Chapter 1 touches on logistical theory (“Why?”) and explores the question, “what makes good usability –and is thus good for both the user (them) and the website creator/author (us)?"
The goal, he says, is to minimize cognitive workload so that a user goal may be easily achieved. Workload can refer to any element on a page that requires thought: the worse being ambiguity, arbitrary words or images or placement, obscure wordage, etc.
Minimizing space (vs. risking over-minimalism) requires a balanced approach: a logic between the dictum that ‘the competition is one click away,’ (client leaves) and the fact that many-a-user will doubt their own intuition and persistently toil (client stays).
“If you can’t make a page self-evident, you at least need to make it self-explanatory.“ Ultimately, what this means is, eliminating question marks (e.g., 5 W’s attributed to potential site) should be the overarching practice. i.e., “Brevity is the soul of wit” but don’t outwit your viewer...or yourself.
This is theory.
Chapter 2 focuses on practice: actual use and design application. (“How?”)
Krug reminds us we have to keep in mind that people tend to scan or glance, rather than absorb. It’s quicker, easier, and taking in an entire site is unnecessary in terms of getting to the goal/s. People are also obstinate and habitual. Often we do things the hard way, because we don’t take the time to figure out how things work, or “get it.” This irony lends itself to a dangerous (for us and them) duality of sticking around on a non-intuitive site, and yet getting frustrated by having to do so.
Best to make sure, by designing simply and unassuming of the intuition or savvy of the client, they can easily “get it.” If this is achieved, they get what they were looking for and got what you had to offer. They’ll explore your site with more confidence and thus afford more time and attention, and chances are better they’ll return.
This is (good) practice.
