1. Principles of Usability II
Strategy and Design for Web Sites
Present by
Patrick Bieser Sr., President Northwoods Software
Who am I?
• Created hundreds of web sites
• Search logs and web site statistics
• Usability studies
• Usability books
• Made mistakes
• Studied best / most successful sites
• Mom and Dad are web users
• User (just like you)
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2. Summary of Today’s Presentation
• Lots of little things
• McDonalds
• Examples
• User behaviors
• More examples
• Usability testing
• Fixes cost 75% less before launch
• No “right” way. It depends.
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If your web site is too hard to use…
people won’t use it.
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6. Amazon’s Three Things
1. Powerful Search
2. Exhaustive Information - Cleanly Presented
3. Simple Conversion
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7. Craig’s List – Three Things
1. Instant ‘Get it’ thru Simple design
2. Navigation as Content - Scanable
3. Simple Conversion
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9. Airlines Formula
1. Good Usability…
2. Leads to Conversions…
3. Sell More, Save $$
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Users
• Scan - they’re in a hurry
• Are goal-oriented
• Get frustrated easily
• Dislike choices that require thinking
• Are easily disoriented
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10. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr
the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny
iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat
ltteer be at the rghit pclae. Tihs is bcuseae
the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter
by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
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12. Low home page entrance
Low home page entrance
Large Trailing Tail
Large Trailing Tail
First 5 Seconds
• Use Search / Key Application (50%)
• Scan the navigation / home page (30%)
• Mixed strategies (site map, etc.) (20%)
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15. Writing for the Web
• Write to be scanned
• One thought per paragraph
– especially on home page
• Cut your words in half then cut again
• Use graphic accents to draw attention
– Not to show off your graphic skill
• “Flytrap” your content
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16. Web Page Tips
• No marketing lingo or brands in navigation
• No “happy talk” or instructions
• Show – don’t tell!
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18. Home Page - I
• Don’t make content look like an Ad
• Skip “Welcome!” messages
• Magic 7
• Group Corporate stuff
– about us, stock price, contact us, jobs, etc.
• Group Utilities
– search, site map, login, etc.
• Graphics: less is more
– 5% - 15%
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Home Page - II
• Avoid navigation redundancy
– waste of space
• Use conventions of popular sites
– search
– site map
– breadcrumbs
– logo click takes you to Home
Page
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23. So What?
Lessons learned apply to your website
• Substance 98% trumps Sizzle 2%
• Content 80% trumps Brand 20%
• Conventions 75% trump Creative 25%
• Simplicity is King
• A focus on usability is the single largest factor
common among successful websites.
• Lemmings….
October 16, 2006
Stereotypes of Key Influencers
Web Designers
• Are not normal
• They are power users
• Don’t think / behave like our audiences
• Went to school to learn: visual design, branding and
marketing for print, TV, radio.
• Not taught about the web (it’s a technical thing)
• Paid to be creative and clever, not to follow conventions
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24. Stereotypes of Key Influencers
Directors / Executives
• Don’t always “get” the web
• Want more “Sizzle”
• Listen to well meaning people they trust (who may not “get” the
web)
• Need to be patiently educated by credible sources
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Stereotypes of Key Influencers
IT Professionals
• See the web as a technology
• Don’t get all this “branding” and “usability” stuff
• Make decisions based on tools, certifications,
and integration needs
• Need to have their web sensitivity patiently
increased by credible sources
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25. Stereotypes of Key Influencers
Marketing Types
• Put too much emphasis on look and feel
• See the web as an extension of their branding initiatives
• Assume print and web are mostly the same
• Need to read ‘Don’t Make Me Think’
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The Differences
The purpose of non-web marketing
• Grab eyeballs
• Create an impression
• Build brand awareness
• Drive conversions (i.e. go to your website)
The purpose of a website
• Offer intuitive and useful information, without
annoying or confusing your visitor, so they will
reach a goal page and convert.
The purpose of a web application
• Offer intuitive interface for retrieving / entering
information that requires minimal training and
results in high accuracy.
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26. Aim for simplicity
The truth is…simplicity is hard
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27. Group Usability Study
Can you find…
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28. Usability Methods
• Card Sorting:
– Group top and second navigation
– Name them
• Current Site:
– Ten tasks
– Talk out loud
– Tape it
• Paper Prototype:
– What would you click on?
• Look at web / search logs
• 80% of 80%
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Usability Testing
• Informal
• Low cost and effective
• As few as 3-5 users
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29. Top Eight User Complaints
• Flash (the bad kind)
• Font is too small
• Non-standard links
• Content Not Written for the Web
• Bad Search Results
• Browser Incompatibility
• No Contact / Company Info
• Inadequate Photo Enlargement
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32. “It’s not the number of clicks...
it’s how hard each click is!”
- Steve Krug
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