Link Web Services
Website Usability
Fact Sheet: Website Usability
What is Website Usability?
Website usability can cover a number of different factors within a website, however it can be summed up as the effectiveness of a website to provide users with the most logical, clear and intuitive way to access information contained within.
The measure of usability is based on the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with the website and the following factors are taken in to account.
- Ease of learning – is the website navigation clear or does it require a learning process to access information?
- Efficiency of use – when the user has become familiar with the interface, can they quickly access the information they require?
- Memorability – on return use, can the user retain the basic functions of the website or are they required to learn again?
- Error frequency – does the user make errors in accessing the information they require?
- User Satisfaction – is the user satisfied with the interface and do they enjoy using the website?
Making your site usable
Many of the factors which effect website usability are contained within the website design. The design needs to accurately reflect the organisation’s corporate identity, display all information in a legible and attractive way, and draw the appropriate attention to particular areas of your site. Using experienced graphic designers will help with the production of a site design that does all this within a consistent and usable user interface.
"Studies of user behavior on the Web find a low tolerance for difficult designs or slow sites. People don't want to wait. And they don't want to learn how to use a home page. There's no such thing as a training class or a manual for a Web site. People have to be able to grasp the functioning of the site immediately after scanning the home page — for a few seconds at most."
Dr Jakob Nielsen, Author of Usability Engineering.
Good design, or the look and feel, is just the starting point for the development of a usable website. The content for each page in the site and the way the pages come together within the site structure is just as important as the design.
When looking at your website structure, the following questions need to be considered:
- What information are my users most likely to access?
- How can I ensure my users access the most relevant information in the least number of clicks?
- How can I help my users know their location within the site at all times?
- From the home page, are my users able to obtain a clear idea of the content within the site?
- When preparing your website content it is important to remember that most website readers scan the text they are presented with, and that they do not take the time to read it line by line. All content should facilitate scanning and should present information concisely and to the point. Long paragraphs focusing on more than one topic are ineffective.
Link Web Services apply the theory of usability to all projects and can assist you in preparing content and information for your website. We also have experience in conducting audits of existing websites and recommending ways to enhance the user experience both through usability and functionality.
Related Links
http://www.useit.com/
Website of Dr Jakob Nielson containing articles written on Website usability by Dr Nielsen and other relevant links. This website is recommended by the Australian Government Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA).
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/dwmx_design_tips.html
Leading web development software company, Macromedia provides an article on how to conduct usability testing on your existing website.
Note: All information provided above is accurate to the best knowledge of Link Web Services and is provided as guide only. The most accurate and up-to-date information regarding all best practice for usability can be found through the links above.
