Review of “Don’t Make Me Think”

I read the book Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug and it was very engaging and taught me about the importance of making websites. There are many different approaches. I had never thought about the concept of making a website before reading this. I thought it was easier to let a tech person create a website for me but it’s interesting to see what Krug has to say about creating websites. A big tip that I got out of the book was that we don’t actually read things that we see on the internet, we usually “scan” them. When I read through a website or blog, I often skim through the headlines/titles to see what interests me the most. Even when I click the most interesting article or blog post, I often scan through the article and take bits and pieces of the things I think are most important. That’s how most people read on the Internet. It’s not always about the length or depth of the information, it’s how appealing and easy to read it is. Krug also mentioned how we “muddle through” things and not actually take the time to figure out how things work. There are times when I scroll through websites, social media and blogs trying to learn about something that interests me without actually learning. For example, I often watch documentaries and videos about how to make food and by the time I finish watching the video I haven’t actually learned anything. We often look at a page or watch a video and glance at some of the information without fully delving into the subject. People often get distracted as well, which is what I think Krug means when he describes the word “satisficing,” meaning to satisfy and suffice someone’s desire. When using the Internet people always choose something that gets them to a specific goal. For example, if I am on the Internet to look at how to make pasta I will go to the best possible option of a website for making pasta. That’s how people should direct their websites without complicating things. A website has to be simple and easy to maneuver because people want something that is right in front of them and simple to understand. It’s really important, and Krug stressed this, to talk about what the website is about on the homepage. Make it plain and simple. I think people respond best to simple language without being too complex about a subject. If I make a website, I will also have people test it out and see if they understand the concept and if it is easy for them to use. I would want to create something that is easy for everyone and will be easy to use for the user. I think it is also important to make sure you focus on the things you are putting on your website and read them over for several days. If you write an essay, you often go back and edit it before submitting it. The same concept can be applied to creating a website and the content you are providing. Reread it, rewatch it and edit the information to make it as easy to view or read or interact with. I definitely think the points Krug made were very important if someone is interested in creating a website.