Book Review: Don't Make Me Think

Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think has been on my "to-read" list for years. I finally got around to starting it last year and after a good bit of procrastination I finally finished it.

Many others have already recommended this book so I will add my recommendation to the list. The clear practical advice helps supply you with tools for your next design discussion. This isn't a long drawn out tome on the "right" way to design user interfaces but a experience based collection of ways to improve how you think about design and usability by focusing on the user.

For me the most practical topic was the later chapter about usability testing on a budget. The presentation is clear and pragmatic and immediately useful to anyone looking to improve the usability of their product with minimal investment.

Some quotes that stuck with me:

We don't make optimal choices. We satisfice.

I should really print this one out and put it on the wall. As someone who tends to look for the optimal solution in everything it serves as a nice reminder that most of the world does not.

It's not what we call ourselves that matters, it's the attitude we bring and the skills we can contribute.

This one was in the context of UX/designer/User Interaction Engineer and all the other titles that are out there. It reminds me of the constant conversation around what software developers/engineers/programmers call themselves. It's easy to call yourself a craftsman but it is much harder to act like it.