"be intuitive", "strive for simplicity", "call to action"... Yup, same propaganda.

Please share a link to something better.

yeah, I know, complaining without fixing! bad me.

this is pretty good

http://startupsthisishowdesignworks.com/

if only for it's massive reference, references, references

I gave this class at Stanford (i.e. one two hour class as part of a larger PM class) on design, here are the slides http://www.slideshare.net/cwodtke/PMclasso5 but I should annotate more

what is most desired?

How to hire designers?

How to do design?

Yes, more annotations are good.

And now I have some fun homework assignments.

Also, this book is required for anyone who has to design and never has (or feels they might suck)

Non-Designer's Design Book, The (3rd Edition) by Robin Williams http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321534042?ie=UTF8&tag=eleganthack&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0321534042&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&keywords=design%20for%20nondesigners&qid=1342918119&sr=1-1

and this one excellent also

Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated... by William Lidwell http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592535879?ie=UTF8&tag=eleganthack&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=1592535879&keywords=universal%20principles%20of%20design&qid=1342918074&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1 via @amazon

Hmm, I'll noodle on more. Maybe write some stuff up.

and I hope y'all read Josh's blog and his excellent book http://bokardo.com/

especially his Principal of User Interface Design http://bokardo.com/principles-of-user-interface-design/

Thanks for the recommendations, C.!