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Web Design Articles: Look Ma! I made a webpage!
Books
Once you're ready for more in-depth info, it's time to turn to the ol' reference books. These are some of my favorite must-haves, offered here in association with amazon.com. They have all been out a while, but even so, are still worth the read.
The
Non-Designer's Design Book,
by Robin Williams
If you're designing a site without professional design training, this one needs to be on the top of your shopping list! It costs well under $15, takes a couple hours to read, and you will be able to tell the difference in the quality of your designs immediately.
In fact, this thin little book is one of the best for any collection of new web designers. If you have a degree in graphic design, you can pass this one up, but everyone else should find lots of helpful tips.
Designing
Web Usability, by Jakob Neilson
This is the book your visitors will appreciate. Long heralded as the premier web usability guru, Jakob will give you lots to think about. Although I don't agree with all his recommendations—he prefers function over form in every situation— you will pick up lots of valuable ideas for making your site more user-friendly.
To get a better understanding of the “form over functionality” issue, you can visit Jakob's site. One look at the site, and you'll get an idea of the tradeoffs involved in designing for usability.
Robin
Williams Design Workshop, by Robin Williams
Design Workshop is a very nice “idea book,” with plenty of assistance for the beginning designer and those without a formal graphic design education. There are tons of full-color photos and in-depth description of projects.
There is one rather annoying feature to the book, though: at that start, there is a quiz that is represented as a test of “what the reader should know to get the most out of the book.” The answers to the questions are not provided, however. The reader is directed to buy the author's other books. Yuck!
=>> Admit it!
