The Web Designer’s 101 Most Important Decisions, by Scott Parker.

While browsing at the bookstore the other day, I came across this little gem hidden behind other books in the Web Programming and Web Graphics section. I ended up buying it, and after reading it through I can safely recommend it as a great all-around introductory web design manual.

It’s not just a book about layouts and graphics, though it covers that. It’s also not just about programming and coding, though it discusses both those topics as well. This book literally covers every part of the webdesign process, from planning and programming your site to launching and promoting it. Here’s a very small sample of topics which Parker offers pointers on:

• planning before developing a website
• what kind of programming languages are available
• keeping content both brief and informative
• the great “vertical navigation vs. horizontal navigation” debate
• modal windows, the new and slightly less annoying pop-up window (this was news to me)
• giving clear site error messages
• making stylesheets that are disabled-friendly and mobile-friendly
• effectively connecting with users via blogs, forums, and social media pages
• promoting your website with business cards and flyers (sound old-fashioned? It ain’t!)

…and there is a TON more stuff that I haven’t even mentioned. Seriously, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

The book is organized into 11 chapters, of which each topic covered takes up a page or two, and each page is graphically organized to be easy to browse through and scan. It’s also fairly easy to find pages again if you need to look something up, so it’s not just a book you read once and give away–it’s a book you keep around for quick reference.

Though this is definitely not a step-by-step manual on how to code an HTML page, how to set up a Facebook page for your site, or how to create a layout in Photoshop, it does introduce you to all these concepts and more, as well as giving you keywords to aid in your search for further information. Kinda wish I’d had a book like this when I started web design back in ’03! 😀