Suggestions on Website Usability

Website Usability is more than just placing a navigation bar in the right spot and allowing users to search the site. It is an intricate art that not everybody can easily implement. This tip aims to identify some of the key factors that come into play when designing a usable and functional website.Firstly, the site must contain a clear, concise yet simple navigation system. According to web usability expert, Jakob Nielson, a good site navigation system should answer three questions:

1. Where am I?
2. Where have I been?
3. Where can I go?

Your site’s navigation system should answer these three questions quite adequately providing you include these basic elements in your design.

• Keep it consistent. The navigation system should be in the same place on every page and have the same format.
• Use appropriate text inside links. Don't make your visitors guess where a link is going to take them.
• Use CSS to emphasize text links.
• Always include text links.
• Add a text-based site map.
• Include a home page link inside your main navigation system.
• Site logo links to home page.
• Include a site search box providing your site is large enough.

Secondly, you must ensure that you keep the content clear and simple. Keeping your content clear and simple allows users to easily scan the text and find what they’re after. You should also keep all important content at the top of the page. Never leave the important text for last as people usually never read this far down the page. Some other important things to take into account are:

• Avoid using text inside images whenever possible.
• Add ALT and TITLE attributes to all images.
• Contrast, contrast, contrast! In other words, don’t use light green text on a yellow background as people simply cannot read this!

Thirdly, you must support your brand. Ensure that you keep colours and typefaces consist, that your page layout is consistent and that you generate a custom error page designed to match your site and branding. Custom error pages will assist users in finding their way back to your site rather than leaving them in the dark. You should also include your positioning statement and other marketing tools on each and every page of your site to enforce the brand you’ve worked hard to create.Some other important usability tips have been outlined below also.

• Provide for visitor feedback. Forms are critical to the success of ecommerce sites. Without forms, you can't have a shopping cart. But any site usually needs at least one form to allow for user feedback. A form helps you hide from email spiders and also helps you control how user feedback is formatted and sent.
• Test the site on real users. Remember that you're the designer so of course you effortlessly use the navigation system, love the content, and understand the value proposition. But now it's time to get user feedback - before your online users start sending it in.
• Present complete contact information including your business phone number and postal address. A street address is preferred, but you may want to use a PO box if yours is a home-based business. Visitors will probably prefer to contact you using email or a form, but they feel more comfortable with a site that allows other contact methods.
• Remember your international users. Your forms should never require information they may not have - like area codes or ZIP codes.
• Keep feedback forms short and clearly note which information is required to successfully submit the form. Take care to design accessible forms that all visitors can use.

Web usability is all about designing a website for your visitors instead of for yourself or your client. A site that conforms to user expectations makes visitors more comfortable and more apt to visit again and recommend the site to their friends. If you are having a site developed or are developing such a site, remember to check off each of the tips outlined in this article. They may well determine whether your site will be a success or a failure.