"Usability" has become the watchword of contemporary Web design,
and with good reason. But until now, books on Web usability have focused chiefly
on response times, compatibility, and other technical matters, providing only
limited guidance on design issues. This book takes Web usability a step further–and
shows how good visual design can make a site not just usable, but user-friendly.
Using hundreds of real-world Web examples, interface expert Luke Wroblewski
explains how to enhance usability by applying the principles of visual communications
to site design. Good visual design, he demonstrates, can make a site’s
organization crystal clear–and convey its personality or "attitude"
in an instant. Offering lots of specific design recommendations for text, links,
images, navigation, forms, home pages, dynamic content, and Web services, Site-Seeing
delivers the insights and advice you need to boost a site’s visual appeal–and
take Web usability to the next level.
PART ONE: THINK BEFORE YOU...COMMUNICATE: THE PLANNING STAGES.
INTRODUCTION: Learning to Speak Web.
The Evolution of the Web.
The Usability Era.
What This Book is About.
CHAPTER 1: What Do You Want to Say? Decide on Content.
Know What to Say.
Say it in "Web".
Getting to Know Your Client.
Understanding your client's goals.
Understand Your Audience.
What they are looking for.
How they communicate.
Using profiles and scenarios.
Determining Content.
Writing It All Down.
Referring back to it.
CHAPTER 2: You Need a Plan: Preparing for Content.
Organizing Your Site.
Categorize your information.
Accommodate your audience.
Visualize it: schematics.
Navigating Your Content.
Getting around the site.
Too much versus too little.
People are different.
Visualize it: navigation mock-ups.
Finding Your Personality.
Describe yourself.
Visualize it: sample combinations.
Remembering Your Limitations.
Think technically.
Think globally.
List it: product requirements.
Scheduling Your Progress.
Visualize it: content delivery schedule.
PART TWO: HOW TO...COMMUNICATE: THE THREE LEXICONS OF WEB USABILITY.
CHAPTER 3: Technically It's a Lexicon: Technical Considerations.
Getting Technical.
Responding Promptly.
Paying attention.
Providing feedback.
Unifying the Web.
Breaking the model.
Keep 'em browsing.
Nonstandard interactions.
Incorrect use of conventions.
Following Links.
Different destinations.
Marking the trail.
Assembling the Page.
Keep content dominant.
Being Accessible.
Provide ALT-ernatives.
Leaving a forwarding address.
CHAPTER 4: Birds of a Feather, Flock Together: Visual Organization Principles.
Speaking Visually.
Seeing Information.
Understanding perception.
Forming relationships.
Building a hierarchy.
Using visual weight.
Keeping it balanced.
Educating your audience.
Explaining where.
Explaining what.
Explaining how.
CHAPTER 5: Who Are You? Get a Personality.
What is Personality?
Why Have a Personality?
Say the right thing.
Be unique.
Invite and engage.
Bring it all together.
How to Get a Personality.
Investigating the possibilities.
Using color.
Using type.
Using visual elements.
Using interactivity.
PART THREE: START COMMUNICATING: ONLINE, THAT IS!
CHAPTER 6: Fundamental Particles: The Elements of Web.
Working the Elements.
Know your basics.
Elements and personality.
Navigation Systems.
Keeping it clean.
Providing alternates.
Keeping navigation in its place.
Body Text.
Being readable.
Linking within.
Images.
Eliciting interest.
Part of the bigger picture.
Keeping it small.
Page Footers.
Within the footer.
The footer and the page.
Forms.
Ask the right questions.
Make consistent requests.
Create a visible order.
CHAPTER 7: Home Is A Cluttered Place Indeed!
What Belongs at Home?
Everyone wants to be at home.
Leave it in the garage.
First Impressions.
What's Inside?
The right amount of contrast.
Entrance hierarchy.
Grouping entrances.
New Additions.
Working together.
Getting noticed.
CHAPTER 8: We Are Always Changing.
A Web in Need.
The dynamic advantage.
No longer just browsing.
Dynamic Designs.
Getting to content.
Template power.
Know what to expect.
Generation PLEX.
Our complex nature.
Doing our own thing.
More to Come.
Conclusion.
Permissions.
Bibliography.
Index.
