These two concepts go hand-in-hand in ways that I blushingly admit I did not see before I read this book. Godin's insights into how sites work are smart, sensible, and entertaining.
It's a quick read (I got through it in a couple of hours, at my computer, visiting many of the sites he uses in the book), but the concepts Godin presents are valuable and worth frequent revisiting.
If you read only one web-design book this year, make it this one!
(and a special PS to Seth: Thanks for pointing out the "SADWEEK.COM" parody site; best laughs I've had in months!)
The loudest message from The Big Fed Fez is that the site should be about the customer not the developer, marketer or business manager. There is some good commentary on customer segmentation and how to address customer segmentation. Another useful idea is trying different approaches and measuring the results of each. There are plenty of products that make this approach feasible and the results make the effort worth while. One of the most important activities is measuring is establishing a baseline.
The Big Red Fez is a quick read, but has many useful ideas and concepts. If you are an engineer, marketer or business owner manager this book provides useful insights into building a great customer experience.