[finders] Web Style Guide

[finders at findability.org]

November 17, 2008: Web Style Guide

http://www.findability.org/archives/000224.php

The 3rd edition of the Web Style Guide is here ahead of schedule.

And since the authors haven't yet had time to make the whole text available
online, here's the foreword (which I had the distinct pleasure of writing).

--- start foreword by Peter Morville ---

Once upon a time, there was a pig named Wilbur. What? Did you expect a line
on design or a word about the web? Or would you prefer a simile, a
figurative yet sincere invocation of kinship with The Elements of Style by
William Strunk and E. B. White?

It's true, this book has style. And it covers all the elements from css and
typography to html and the structure of prose. But, if we focus too narrowly
on the conjunction and the comma, we may lose sight of the composition.

So let's return to the runt who becomes "some pig" thanks to the writing in
Charlotte's Web. Wilbur and his spider friend, Charlotte, teach us about
loyalty and friendship in a way that touches all readers, young and old.

In similar fashion, Web Style Guide delivers value and meaning to seemingly
disparate audiences, from the student prodigy who would be webmaster to the
grizzled veteran information architect who's been there and organized that.

For the beginner, this book teaches the fundamentals of interface design,
information architecture, and usability without unnecessary complexity or
jargon. It's the clearest, most practical guide to Web design you'll find.

Experts will savor this book differently. In an age of specialization, we
often get stuck in a rut. Web Style Guide invites us once again to see the
whole and to learn the latest techniques from related disciplines and
communities of practice.

But this book is more than a manual. It speaks not only to what we do but
why. Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton inspire us to strive for universal
usability. And because not everyone can enjoy the beautiful images and
typography of the printed work, the authors walk the talk by sharing an
accessible version of Web Style Guide online, for free.

After all, concern for people lies at the heart of design. We lift ourselves
up by helping others. As Charlotte explained to Wilbur at the end of her
story, "I wove my webs for you because I liked you." Isn't that our story,
too?

--- end foreword by Peter Morville ---

During World Usability Day, Sarah gave me the book, fresh off the press. It
was the perfect context in which to receive my copy. Are you ready for
yours?