experts

The content of this book has been shaped and re-shaped over the years, as my ideas about the web and the web itself evolved. The most important influences were the interviews with dozens of industry veterans some friends, some strangers who generously shared their insights with me.

They include Andrew Anker, Adam Berliant, Carrie Bickner, Hillary Billings, Doug Bowman, Rick Boyce, Martha Brockenbrough, Sheryl Cababa, Kris Carpenter, Jason Cook, Cate Corcoran, Greg Dotson, Esther Drill, Janice Fraser, Jim Frew, Jesse James Garrett, Margaret Gould-Stewart, Lara Hoyem, Mark Hurst, Luke Knowland, Mike Kuniavsky, Hunter Madsen, Matt Margolin, Lance McDaniel, Noah Mercer, Peter Merholz, Jim Morris, Steve Mulder, Peter Naylor, Wendy Owen, Derek Powazek, Josh Quittner, Nadav Savio, Randi Shade, Emily Simas, Srinija Srinivasan, Pamela Statz, Taylor, Evany Thomas, thau!, Michael Twidale, Beth Vanderslice, Jeffrey Veen, Omar Wasow, Kristin Windbigler, Jason Wishnow, Indi Young, Jeffrey Zeldman, and Tim Ziegler.

The interviews helped me solidify ideas and confirm (or reject) theories. They also expanded the scope of the book. For example, many people independently mentioned without prompting that pull-down menus are an absolute disaster as a navigation device. I didn't know that, actually. But now I do. And you do, too. On a broader scale, I also heard over and over again that the real challenge of web development isn't technology or design or bandwidth or funding. It's people. People and their organizational politics. So I expanded the book to shed some light on workplace issues.

These experts are quoted throughout the book to highlight points, offer real-world examples, and bring the pages to life. However, I must emphasize that I interpreted and consolidated their ideas in accordance with my own editorial judgment and outlook on the industry. So responsibility for the content is ultimately mine.