A great insight into human behavioral patterns as it relates to influencing consumer decisions and building engagement with Web sites.
I’ve bought and read “Neuro Web Design” for my airplane ride to SXSW and really liked it. It was an entertaining read. The book doesn’t really focus on design elements or “hardcore” IA, it talks more about some basic ideas about how people interact with Web sites.
I didn’t find the actual conclusions in the book to be revealing. Most of the stuff is User Design 101, but the books gives some good insight to why people have certain behaviors and how it relates to psychology and even life outside of Web design. My favorite parts of the book are the descriptions of psychological studies that demonstrate a premise in the book. It great to be able to understand more deeply how and why people associate themselves with specific personas and as a designer how you can tap into that. One potential downside for the reader is the book isn’t a how-to book, it’s just informative about behaviors.
Example Study
Here one of my favorite studies (very edited version):
In “Chapter 7 – Building Commitment—We Want to Think We’re Consistent” (on page 76-77) the author writes about a study where unsuspecting people were asked if they would put a large and ugly “Keep California Beautiful” sign in their lawn. Three groups are asked.
Group A:
The “Keep California People” in their first encounter with a home owner ask he or her to place the large sign in their yard.
< 20% approve
Group B
Before being asked if they’d place the large sign in their yard. They were asked if they would place a small three-inch “Drive Carefully.” sign in their car window.
Three weeks later they are asked if they would place the large “Keep California People” sign in their yard.
46% approve
Group C
This group is first asked to sign a petition to “Keep California Beautiful.” Then three weeks later they are ask to place the large “Keep California People” sign in their yard.
76% approve
This is a good example of where the study is more interesting then the design principal. Most designers have heard of tapping into personas, many know how, some even know why. But the study really shows how strongly if can affect people’s decisions.
I recommend the book as a good and entertaining read, but don’t necessarily expect it to change the way you do your work. It will most likely just reinforce some of the principals you already use. Plus, it’s great to be able to show a client, boss, or co-worker that making great design isn’t just about flourishes, gradients, and racing stripes.There is a science to the way people interact with design.
<cynicism>Note: logic doesn't prevail with all people.</cynicism>
Panic has added a new feature in Coda version 1.6 called Open Quickly. It’s basically spotlight for the files within your site’s project.
