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Book 001 · UX / Design

Don't Make Me Think

by Steve Krug

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The short version

A common sense approach to web usability, with practical principles for making websites and apps intuitive and easy to use.

Category
UX / Design
Recommendation
Essential

Where it helps

Problems this book can help with.

  1. 01 Users struggling to navigate your product
  2. 02 High friction in critical user flows
  3. 03 Unclear calls to action and confusing layouts
  4. 04 Over-designed interfaces that slow users down
  5. 05 Not knowing how to evaluate usability

Main ideas

What I took from it.

  1. 01 Users don't read, they scan - design accordingly
  2. 02 Eliminate unnecessary questions and decisions
  3. 03 Make clickable things obviously clickable
  4. 04 Conduct simple usability tests with minimal budget
  5. 05 The importance of clear visual hierarchy

My review

Why I recommend it.

Steve Krug’s classic is the most accessible introduction to web usability. Short, practical, and full of concrete examples that you can apply immediately.

If you build digital products, this is a useful reset on clarity. The chapter on lightweight usability testing is especially practical.