If you read only one book about web design, it should be Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug. It is an easy read and applicable to website owners as well as designers. The book covers the basic principles of what makes a website work: how to designate links, organize content and create a visual hierarchy on a page. By using a significant number of before and after examples, Steve Krug is able to demonstrate how small changes can significantly impact the usability of a web page.

I especially liked the section of the book that covers user testing. Steve shatters the myth that usability testing needs to be expensive, in a sterile lab environment and with a large number of subjects. In fact, Steve suggests only a few users per test (to quickly correct the problems that come to light as a result of the test) and repeating a test often, until all problems are addressed. Steve does not even believe that test subjects need to be from the website’s primary user group, that generally, a test subject can be just an average website user.

As setting expectations with clients can be tough as well as at times needing to prove to clients that you, the designer, do in fact, know what you are doing, why not present each new client with this book at the time of contract signing? It can be a great tool to reference during the design process to help resolve design conflicts between client and designer. The information makes so much sense, it is hard to dispute.