book review - 'A Pattern Language for Web Usability'

Book title: A Pattern Language for Web Usability

Author: Ian Graham

ISBN: 0201788888

The title of this book is promising. However, the promise does not hold. The author clearly does not understand patterns or a pattern language. The so-called patterns given here are not patterns in any way. Instead, they are an attempt at a roadmap for the design of a website. I would refer to the design methodology here as a flowchart, not as a pattern language. (And how can a computer scientist mistake a flowchart for a pattern language?)

If you ignore the dreadful attempt at creating a pattern language and simply focus on the usability, the book is marginally better. However, there is almost no focus on the user. There are merely a few rules to follow that may or may not result in a usable website.

If you are conversant with patterns from the seminal Design Patterns by the Gang of Four (Gamma, Helm, Johnson, Vlissides), do not purchase this book. I have not yet found a reasonable book that discusses patterns as applied specifically to web usability. Most of the books in this
field either miss the point of patterns or are not conversant with usability.

If you are new to usability in general, I would recommend Barnum's Usability Testing and Research. It gives you the necessary background, plus can be used as a handbook to design your own usability test. It is an excellent introduction to the subject.

If you are a bit more experienced with usability, but not necessarily with the special considerations for websites, I would recommend Nielsen's Designing Web Usability. It is a much better-written book and describes the necessary concepts much better than this one.

If you are simply looking for a book because you've heard that 'patterns' and 'usability' will help your career, read through the books that I've listed above, in the order that I've listed them.

Related links:
Amazon's page about this book