![]() | |
![]() |
Web Usability: The Basics
What is web usability & why is it important? Web usability is about making your website in such a way that your site users can find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently. A usable website can reap huge benefits on to your website and your business. * Every £1 invested in improving your website's usability returns £10 to £100 (source: IBM) * A web usability redesign can increase the sales/conversion rate by 100% (source: Jakob Nielson) Your website has to be easy to navigate Users have gradually become accustomed to particular layouts and phrases on the Internet, for example: * Organisation logo is in the top-left corner and links back to the homepage * The term 'About us' is used for organisation information * Navigation is in the same place on each page and adjacent to the content * Anything flashing or placed above the top logo is often an advertisement * The term 'Shopping cart' is used for items you might wish to purchase There are numerous other conventions like these that enhance your website's usability - can you think of some more? Don't underestimate the importance of these conventions - as the Internet matures we're getting more and more used to things being a certain way. Break these conventions and you may be left with nothing but a website with poor usability and a handful of dissatisfied site visitors. Pages must download quickly Usability studies have shown that 8.6 seconds is the maximum time web users will wait for a page to download (source: Andrew B. King - Speed Up Your Site). As of March 2004 just 25% of UK web users had broadband (source: UK National Statistics) so it's essential for optimal usability that your website downloads quickly. To speed up the download time of your website we recommend you do three things: * Use CSS and not tables to lay out your web page * Use CSS and not images to create fancy navigation items * Read this article about how to speed up the download time of your web pages at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/speed Information should be easy to retrieve We read web pages in a different manner to the way we read printed matter. We generally don't read pages word-for-word - instead we scan. When we scan web pages certain items stand out: * Headings * Link text * Bold text * Bulleted lists Did you notice that images were left out of that list? Contrary to the way in which we read printed matter, we see text before we see images on the Internet. For optimal website usability don't place important information in images as it might go unnoticed. Restrictions must not be placed on users Don't prevent your users from navigating through the Internet in the way that they want to. For example: 1. Every time a link is opened in a new window the back button is disabled. Approximately 60% of Web users employ the back button as their primary means of navigation (source: Usability Interface). If you do this then you're preventing 60% of your users from using their primary navigation - now that can't be good for usability. 2. Don't use frames to lay out your website. Frames can cause a number of usability problems, namely: * Disabling the back button (see above) * Bookmarking not possible * Impossible to e-mail the link to someone else * Problems with printing * Users feel trapped if external links open in the same window * Search engine optimisation issues There are lots of other ways that websites can place restrictions on its users, ultimately damaging their usability - can you think of any more? Just think back to the last time a website really infuriated you - what annoying thing did it do to make you feel that way? This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone. They offer fantastic accessibility & CSS support packages, which you can read all about at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/support .
MORE RESOURCES: Jeremy McGilvrey, A Web Design Agency Announces Web Design Services In Pearland, Texas Yahoo Finance How Will Blockchain Impact Web Design And Development in 2023? The Crypto Basic Best Web Development Companies In India 2023 Read IT Quik Rule Your Kingdom Launches SEO-Optimized eCommerce Website ... Digital Journal Portfolio Requirements for Web and App Emphasis | Web Design ... Utah Valley University DNA Digital Archives in Namibia | Web Design & Development Utah Valley University Gov. Lujan Grisham breaks ground on Creative Campus in Las ... Office of the Governor Best AI Tools for Web Designers (2023) MarkTechPost A Web Designer's Tech Stack Practical Ecommerce Sagentic Web Design Celebrates 20 Years of Building Strong Online Presence for Businesses and Organizations Canon City Daily Record Yoast SEO Founders Invest in WordPress Accessibility Plugin Search Engine Journal Texas Web Design Unveils Innovative Design Solutions for ... Digital Journal Top 10 Web Development Companies in USA 2023 Read IT Quik SystMD Celebrates 5 Years of Innovation in Web Design Digital Journal Top 7 Product Design Trends for 2023 Fordham Ram Global 3D Web Design Service Market Research Report 2023-2033 ... Los Alamos Monitor 10 Best AI Tools for Web Developers Designmodo Web development versus web design: What's the difference? Border Chronicle Bellevue Responsive Web Design Agency With Expert Lead ... Digital Journal Global Responsive Web Design Services Market Research Report ... Los Alamos Monitor Eastbay SEO Company Celebrates Quality Services Since 2015 Digital Journal How to Start a Website Money I don't want to log in to your website The Verge Russia's Economy Is Starting to Come Undone The Wall Street Journal How Automation is Changing the Landscape of Web Development Robotics and Automation News Retailers are using sneaky web design to catch you out Creative Bloq Simple Steps to Mobile-first Web Design Practical Ecommerce 11 Best AI Tools for Web Designers Designmodo 20 Free Web Design Tools from Fall 2022 Practical Ecommerce This Colorado web designer doesn't want to make wedding sites for ... Colorado Public Radio Top Web Design Trends 2023 Designmodo System Breaks Down Barriers for Blind Web Designers Maryland Today The Impact Of Competitive Analysis On Web Design & How To Perform It Properly [DesignRush QuickSights] Yahoo Finance 7 AI Writing Tools on Writesonic for Web Design MUO - MakeUseOf Big Tech battles impending CA web design law Capitol Weekly How to Convert Any Website Into a Figma Design MUO - MakeUseOf 6 web design trends to watch in 2023 Creative Bloq 10 Professional-Level Web Design Tools to Get the Ideal Website Robotics and Automation News This fiendish quiz tests your web design knowledge Creative Bloq Lubbock Christian University adds new web design degree KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com The 10 Best Web Development Companies MUO - MakeUseOf Web Design: A Dive Into the Digital World The Piedmont Highlander Wheelistic Web Design rebrands as Green Marketing Lawn & Landscape What Rust Brings to Frontend and Web Development The New Stack Web design firm adding staff in Putnam County – Inside INdiana ... Inside INdiana Business Understanding the Basics of Web Development Enterprise Apps Today 70+ Web Design Statistics 2022 to Improve Your Customer Experience Enterprise Apps Today Engines of Our Ingenuity 2470: Spider Web Design Houston Public Media Is It Worth the Cost to Hire a Web Designer for Your Business? The Motley Fool Faculty Innovation Grant Leads to Graphic Design Awards for Seton ... Seton Hall University |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
RELATED ARTICLES
Excellently Constructed Websites Want to see an excellently constructed website? As a writer I found one of my favorite writers: (Paulo Coelho) has a site that could inspire anyone who wants to create a more humanistic presence on the Web.Being a writer, when I was asked to do some research into what makes a good website, of course I straightaway went to check out all of my favorite authors. 12 Essential Web Site Design Tips 1. What's the purpose?The most fundamental thing to do before designing your web site is to define its purpose. Finger Eating Garage Door Reveals Breakthrough Web Design and Linking Strategy Last Thursday afternoon I was working on a garage door and regrettably loosened the torsion spring too much. This spring is what relieves or neutralizes the weight of the garage door so the openers can work without burning out and so you don't have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to open it. Why Not To Use Web Design Templates For Your Website In today's age of fast food and high-speed Internet, a business may be tempted to take the "more convenient" route in launching a website - buying a template and customising it.Website design templates are like off-the-shelf websites and are targeted at people who believe that launching their own, unique and differentiated website is costly and time consuming, which need not be the case. My Top Ten List Of Extremely Annoying Web Page Design Elements! Easy navigation and usability are one of the most important aspects of creating a "user friendly" website. However, there are still a "plethora" of web-sites out there that are, to be politically correct, "functionally challenged. Quality Website Design At An Affordable Price I always have people asking me if I know of anybody who can build them a website which is affordable but also professional looking. They want the website to be search engine friendly, there is no point in having a website if no one can see it, and fully optimised. Make Your Site Quick To Load! The time it takes to load your site can make or break a visitor's first impression of your site. If your site takes too long to load, the visitor will click "Stop" or "Back" and leave your web site. Custom Website Design - 7 Steps to a More Professional Website If you are trying to sell a product or service on your website, then it is important to make your site as professional as possible. You might think designing that your own website to look like a professional did so is a rather difficult proposition, however there are many tools online that will help you achieve professional looking design. How to Use Sliced Graphics to Layout Your Web Site The problem with designing your site as a graphic, is thatit would take too long to load. Your visitors would leaveyour site immediately and move to your competitors website. How to Find Inexpensive Web Design Web design is a very competitive area and there is no longer any reason why people should pay large amounts for website design services.This article describes and explains where to find very very cheap website design services. Website Design For Small Businesses There are many different website design companies, offering different facilities such as flash design, however what should a small business look for when seeking an internet prescence?When choosing which company you would like to build your website, there are many factors which you need to take into consideration.Firstly how much is the website going to cost to build and host. Having A User Friendly Website Let's look at what your user wants to see at your website.1. How To Choose A Website Designer Now that you have decided that it is time to create a website for your business there are many questions you must answer. One of the most important questions is "Who should create my website?"I like to use the analogy of playing music; in as little as a few hours, some people can strum a few chords on the guitar and play a song. How to Make Your Site Attractive to Potential Link Partners Every now and then, I receive a link exchange request from someone who wants a link from my directory (my high-ranking directory directly accessible from the index page), and in exchange, they're willing to link to my page from one of their zillions of link pages about 18 jumps away from the home page. Needless to say, the proffered page has a Google PageRank of 0, and chances are it's not even indexed by any search engines. Colorblind People, Can They Really Read Your Web Site? I once created a notepad-like editor. It is possible with this editor to write Russian text on a western Windows without using a Cyrillic keyboard in front of your computer. A Web Site That Sells Is All One Needs To Have A Successful Online Business! There are more than billions of Web Sites, running Online Businesses, offering products and services. But only a few Web Sites manage to make any sale. Technology vs. Usability When JV Media Design was formed, the year was 1995 and the Internet was a very different place than it is today.The first websites we created used simple layouts, a modest amount of graphics, standard "web safe" colors, and no javascript. Sell Yourself First...Your Key To More Sales Selling on the internet is a challenge. There is noway to come "face to face" with your potential buyer. Dont Make Your Website User-UNfriendly! Web Design is a very subjective process. Your idea of what looks good may differ from the next person's. Graphic Terms- The Basics Part I You're almost set. The content of your website, e-book, or software is complete. ![]() |
home | site map |
Webdesign-box © 2006 |