web usability

1
web usability

• Module 1
• Web Design for Usability

2
usability

• Design what is it?
• Usability- what is it?
• The Web Make it usable- Ask
• What are the companys goals for the site?
• Who are the sites users?
• What are their goals?
• Do different users have different goals?

3
How much of the web is usable?

• Research at UIE found only 42 of users were
  successful in finding answers
• Thats an F in anyone's grade book

4
User Goals and Missions

• Users see the web as a tool that helps them
  accomplish missions that comprise larger goals
• User goals what users are trying to accomplish
• User mission steps users take to achieve their
  goals

5
The usability test

• 3 in a group
• 1 user
• 2 observers
• Observers dont talk only take notes on mission
• User is encouraged to talk out loud as to why
  he/she does certain things
• 8 minutes is the time allotted

6
Lets try this out

• http//www.disney.com/
• Scenario
• Your 9 year old niece has always wanted to go to
  Disney World. You have decided to take her on a
  typical vacation. Go to the Disney site and the
  answer the following question
• The Task
• You are looking for a hotel within the park. You
  want it to be the cheapest hotel with access to
  the monorail. Which Disney World hotel would you
  choose to stay in?
• Yell Done when you are finished

7
Switch and one more test

• www.amazon.com
• Scenario
• The IBS program and, in particular, Anna Story,
  has been causing you stress lately you are
  looking for some relief from the tension thats
  been building in your back and shoulders.
• The task
• Find a product, for under 40.00, that will
  relieve the tension in your back and shoulders.
• Yell Done when you have an answer.

8
Bed, Bath and Beyond

• www.bedbathandbeyond.com
• Find sheets- yell done
• Find towels- yell done
• Find frames- yell done
• Let us simply navigate around
• usability
• download time
• browser compatibility

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So why are sites so unusable?

• Different medium
• Cant simply transform text to web
• There are some basic things users do on the web
• Follow some basic rules
• Test your site with users
• Tweak and always retest

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Rulesfor a user centered experience

• No frames
• No Gratuitous use of technology
• No Scrolling text, marquees and constant
  animations
• No Complex urls
• No Orphan pages
• No Overly long scrolling pages
• No non-standard link colors
• No above the fold white space or ads if it needs
  more scrolling
• No long download times
• User centric navigation

11
Tracking the Scent of Information

• Focus on Navigation
• Structure is key- general to specific
• What is navigation
• Browser buttons
• Nav panel or buttons
• Links
• Search engine
• Trigger words
• Design the Navigation

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Scent that works

• www.rei.com
• Find a tent for 4 ---
• informavores tracking scent

13
Scent that failed

• www.nokia.com
• You want to purchase a hands free phone

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Pogosticking

• Users find no strong scent and resort to jumping
  around
• Scent blockers
• Search engines on site
• Navigation panels
• Short links and pages
• Cute and clever links
• False scent
• Links that lie
• Misinterpreted
• Moving towards less specific

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Designing for Scent

• Content must give off scent
• Scent pulls user into site
• You need to know
• Why users come to your site
• What are trigger words
• Where they are likely to look
• Avoid back button and search engines
• Descriptive links can help
• Test with your users

16
Where do users lose scent?

• Are links descriptive?
• Do users have a reason to scroll?
• Are links too cute?
• Are links accurate?
• Do link results narrow choices?
• Do links fit the context?