Review of Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think: 2nd Edition (with notes)

• September 28, 2007
• James Skemp
• general programming, Internet, review, software

As it promises, Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think: 2nd Edition, is a quick, but extremely usable, guide to Web usability and design. The book took me less than a day to read (less than 3 hours total over the days of September 26 and 27, of 2007), but has become, in my mind, a requirement for even beginners (like myself) of Web design. Since everyone who develops for the Web should have some idea of design and usability, this book should really be a mandatory requirement for said work.

In short, there's no reason not to read this book if you're developing for the Web (writing content, programming, etcetera), or working with a team that does so.

Notes on the book

The following are notes that I took while reading the book. They are broken up by chapter. These notes will not replace a reading of the book.

Chapter 1

• Eliminate question marks - "what does this do?" ...
• use common language
• keep things obvious
  

Chapter 2

• satisficing - first, best, option
  • guessing
  • back button most used browser feature

Chapter 3

• billboard design
• clear visual hierarchy
  • size, grouping, nesting
    
• use conventions
• clearly define page areas
• make clickable areas obvious
• minimize noise
  • busyness
  • background noise
  • everything is noise until proven otherwise
    
• replace text with a foreign language - does it still make sense (where things are)?
  

Chapter 5

• get rid of happy-talk - they're not going to read it, but they may think they have to ... (but they still won't read it)
• kill instructions 

Chapter 6

• navigation = getting from one place to another = figuring out where you are
  
• navigation reveals content
• presistent navigation - comfort for user; it'll be here, but it may change
• simpler navigation for forms and the like (where they need to perform a specific action)
• common elements; home, search, sections (nav), utilities (help use site: about us, contact, help, site map), site id/logo, title, indication of where you are
• home page != sub pages
• let people filter results (simple search) - more useful at that point (instead of before you even search)
• you need to know navigation from top-level to bottom-most level (id est, don't stop mocking up at the second or third level, keep going as necessary)
• every page needs aname - largest text
• visual cues of where you are can't be subtle; maybe two things, not just one
• breadcrumbs were an oddity - not a substitute for two levels of main nav
  • move them out of page - don't let them conflict with primary nav
    
• tabs are self-evident, like the Recycle Bin on computes to delete files
  • connect w/ secondary nav (like real life)
    • have one tab selected by default
      
• don't rely on color as the only cue
• 'trunk' test: look at a page from a distance, or with nonsense text
  • what site am I on?
  • what page?
  • what/where are the major sections?
  • options at this level?
  • where am I in scheme of things?
  • search/find?
    

Chapter 7 (home pages)

• common elements
  • site identity/mission
  • site hierarchy
  • search
  • teaser
  • timely content
  • deals
  • shortcuts
  • registration
• show me what I'm looking for (and what I'm not looking for)
  
• show me where to start
• establish credibility and trust
• must appeal to all visitors
• ?s: what is this?, what can I do here? what do they have here? why should I be here and not elsewhere? where do I start?
• tagline and brief, blocked, welcome blurb
  • tagline = value proposition (like 'the single best source for facts on the net')
    
• max of four features (to point out)
• should be able to answer where to start to search, browse, sample (the best)
• nav layout changes are oaky, but don't change the order (home page vs. sub-pages)
  

Chapter 8

• there is no average user
• there is no average user :D
• Web teams don't argue about big things (usually), just the minor issues (and these may not have right answers)
• testing is a good thing - get people to use proposed idea(s) and see how it really functions 

Chapter 9

• focus groups vs. usability testing
  • focus groups = group; wants, needs, likes > marketing; do it early, not late in the game (do it before you start designing)
    
  • usability testing = individual, task based; whether site works
    
• if people are getting lost, don't add more text - remove (distractions/noise) 

Chapter 10

• keep photos/figures in print-friendly pages, but don't include nav, ...
  

Chapter 11

• easy accessibility (first steps)
  • add alt tags to images
  • use labels in forms
  • skip to main content link (before any other content)
  • make all content accessible by keyboard
  • don't use JS without a good reason