by Merlyn Holmes

McGraw-Hill Osborne, January, 2002.
Trade Paperback, 548 pages.
ISBN: 0072192615

Web users won't waste their time on your website if it isn't easy to use and the information is difficult to find or read. Navigation and usability are crucial in ecommerce or online subscriptions, when you are trying to get the user to make a purchasing decision. This book helps designers understand usability concepts, why they are important and learn different ways to apply what they have learned. The book covers numerous usability concepts, including user profiles, users' hardware and software constraints, user-centric designs, information architecture, navigation design, user-friendly content and much more.

Most of the usability and navigation concepts introduced in the book are very practical and simple, but very powerful if followed properly. The book includes lots of examples and screenshots, allowing the reader many opportunities to grasp the concepts. It also provides quick self-assessment checks, quizzes and projects for readers to test their knowledge and apply what they have learned. Hints and answers to commonly-asked questions are also provided in shaded boxes and sidebars. The book's appendix includes answers to the quizzes, print and web resources and website functionality and usability checklists. All good web designers need to include at least one usability book in their reading. This is a great book to begin with, because it provides a solid introduction to usability concepts, it is easy to follow and it gives numerous suggestions and self-testing options. Author Merlyn Holmes, a founding partner of the web production company Hot Tea Productions, provides an excellent book on usability with clear, friendly writing that will make beginning designers feel right at home.

Web Usability & Navigation: A Beginner's Guide is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the April, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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