A Master of Keep It Simple Stupid
One of the most refreshing things about this book (in stark contrast to other books about information design) is its simple light hearted, and humorous presentation. But don't let the whimsy fool you. Steve's insights are simply profound. Like his first "law of usability" (for which the book is named) "don't make me think." He quotes his wife's statement "if something is hard to use, I just don't use it as much" as the simple but central reality that needs to be held in the front of our minds as we design for the web (or anything else for that matter). For example he suggests that a button that is intended to be clicked, look like a button that is supposed to be clicked. Design sensibility aside, a square with a slight drop shadow, beveled edges, and slightly embossed text looks like it should be pressed. A flat square with a word in it may or may not be clickable - you'd have to think about it for a second and maybe try putting the mouse over it (thus thinking, this is bad). Not that everything has to have a drop shadow but the principle is simple and sound - if it's meant to be clicked make sure that in the context of the site it looks like it should be clicked.
The book also lists a few "facts of life" relating the how people use the web. I love reading stuff like this because it helps me forget the profound importance of DESIGNING for a second and grounds me back to reality of how people actually experience design and it can either help them or hinder them. His fact of life #1 is "We don't read pages, we scan them." Good point to keep in mind. As designers we labor over the details considering the perfect contrast and balance of colors, how much leading between lines, consistency to our grid, etc. The fact is people are hopefully going to spend 2.3 seconds looking at our page that we spent hours designing, find what they are looking for and click it.
One of the fundamental principles of information design is creating clear logical hierarchies of information. While there are books out there (some of which we've recommended below) that devote sections longer than this whole book to the subject of categorization and organization, Don't Make Me Think gets the point across in a simple, clear and rock solid way. One important point he makes is that "conventions are our friends." We often get too creative with our website and devise navigation structures and devices that may work fine, but are so different from what every other website does, that it makes the user have to stop and (oh no!) think. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Some important web design/web usability issues are not always in the control of the designer. The amount of copy and the use of language is often something that is supplied by the client. The NewfangledCMS allows clients to access and edit content at will. What is said in the content is a major factor in the sites usability. Too many words, for example, simply mean the user is less likely to read any of them. Don't Make Me Think addresses these content issues in its chapter "omit needless words" (which has the word "needless" crossed out). Perhaps you should recommend his book to your clients as well as checking it out yourself!
