review: Anyone in the web design business who doesn't already know the basics that are in this book is in the wrong business. I'm disappointed because I thought I might learn something new about web design and usability. This is the same old ugly thing. And lets face it most web sites are pretty ugly. They usually try to look like Yahoo or something like that because the whole idea is to grab investment money.
Why do Martha Stewarts magazines and books look so terrific and her website is so ugly? Why does Target do such fabulous television ads but when you go to the website it doesn't even look like the same company?
I'm tired of these ugly, crowded sites complete with tiny little postage stamp pictures, vile web safe colors, and silly banner ads. I want to see something intelligent and beautiful for a change, and I know I'm not the only one.
Steve Krug is obviously part of that "Web Design" group. Same old thing, same old people. The really talented graphics, advertising and media people are obviously not yet as involved as they should be in web design. I'm certain if they were we would be seeing more spectacular presentations.
I think Steve Krug got all of his friends to write five star reviews on this book. They obviously subscribe to the same boring philosophies. Why doesn't somebody create something clever and beautiful for a change, the way they do in television and print media land? That's a book I would buy.


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