Shape Shed

Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think is not a new book in web design terms, but it is one that is still as relevant today as the day it was published. The subtitle is "A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" and for the large part of the book this is what it is. Krug doesn't really come up with anything amazing but he calmly mentions the things that are important and are easily forgotten. By the end of the book you feel you have learnt something that has been there all along but was overlooked.

Krug writes sentences that are packed with knowledge and light on pretense. This is one reason why the book is so good - it is easy to read yet contains some heavy knowledge. It is also easy to see why Krug is good at what he does. He knows what he is doing and he doesn't shroud that knowledge in jargon.

The book offers theoretical advice with examples on how to improve usability and then moves onto practical advice on how to run user group tests. He notes that you don't necessarily need a huge budget to run these tests and even getting a friend to look over some wireframes is worth it. The overriding philosophy is one of getting users involved in the process of creation.

The book is one that I rank very highly and recommend reading. Web design does not have to be difficult although often it is made so. Understanding users is the key to a successful site for me and I have always followed that idea. To find a book with such a rich depth of knowledge on offer, and so well written is a rare find.