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What a refreshing read. The book is about design principles which make the experience seamless for the users, be it for websites or billboards. This is a topic completely outside of my usual reading and thinking arc. But the book is engaging and makes you comfortable right off the bat. I was amazed by the level of intricate thought designers put into building each element, as well as the overall design of websites.
There are numerous clever examples of comparison of good, not so good and bad design. The difference is often beautifully subtle. Users notice the difference only when they have to pause and think "Is this button clickable?" or "Where is the search bar?" or "Would a lawn mover be in the Hardware section or Household section?". The experience is smooth when the users don't have to think while navigating the site: this is the foundation on which the design principles in the book are written.
The author acknowledges and appreciates the widely varied opinions people can have on how a website looks and also the significance of elements like dropdowns and lists. Nonetheless, he says, there are some principles and conventions a website should stick to, while also being aware that great and revolutionary designs often violate the norms. So, the author has to tread carefully when talking about what good design is like. The author does it very well; not making himself too diplomatic, but also giving space for innovation. It has a good combination of specific examples and general philosophies.
The book was first published in 2000, when many of the today popular websites were in their infancy. It is interesting to read what website design was like at the time, and the vision the author had for better design in the succeeding decade. Some of what is obvious and standard for users and developers today was still in the innovation phase back then.
This is by no means an exhaustive account on design, but it's accessible to everyone. It's short, insightful and the author has a good sense of humour.
There are numerous clever examples of comparison of good, not so good and bad design. The difference is often beautifully subtle. Users notice the difference only when they have to pause and think "Is this button clickable?" or "Where is the search bar?" or "Would a lawn mover be in the Hardware section or Household section?". The experience is smooth when the users don't have to think while navigating the site: this is the foundation on which the design principles in the book are written.
The author acknowledges and appreciates the widely varied opinions people can have on how a website looks and also the significance of elements like dropdowns and lists. Nonetheless, he says, there are some principles and conventions a website should stick to, while also being aware that great and revolutionary designs often violate the norms. So, the author has to tread carefully when talking about what good design is like. The author does it very well; not making himself too diplomatic, but also giving space for innovation. It has a good combination of specific examples and general philosophies.
The book was first published in 2000, when many of the today popular websites were in their infancy. It is interesting to read what website design was like at the time, and the vision the author had for better design in the succeeding decade. Some of what is obvious and standard for users and developers today was still in the innovation phase back then.
This is by no means an exhaustive account on design, but it's accessible to everyone. It's short, insightful and the author has a good sense of humour.
