Don't Make Me Think, Revisited

Highlights

1. 01

   Occasionally, time spent reinventing the wheel results in a revolutionary new rolling device. But usually it just amounts to time spent reinventing the wheel.

2. 02

   If you’re going to innovate, you have to understand the value of what you’re replacing (or as Dylan put it, “To live outside the law, you must be honest”), and it’s easy to underestimate just how much value conventions provide.

3. 03

   If you’re not going to use an existing Web convention, you need to be sure that what you’re replacing it with either (a) is so clear and self-explanatory that there’s no learning curve—so it’s as good as the convention, or (b) adds so much value that it’s worth a small learning curve.

4. 04

   My recommendation: Innovate when you know you have a better idea, but take advantage of conventions when you don’t.

5. 05

   rule of thumb is that you can—and should—be as creative and innovative as you want, and add as much aesthetic appeal as you can, as long as you make sure it’s still usable.

6. 06

   CLARITY TRUMPS CONSISTENCY

7. 07

   If you can make something significantly clearer by making it slightly inconsistent, choose in favor of clarity.

8. 08

   In general, you’ll be fine if you just stick to one color for all text links or make sure that their shape and location identify them as clickable. Just don’t make silly mistakes like using the same color for links and nonclickable headings.