Usability Principles - CBIL360.COM

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Basic Principles of Usability
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What is Usability?

• Usability is the measure of the quality of a
  user's experience when interacting with a product
  or system -
• Whether a web site
• Software application
• Mobile technology
• Any user-operated device

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Importance of Usability

• According to Usability Expert Jakob Nielsen
• In the Web, usability is a necessary
  condition for survival. If a website is difficult
  to use, people leave.
• If the homepage of your website does not clearly
  provide details about a company or about what it
  offers and what users can do on the site, people
  will leave your website.
• If users get lost or confused while browsing your
  website and they lack clarity they instantly
  leave the website.
• If a website's content is difficult to read or it
  doesn't answer important key questions, it
  immediately drives away the users.
• Note a pattern here?
• If the website does not satisfy the users leaving
  it is their first line of defense.

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The 4 characteristics of Usability are

• Quick and easy to learn
• Efficient to use
• Allows rapid recovery from errors
• Easy to remember

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Basic Principles
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Basic Principles
Feature exposure
Effective writing
Info hierarchy
Simplicity
Dont waste time
Usability
Use of white space
Dont make me think
How do users think
Visible language
Test early, Test Often
Conventions
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1.How do Users Think?

• Be it the Web or a physical store user behavior
  and habits remain the same.
• When browsing a website, users search for
  something clickable.
• Users are mainly looking for quality and
  credibility in a website.
• Users dont read, they scan.
• While browsing the web, users are impatient and
  are looking for instant gratification

XYZ shopping
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2. Dont Make Users Think

• The web-page should be obvious and
  self-explanatory.

• Lets take a look at an example. ABC Company
  claims to be beyond channels, beyond products,
  beyond distribution. What does it mean? Since
  users tend to explore web-sites according to the
  F-pattern, these three statements would be the
  first elements users will see on the page once it
  is loaded

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3. Dont Waste Users Time

• Users hate lengthy and complex processes.
• If you want users to test a feature or a service
  make it quick and easy. The simpler the process,
  the more likely a random visitor is to actually
  try it out.

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4. Information Hierarchy

• Usually websites provide two forms of content -
  static and dynamic. Of that, some aspects of the
  user interface attract attention more than others.

ABC.co perfectly uses the principle of focus.
The only element which is directly visible to
the users is the word free which works
attractive and appealing, but still calm and
purely informative. Subtle hints provide users
with enough information of how to find more about
the free product.
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5. Feature Exposure

• The fundamental principle of successful user
  interface design is to clearly and immediately
  show all the features and functionalities
  available.

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6. Make Use of Effective Writing

• Copy must be short, crisp and concise (come to
  the point as quickly as possible).
• Break down content so that it is easy to scan
  (use multiple heading levels, use visual elements
  and bullet points).
• Use plain and objective language (a promotion
  doesnt need to sound like advertisement give
  your users some reasonable and objective reason
  why they should use your service or stay on your
  website)

Pqr productions gets directly to the point. No
cute words, no exaggerated statements. Instead a
price just what visitors are looking for
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7. Simplicity

• Make user interfaces simple and minimalistic.
  Complexity leads to confusing, overwhelming
  interfaces.
• Use only those features that are absolutely vital
  and necessary.
• Hide the complex features that you cannot get rid
  of altogether.
• Minimize visual noise.
• Reuse visual components whenever possible.
• Dont leave blank state blank.

Strive for simplicity instead of complexity.
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8. White Space

• White space allows breathing space between two
  components.
• Not only does it help to reduce the cognitive
  load for the visitors, but it makes it easier to
  grasp the content presented on the screen.

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9. Visible Language

• Organize Refers to providing a clear and
  consistent conceptual structure to the user.
• Economize Refer to showing or offering range of
  functionalities with the least amount of cues
  and visual elements.
• Communicate Refers to matching the presentation
  with the capabilities of the user. The user
  interface must keep in balance legibility,
  readability, typography, symbolism, multiple
  views, and color or texture in order to
  communicate successfully. Use max. 3 typefaces in
  a maximum of 3 point sizes a maximum of 18 words
  or 50-80 characters per line of text.

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10. Conventions

• Use of conventional designs dont necessarily
  make a website boring.
• Conventional design reduce the learning curve and
  the need to figure out how things work.

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11. Test Early Test Often

• The TETO-principle should be applied to every web
  design project. This helps in tracking how the
  users react to the designs and interfaces and
  continue to improvise.

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Users Benefits from Usability

• The benefits of usability include
• Users enjoy interacting with the web interface.
• Since they get all the information easily, it
  ensures that they are satisfied with it.
• It ensures that they achieve their goals
  effectively and efficiently
• It helps in cultivating confidence and trust in
  the product or web site.
• If your users are satisfied, they will become
  loyal customers, and even recommend your product
  or service to others.

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Providers benefits from usability

• As a provider, you may benefit from usability in
  many ways, including
• Reduced development time and costs
• Reduced support costs
• Reduced user errors
• Reduced training time and costs
• Return on Investment.

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• Usability is a potent weapon that can save your
  precious money, improve your competitive position
  and improve customer loyalty. Now is the time to
  invest in the research.

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Thank you! Website Design Company CBIL360.COM