Usability

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--- Usability - By the Book ---

Great resource - http://useit.com, a site by Jakob Nielsen who has a great book called Designing Web Usability (New Riders Publishing, 2000).

Following comments are adapted from the book (note page numbers referenced in the book)...

Two basic thoughts to designing web sites: 1) expressing yourself (not good) and 2) solving customer problems (excellent) (p. 11).

Common errors in web site design (p 15)...

	treating web sites like static brochures;
	using corporate centered v. customer centered management;
	organizing sites along company structure rather than user's work;
	bulk text rather than bullets;
	not recognizing the validity of external sites

Use screen real estate wisely; focus on content (of interest to the end user) rather than too pretty, too much space wasted on navigation, ...

Content should take up 50-80% of the page; navigation should be kept to 20% or less; don't waste screen space (p. 22).

Let the page take up the browser width/space.

There are a variety of browsers (brands), layouts (full/partial screen); platforms (PDA's, Macs, PCs)--learn to deal with them; design sites to be resolution independent (p 27).

Avoid incorporating technology for the sake of technology; wait 1-2 years (p. 31).

People are not upgrading browsers as fast as they used to! (p. 33).

Web response times should ideally be 10 seconds or less; ideal max web page size is approximately 34 KB (for modems) (p. 42)

Web page links should be descriptive: e.g. "Click here for My Site rather than Click here for My Site" (p. 55).

Leave link colors alone (p. 62). I would even extend this to the roll-over links (the link appears when you rollover it).

Stylesheets are the best tool for creating consistency, adaptability, and flexibility in web sites (p. 81).

Frames - forget them! There are some exceptions, but not many (p. 85)

"Simplicity should be the goal of page design." (p 97)

Write for scanning; use bullets; use hyperlinks to break up the text. (p 101)

Start each page with the conclusion; write plainly and to the point (p 111).

Avoid "under construction" -- if it isn't ready, don't waste the users time. (p 164)

Splash screens are out! (p. 176)

Be careful with site metaphors--make them meaningful (avoid cute) (p180).

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