The Bottom Line
This is a fast and easy read for anyone designing Web pages. Every blooper is identified and solved clearly and easily. Highly recommended.
Pros
- Great photos and descriptions
- Clearly explained solutions
- Easy to read and understand
Cons
- Some bloopers are arguable
- Blooper categories a bit "cute"
- Expensive
Description
- Chapter 1 covers bloopers in content going beyond typos and basic content issues.
- Chapter 2 covers basic tasks on a Web site and how designers make them harder.
- Chapter 3 explains problems with navigation that should be avoided.
- Chapter 4 goes into depth about HTML forms and common problems there.
- Chapter 5 identifies problems we've all seen in search engine results.
- Chapter 6 covers text bloopers like "click here" and calling readers "users".
- Chapter 7 delves into how links should be built correctly.
- Chapter 8 hits the design side of Web design with common issues in layout and graphics.
- Plus there is an appendix to help managers create a better Web site.
- And every site that was mentioned is listed in the bibliography.
Guide Review - Web Bloopers by Jeff Johnson
I read this book in about three days. It was easy to read and the points were valid and hit a bit close to home in many cases. If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself saying "yeah, but..." to a lot of his comments. Remember: this book is a usability manual. It makes no excuses for what is hard or easy to do on the Web, but rather shines a harsh light on some common bad practices. The only blooper I really wasn't convinced about was the duplicate links on a page blooper. Other studies have shown this to be important to help readers understand and find what they're looking for. But aside from that, I highly recommend this book. There is something to offer every Web developer.
