Customer Reviews

Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines

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These guidelines are available for free on the web at http://usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines.html. But, the best way to view then is on paper and not on your computer monitor. Do be warned if you try to print, you will need a color printer, as much of the information is lost in black and white. So, save yourself a big hassle and the cost of much toner/ink - buy the book!

The 187 peer-reviewed guidelines are each rated on a 1 to 5 scale to indicate the strength of evidence supporting its hypothesis. These are not ideas promoted by one organization to further its reputation or advance its agenda. This is the result of review and input from experts from government, academia, and the private sector. Your tax dollars were spent developing these unbiased guidelines. They provide a roadmap that should help designers and developers avoid problems and produce more effective websites.

You can preview the book at the URL above. It's a ground-breaking reference and guide you don't want to be without.

This book is an exelent resource for both academics/students and professionals alike. When I was a student I missed a book like this. A book that quickly sumarised the field of interface design. Research Based Web Design does not go into depth but it will quickly give an overview of the field. If you are stuck with your thesis like I was then this book is a perfect reference to find additional sources fast and easy.

If you are getting started as a professional, Research based web design will quickly bring to the surface many of the important points that you will have forgotten from school. It is also a good cure for myopia when you after a few yeras in the bussiness have gotten a little to confortable.

My only word of caution is that this is not a book for beginers. You need to be aware of the material presented before hand since the explanations are very distilled from the incredible amount of resarch awailable. If you are just starting out make sure to have other resources available that can give a more indepth view of points that you find interesting. But as a quick reference to kickstart your memory or as a starting point to locating other sources Research Based Web Design is a must to complement any design and usability library since it is a summary of every book or research article you own.

I highly recomend it

Here's something based on data, not opinion. Every Web designer should have a copy on their book shelf, if not on their desk. The Web would be a much better place if they did.