The Web Design Wow! Book
by Jack Davis and Susan Merritt

Publisher:  Peachpit Press
ISBN:  0201886782

The Web Design WOW! Book is specifically about interface design--chiefly for Web sites, but also for other forms of on-screen communication such as CD-ROM presentations and software. It is not about the mechanics of creating Web pages, but rather a brainstorming and teaching tool for Web site designers that focuses on how to design a Web site (or other on-screen presentation) that effectively delivers the content and the message.

The first few chapters thoroughly cover the basics of interface design--what it is, the process, and design fundamentals. For each covered concept from identifying the audience to programming to marketing there are numerous Web sites offered as examples.

The book has a great balance of screen shots and text. The hundreds of full-color illustrations are all captioned. The text is easy to skim due to plentiful use of informative subheads. While the content is the best part, its presentation makes the book easy to read and easy to use--a mark of a well designed interface in print or on-screen!

The WOW! in the title doesn't refer to flashy graphics or use of "gee-whiz" tools. The WOW! is in the variety of the featured sites and the ways they accomplish their communication goals. There is something for everyone whether you want to sell sizzle or calm nerves.

Seven chapters full of case studies--actual Web sites or CD-ROMs, etc.--are grouped by the overall communication goal for that site. If entertainment is the primary goal of your Web site, explore the sites presented in Chapter 5. Need ideas for presenting an on-line portfolio? Go to Chapter 9: Portfolios and Presentations. Have something to sell? Study Chapter 10: Sales.

For each case study, you'll find screen layouts, a discussion of the design strategy, hardware, and software used, and a map showing the overall organization of the site. The map is only a small component of each case study, but it effectively strips away the distraction of color, text, and graphics to let you study how the interface is put together.

From 5 to 10 sites are dissected in each chapter. They range from the serious (Chapter 8: Publishing, Testing the Human Spirit An AIDS Memorial) to the fun (Chapter 7: Education and Training, GTE Entertainment's MegaMorfMonster Lab software). Each of the ten chapters of The Web Design WOW! Book close with a gallery that looks briefly at two different sites that further illustrate the main idea of each chapter.

Just as the case studies cover a gamut of types of interfaces, the gallery choices cover a range of styles.

Use the hundreds of examples in this book for inspiration and as a problem-solving tool. Go behind the screen to learn what challenges the design teams faced, get tips for organizing your work and dealing with clients. As an added bonus you'll find try-out versions of popular Web tools including Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe PageMill, and BBEdit, plus fullworking versions of browsers, plug-ins, and utilities such as GIF Construction Set and FeatherGIF.

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