This is the book I wish I had when I started as an information architect.
That's not to say that Usability for the Web is a book about IA. Not at all. It is what it advertises--a book about making Web sites useful for its visitors.
But I've noticed something... In all of my engagements as an IA, my responsibilities routinely went beyond "just" information architecture into interface design and, yes, usability. I've not only been expected to organize and structure the information of a site, but to ensure that it is readily usable. My hunch is that this is true for most IAs. Most projects simply don't have the budget to support both an IA and a usability expert. Hence the IA is often expected to wear multiple fedoras. And that's why Usability for the Web would have been so helpful when I was a rookie.
I knew I would like the book almost from the outset. Under a large heading "Web Sites for People," the authors write
"Users need to be considered early and often. Usability needs to be a part of every step of the design process. Our approach is pervasive usability--integrating usability into everything we do. Our philosophy is that usability should not be an add-on, but that everyday processes should be modified to be user-centered."
Do I hear a hearty "Amen" from the congregation?
From there--in nearly 500 pages--the authors embark on a detailed exploration of the process of Web-design-cum-usability. Define the audience and platforms. Conduct user needs analysis. Complete task analyses. Create information architecture. All the way to post-launch usability evaluations. This is a complete survey and would make an ideal textbook.
While the authors' presentation is thorough and fairly comprehensive, it doesn't break new ground. You won't discover any gee-whiz methods or fascinating new insights here--although there is an excellent and long-needed chapter on how to write for the Web.
No, the value of Usability for the Web is how it puts all the pieces together in a very coherent whole. It even has its own little Web site where you can peruse the table of contents and download PDF copies of the various forms the authors recommend.
A couple quibbles... For such a well-organized book, it can be difficult to determine where to find specific topics. Information on navigation, for example, is scattered across two widely separated chapters (Information Architecture and Design Elements). Fortunately, this can be overcome by use of the excellent index.
And when I said Usability for the Web would make an ideal textbook, that was a mixed compliment. Unfortunately, the prose definitely has that, um, "textbook" flavor. I took it with me to jury duty and found that I would doze off after a couple of chapters. That's not to say it's poor reading--just that it's to the point, quite clear and lacking in zing. And that's OK.
Usability for the Web will have a prominent place on my bookshelf--ready for quick reference when I have a question or need an idea. I recommend it for your bookshelf too!
