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There are several usability-related issues, methods, and procedures that require careful consideration when designing and developing Web sites. To ensure the best possible outcome, designers should consider a full range of user-interface issues, and work to create a Web site that enables the best possible human performance. The current research suggests that the best way to begin the construction of a Web site is to have many different people propose design solutions (i.e., parallel design), and then to follow up using an iterative design approach.
1. Provide Useful Content
Provide content that is engaging, relevant, and appropriate to the audience. Content is the information provided on a Web site. Do not waste resources providing easy access and good usability to the wrong content. One study found that content is the most critical element of a Web site. Other studies have reported that content is more important than navigation, visual design, functionality, and interactivity.
2. Establish User Requirements
Use all available resources to better understand users’ requirements. The greater the number of exchanges of information with potential users, the better the developers’ understanding of the users’ requirements. These could include customer support lines, customer surveys and interviews, bulletin boards, sales people, user groups, trade show experiences, focus groups, etc. Successful projects require at least four (and average five) different sources of information. The information gathered from exchanges with users can be used to build ’use cases.’ Use cases describe the things that users want and need the Web site to be able to do.
3. Understand and Meet User’s Expectations
Ensure that the Web site format meets user expectations, especially related to navigation, content, and organization. One study found that users define 'usability' as their perception of how consistent, efficient, productive, organized, easy to use, intuitive, and straightforward it is to accomplish tasks within a system. It is important for designers to develop an understanding of their users’ expectations through task analyses and other research. Users can have expectations based on their prior knowledge and past experience.
4. Set and State Goals
Identify and clearly articulate the primary goals of the Web site before beginning the design process. Goals determine the audience, content, function, and the site’s unique look and feel. It is also a good idea to communicate the goals to, and develop consensus for the site goals from, management and those working on the Web site.
5. Focus on Performance Before Preference
Make decisions about content, format, interaction, and navigation before deciding on colors and decorative graphics. Focus on achieving a high rate of user performance before dealing with aesthetics. Graphics issues tend to have little impact, if any, on users’ success rates or speed of performance.
6. Consider Many User Interface Issues
Consider as many user interface issues as possible during the design process. These can include: the context within which users will be visiting a Web site; the experience levels of the users; the types of tasks users will perform on the site; the types of computer and connection speeds used when visiting the site; evaluation of prototypes; and the results of usability tests.
7. Be Easily Found in the Top 30
Ensure that a Web site is in the ‘top 30’ references presented from a major search engine. One study showed that users usually do not look at Web sites that are not in the ’top 30.’ Some of the features required to be in the ‘top 30’ include appropriate meta-content and page titles, the number of links to the Web site, as well as updated registration with the major search engines.
8. Set Usability Goals
Set performance goals that include success rates and the time it takes users to find specific information, or preference goals that address satisfaction and acceptance by users. It helps developers build better Web sites. It can also help make usability testing more effective. For example, some intranet Web sites have set the goal that information will be found eighty percent of the time and in less than one minute.
9. Use Personas
Personas are hypothetical ’stand-ins’ for actual users that drive the decision making for interfaces. They are not real people, but they represent real people. They are not ’made up,’ but are discovered as a by-product of an investigative process with rigor and precision. Interfaces should be constructed to satisfy the needs and goals of personas. The design team should develop a believable persona so that everybody will accept the person. It is usually best to detail two or three technical skills to give an idea of computer competency, and to include one or two fictional details about the persona’s life. Use personas to keep the design team focused on the same types of users |
