Smashing Book Review

Web design pundits Smashing Magazine’s foray into print publishing offers a great set of best practices and general design concepts invaluable to those on the interface side of creating websites.

These folks have consistently offered content of exceptional quality since launching in September 2006 and this book stays true to the high standards for which they have become known. After waiting nearly two months for our copy of the book due, apparently, to some glitches in the overseas printing process, I can honestly say the wait was worth it.

The book’s preface states that “We consider the topics covered here fundamental and so the content is, we hope, highly practical.” That said, the book is more conceptual in nature, preferring to focus on best practices rather than step-by-step tutorials (you can find plenty of those on the website). However, though the content is considered fundamental, I found it a great reminder of just how much thought, effort and creative thinking are required to design truly effective interfaces that increase conversions and maintain consistency across cultures, communities and browsers.

The book offers a great set of practical articles covering essential skills of modern web design and includes the following chapters:

• User Interface Design in Modern Web Applications
• The Art and Science of CSS-Layouts
• Typography: Rules, Guidelines and Common Mistakes
• Usability Principles for Modern Websites
• The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Color Usage
• Optimization for Websites
• Design to Sell—Increasing Conversion Rates
• How to Turn a Site into a Remarkable Brand
• Learning from Experts—Interviews and Insights
• Behind the Curtains: The Smashing Magazine Story

Each chapter is thorough, well-written and comprehensive. Newbie web designers will find countless tips and overviews of basic design concepts while seasoned professionals will enjoy the insights of other industry experts and timely approaches to common design and communication challenges. We regularly share links from the Smashing site around the office, so when we discovered they were producing a book we ordered it immediately, and I’m happy to report they have not disappointed. If you like Smashing Magazine, you will no doubt enjoy this book.