A Useful Government Publication. No, Really.

During my recent review of all things usability, I came across Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines from the HHS department. I ordered the book itself, but you can actually download and print the entire book in PDF format, if you like.

It's basically a compendium of most of what Jared Spool, Jakob Nielsen, et al have written about already, but it ranks individual issues on a scale of 1-5 based on strength of evidence (i.e., research-based or expert opinion) and relative importance—helpful metrics when you have limited time and/or resources and need to prioritize site enhancements. These are well-organized guidelines, generously illustrated and thoroughly cited, that allow you to back up your assertions of what makes a good user interface.

The downside? I didn't get to order it from Pueblo, Colorado.