Book review: Defensive Design for the Web (13 May 2004)

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Book review: Defensive Design for the Web (13 May 2004)
Chicago's 37signals have stumbled on a refreshing form of writing about web usability. Instead of standing high up on the mountain, carrying three clay tablets and shouting down their abstract rules at the people, their simple guidelines are supported by a large number of real world examples and counter-examples. By showing the mistakes that some of the major companies from the US make, and how similar companies get it right, they have made web usability accessible.

This format may have a bright future. The authors zoomed in on the sort of contingencies troubling e-commerce websites. There may be room for similar books on more generic usability problems. Until then, Defensive Design for the Web deserves to be read by web designers who take their craft seriously.

Article URL: http://www.evolt.org/article/Book_review_Defensive_Design_for_the_Web/12/60317/index.html

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