Category Archives: Books

Defensive design for the web

I just finished this “40-guidelines-book” for web development/usability.

It covers 40 error handling and usability principles. Many of them may be standard functions that you always implement and include, but I found a few that I have not thought about before. Thanks to this book, it will help me to build even better websites :).

You can find it at Amazon or Adlibris.se

Last two of Ender Shadow series

During my vacation I finally finished last two books of Enders Shadow series: “Shadow Puppets” and “Shadow of the Giant“. I enjoyed these books as I like Orson Scott Card’s style, buy I must say that 4 books of the original Ender series was much more interesting as the later did not have so much of the SF bits in them.

Now I will try out another series by Scott Card: “Homecoming”, beginning with “The Memory of Earth

A Brief and briefer History of Time

A Brief History of Time
A Brief History of Time
A Briefer History of Time
A Briefer History of Time

Finally I managed to get trough this book/books. I read first 6 chapters 3-4 years ago in the “Brief” book, but then I got stuck ;). A month ago I found a CD book with a recording of the “Briefer” version. It helped me to get trough it. Even if something my be missing from the original book, I liked most the first chapters as they had most impact om me.

Don’t make me think

Don't make me think by Steve Krug
Don't make me think by Steve Krug

My first book on my vacation. It did reinforce the importance of few usability issues for me.

Some important points made in this book:

  • Back button is most used feature in web browsers. Always see to that it works correctly with your web application.
  • People don’t read web pages, they scan them until they find first item that may mach theirs needs.
  • All clickable items on a page should look clickable.
  • Do not present user with to many choices (search options).
  • User testing is very important. Test you ideas often on small groups: 3-4 people.