I would recommend this book to anyone designing for the Web. While there are books out there on Web design and usability, Badre's book is the first I've seen that connects the Web designer to the vast existing literature on usability. Unlike most books on Web design, Badre's book isn't just advice, but it's advice backed up by theory and research -- and he provides the connection to the theory and research. This book would work as an only-book for a Web designer, or as a starting point to learn much more about usability and interface design.

The book would be an excellent textbook for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate class on designing for the Web or Web usability. The extensive citations, the connection of advice to research, and the large number of real Web examples make it an exceptional book for students.

What I most enjoyed about the book were the chapters that went beyond traditional desktop interface design and usability, into new areas of research (such as the chapter on Aging and the Web) and areas specific to the Web (such as designing for cultural specificity on the Web or for handheld Web devices). I had heard some of the advice about designing for elderly users or for users of different cultures before, but the depth of these chapters and the fascinating research findings surprised and delighted me. I had no idea before about some of the more subtle but critical findings in these studies.

Wholeheartedly, I will recommend this book to anyone designing for the Web, including my own students building Web-based user interfaces.

Mark Guzdial, Author: Squeak: Object-Oriented design with Multimedia Applications.