Rating: 
Summary: Good points, well illustrated
Review: This is a book more about the why than the how of web page design. I found it invaluable (though, at times, it made me feel rueful about my own design errors). Those reviewers who carped about the lack of proof of the principles stated here must not have noticed that Nielsen wrote that a second (still forthcoming) volume will contain it.
Rating: 
Summary: Talk about a waste of time!
Review: Three points to illustrate why you should not buy this book:1) Jakob Nielsen does not understand frames. Plain and simple. Few people do. Frames are not the answer to everything, or even to most things, but they are an incredibly useful addition to the web designer's arsenal if used well. It is easy to use frames poorly. Hard to use does NOT equal bad. 2) Jakob Nielsen's opinions are held WAY too strongly for him to be even the remotest bit convincing as a guru. Gurus are about helping you to find yourself. Jakob just shouts at you and hopes you'll find him by the noise. 3) In amongst all the b.s. statistics, it would have been nice to see some nuts and bolts. If you want useful, buy some other book.
Rating:
Summary: Must-Know Stuff about Web Design for a Large World
Review: In this book on web usability, Jakob Nielsen is doing a heroic effort to envision how the average internet user (which equals a potential customer for an e-commerce web page) looks today in the year 2000. The average user can be characterised using many parameters like: Internet connection speed, IT knowledge, internet experience, disabilities, etc. Bottomline is that If you want to design a web site having the maximum impact on all potential users, it is crucial to pay attention to such "facts". Why cut away 5% of all potential customers because they for some reason are unable to use image maps for navigation purposes, or because they lack the ability to distinguish different colors? What you get from this splendid book is an update on what you can do to your web site in order to please the user and in the end (it all ends in business anyway) make sure that this user is converted to a loyal customer. The book is not a technical walkthrough of HTML coding. It is merely a large collection of tips and ideas on how to involve the end user, both mentally and physically, in the process of designing stuff for the internet or intranet. There are many good examples thoughout the book on good practice and worst practice. Considering this being a book on Usability, it is relevant to rate the usability of the book itself also. The design of the book is lavish, with a clear and simple layout containing a large number of useful color illustrations (actually almost 30% of the book are illustrations). I found it, however, fairly difficult to read it in a linear manner because of these large illustrations (sometimes extending 3-4 pages). I do recognize that there is no other way around it, unless Jakob should choose a larger but less handy book format (like the triology of Edward R. Tuftes on information graphics) for his next book. All in all a "must buy" for anybody in charge of anything on the internet which has the potential of being serious business.
Rating:
Summary: Very good and Easy to Follow
Review: Most books of this sort as dry as the paper they're written on. And although the subject matter, Usability, even sounds boring, Jakob Nielson's love for the subject really comes through. It's funny to say, but it's a real page turner. I love the examples he uses. I know many of them are older it really doesn't matter, the point still remains. They only real issue I have is a minor one. It's obvious that he feels that his way is the only way. And while, I generally agree with what he says, it get a little old to hear him spout off that he is always right. I'd recommend this to anyone who does any design work on the web.
Rating:
Summary: More a Tool than a Book
Review: Rarely do I deface a book by underlining phrases and scribbling comments in the margins. When I do it means that this is a no longer just a reference book but a working tool, a work which will always sit within arms reach of the keyboard. I squirmed when reading this. Perhaps it was that I successfully convinced others to implement frames on a site or that users who come from search engines deep into one of my sites are in grave danger of getting lost. This book exposes your mistakes. It does this with great clarity of writing and ample use of screen shots. However I found some things annoying: * The author repeats himself. In later chapters when we should be building on the early arguments we get a regurgitation of earlier advice and the book runs out of steam. Perhaps this repitition is deemed necessary for people who are delving straight into particularly chapters. * While there is a chapter specifically called International Use the author at times uses very US specific imagery. Should we in Australia be expected to know of Tom Brokaw (p149)? Also the stats on web connections speeds and their future projections seemed to be for the US only - although this is not specifically stated. * Almost the whole of the discussion about usability is limited to HTML and Cascading Style Sheets. I would have appreciated consideration of Javascripts as well as Flash - which is completely ignored.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid advice for a Web designer
Review: I pegged my hopes too high for "Designing Web Usability." I wanted to learn secrets that would take my websites to a new level. Instead, I read about the techniques and thought processes that I (think) I already infused into my web designs. This isn't bad news. That Neilsen confirmed my thinking was positive for me. I definitely picked up some tips, and did make a few changes to my sites as a result. Be aware that this book discusses the end result that Neilsen believes will maximize your web usability. He says he's planning a second volume to deal with the nuts and bolts of how to achieve the results.
Rating:
Summary: Says Who? Be wary of web gurus selling books
Review: Writers often manipulate science to sell articles or books. This book is full of "Truths" that are completely unsubstantiated. Only a bit into the book, the whole cloth pronouncements on what "they" (the user) want and find useful come fast and furious. Where are the references? Even an anecdote? Nielsen left out any research to hide complicated conclusions. Nielsen is considered by many in the business to be an expert on web usability, but the book has exchanged any good science for gushing cliches and maxims. Simply no credibility, unusable by mature professionals. Perhaps the book is meant for hobbyists? I did not get that impression from the presentation. This book is written to make money, not to get at the truth. This book is about Nielsen, not web usability. I suppose the scientific shortcuts work well for the publisher, but this is not a serious effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Get This & Help Repair The Web
Review: This book helped me tremendously in design. I can see where I was wrong, being bells & whistle man. Useability, simplicity, bring forth the content the surfer seeks. That is the purpose of the web. This book shows to methods to make your site just that, useable. That makes the surfer return. I'm anxious for the promised second part. Great investment for the serious designer. Written in plain English.
Rating:
Summary: Nielsen speaks for those who use the Web
Review: As a Web site designer, I rely on Jakob Nielsen as the voice of my conscience. While I attempt to push the aesthetic qualities of my work, Nielsen's voice (or at least what I imagine his voice to be) echoes in my ears, reminding me of the needs of those who will actually use the sites I design. Nielsen is a worthy advocate for Web users, and he communicates their needs and expectations well through his articulate and well-informed opinions. Sure, some of them seem like common sense; look around on the Web, though, and you'll find that common sense isn't always that common. So, do I always obey my conscience? Well, ah... no. But I feel that my Web problem-solving skills have been improved substantially by knowing Nielsen's point of view. I may not always agree with his opinions, but I wouldn't dream of ignoring them.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: This book does a great job summarizing all the learnings of Web design & usability over the years. You can dive into the details (pixel size suggestions for various elements) or you can skim and get a summary of key learnings. The pictures are the best part. Instead of telling you to check out a site, you can see it right there. That is of huge value.
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