Photoshop Tricks

5 Comments for this entry

• Pen Name for me
  October 21st, 2010 on 3:36 pm

  Review by Pen Name for me for Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?
  Rating:
  Surprisingly contemporary research on human behavior and motivations sighted throughout the book. Susan does a good job of bringing this new research onboard with a clear explanation of the relevance to her work. An easy enlightening and enjoyable read. It will be easy to incorporate some of her powerful ideas into most web pages. One almost feels guilty, of taking advantage of people, by exploiting what she reveals of human nature. Throughout she shows examples of websites that do it right. You can feel the ahhas coming over you as she walks you through their techniques. If you want to make them click, then this is a good place to start.
• Sathya Srinivasan
  October 21st, 2010 on 3:40 pm

  Review by Sathya Srinivasan for Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?
  Rating:
  This is a good book for those who are working on creating web sites and redesigning old ones. The book talks about the various features often seen in websites and how it appeals to users’ brain. Being a neurology buff, I have read the various studies mentioned in this book in other literature, but was pleasantly surprised to see it tied to web design.

  The book mainly classifies brain in three parts – old (instinctively controlled), mid (emotionally controlled), and new (logically controlled) and explains which brain is triggered by a feature in a web site and eventually argues that you need features that appeal to all three regions to click.

  The author has a very engaging way of presenting the content. I read through the entire book in around 2 hours.

  I think this is a great book for designers to read and keep in mind while designing a website (kind of builds on top of the “Don’t make me think!” book).

  I reduced one star because of the amount of content. With such an engaging idea, I was hoping the author would also expand on other concepts of web design such as navigation, placement, layout, etc. Maybe a follow-up book would be a good idea!

  All in all, a great book for a quick read (may on a plane or train) to put some new thoughts in your brain regarding web site design.
• Brian Martin
  October 21st, 2010 on 4:27 pm

  Review by Brian Martin for Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?
  Rating:
  Personally, I’d rate this book around a 3 or 3.5 just because I’ve been doing my own research on persuasion for a year or so now. I’ve read a lot of books on techniques and little things that persuade people to take certain actions. This book is basically a summary on all these different kinds of techniques.

  A lot of the things I already knew or had learned in another book, but it was nice to have the author pertain it to web design and design principles. For someone who is just a designer or web focused copy writer looking to dig into this persuasion world, this is a nice place to start. It gives a good overview of all the different aspects of persuasion design, like getting people to click a certain button or feel a certain way when designing a web page.

  Some of these things designers may know instintivly, but it’s good to have those instincts re-inforced by someone else. At only 16 bucks I would recommend a purchase unless you’re really already deep into neuro-design or persuasion techniques.

  If you’re sort of new to the field like me, you’ll enjoy the insight the author gives, though it is a quick read. I think there are only around 200 pages total, if that. She doesn’t delve too deep into the topics either. I would have liked to have seen some more case studies perhaps and more detail on some of her research. Possible for a second book she could go more in depth, as it is now it’s a great read, albeit a little short.
• J. Braaten
  October 21st, 2010 on 5:25 pm

  Review by J. Braaten for Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?
  Rating:
  Dr. Weinschenk does herself and persuasive design a huge credit with Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? It can be very easy for an expert of her tenure to gloss over important details or worse, go into too much detail for those looking to learn more about the importance of web design.

  Dr. Weinschenk also employs a skillful use of citation in her book. She’ll explain a complex function of our minds, share the results of a compelling study and then talk about the implications of web design.

  This book will provide value for anyone, from a usability pro to a novice. Highly recommended!
• O. Prusak
  October 21st, 2010 on 5:26 pm

  Review by O. Prusak for Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?
  Rating:
  Let me start by saying that I have been creating web sites professionally since 1997 and have been specializing in increasing the bottom line for web sites since 2005.

  Overall the book is an easy read (132 pages of content) and makes some excellent points.

  Should you get this book?

  If you’re just getting started with the psychological side of creating web sites, then YES!

  On the other hand, if you’ve been reading the following books then it’s basically a re-cap of the their content from the persepctive of creating a web site:
  
  How We Decide
  
  Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials)
  
  Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
  
  Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

  What I found lacking from the book was any mention or even acknowledgement of the “graphic design” side of creating web sites.

  If you want to truly improve the performance of your web site you need to read books like Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition and Web Design for ROI: Turning Browsers into Buyers & Prospects into Leads which complete the picture.