I've just finished reading this book subtitled "A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability". It's only 191 pages with lots of illustrations and a visual treat to read. Well worth picking up if you have any influence of web designs. It's a topic I've been interested in ever since I was a Mac developer fifteen years ago. Good design was a jihad back then. I still drift back to UI design literature now and again.

Unfortunately, now I'm painfully aware of some of the bad points of this website. It needs surgery! The utility functions are too prominent. The visual heiarchy fails. It's got unnecessary clutter.

I recommend making it a habit to drop by the Jolt Awards at least once a year and check out the winners and nominee's. This book was a winner in 2000. It's a good way to find interesting new software and books that you may not have come across.