Don't Use Ajax Where It's Inappropriate

Attractive as Ajax undoubtedly is for improving web interfaces, you need to accept that there are many situations where the use of Ajax detracts from the user experience instead of adding to it.

This is especially true where the page-based interface metaphor is perfectly adequate for, perhaps even of greater relevance to, the content and style of the site. Text-based sites with subjects split conveniently into chapter-styled pages can often benefit as much from intelligently designed hyperlinking as they can from the addition of Ajax functionality.

Small sites in particular may struggle to get sufficient benefit from an Ajax interface to balance the associated costs of additional code and added complexity.