Web Usability

Web usability, in its simplest terms is the ability to use the web. Jakob Nielsen, ("the guru of web usability"), defines usability as "a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word usability also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process". We all probably can agree that when using a web site or the internet in general, we want what we want when we want it and we don't want to have to search for what we want. Or at least this is my opinion. But the real work begins when we try to design a web site to meet the needs of a wide range of web users.

In the 6/10/09 of webdesgnerdepot.com 10 tips to create a more usable web was discussed. These 10 tips are a mix of common sense ideas and tricks learned from years of designing web sites and all can be implemented without much difficulty. Some of the tips I agree with, some not so much but it won't hurt to implement them and see what happens.

1. Create active navigation--be sure to always let the user know where s/he is on the site. For example, highlighting the section name in the navigation bar.
2. Create clickable labels and buttons--by clicking on the field label or button the field (form element) is highlighted which, in theory, makes it easier for the user.
3. Link the logo back to the home page--making the logo take the user back to the home page is preferable to having a "Home" tab. The logo is almost always at the top of the page and easy to see, rather than having the user search for a tab which can be anywhere. An added benefit is you can link the logo to your web analytics and use it as a click tracker.
4. Increase the "hit" area on a link--do this by adding padding around links to make the clickable area larger to prevent misclicks. This is especially helpful with mobile sites when the area for the user is already small.
5. Add focus to form fields--this is very similar to #2 but rather than clicking a button or label to highlight the field, the field is highlighted to alert the user that something is required of them, or that something just happened.
6. Provide useful 404 page information--does the user really care why a page is unavailable, not really. She does care that the page can't be found but she also needs to know what to do about it, i.e., a link to another page or a search box, something to help her get to where she wants to go.
7. Use copy text and verbiage to create a casual, inviting environment--basically don't use geek speak, write like you are speaking with a friend.
8. Use line height adjustments to increase readability--make the copy look more like a book or newspaper, don't compact the lines together.
9. Use white space--or the reverse of this is don't use too much white space. Be careful to space headings and paragraphs together so the user doesn't have to search or guess where to do next.
10. Be accessible--no matter how hard you try to design a user friendly, usable web site, users will have questions or problems will come up so provide a place for the user to contact you and be sure to respond to the questions or complaints. Remember customer service matters.

It is the little things that often separate a good web site from a great web site. Try some or all of these tips and come up with some of your own. The fun comes in designing a site and having people enjoy and use your designs.