What Is Usability? Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy Web sites are to use. “Usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.

What Is Usability? Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design? Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks? Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency? Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

User Experience Usability is a necessary condition for Web survival, people will leave if: –A Web site is difficult to use –The homepage fails to clearly state what a company offers and what users can do on the site –Users get lost –Information is hard to read or doesn't answer users' key questions

User Experience A good user-experience should allow users to find what they want quickly and should help to eliminate frustration in not being able to find information

Usability Issues Functionality –How easy is it for people to use the site? Design –How well are the page elements arranged? –Is the site aesthetically pleasing?

Functionality It’s all about the Navigation –Grouping Navigational Elements

GROUPED BY USER TYPE

GROUPED BY ACTIVITY

GROUPED BY ORDER OF EXPERIENCE

Functionality Grouping Navigational Elements –Grouped by User Type, Activity, Order of Experience, etc… Limit Number of User Groups (5-10) –Too Few: Incomplete Appearance –Too Many: Overwhelming to User

Functionality It’s all about the Navigation –Grouping Navigational Elements –Simple Naming Schemes

Functionality KSU Admissions Opportunities & Application Process Donations & Fundraising Drive / Donations of Clothes & Toys KSU UNICEF Chapter Fundraising Effort For Displaced Children Campus Employment Opportunities for Displaced Individuals English Language Support for Displaced Individuals Calendar of Campus Activities Admissions & Application Donations & Fundraising KSU UNICEF Campus Employment ESOL Support Campus Activities

Functionality Simple Naming Schemes –Use Terms People Are Familiar With (About Us, FAQ, Contact, etc…) –Concepts Should Be Conveyed In Two Words or Less –Unconventional Naming Schemes = High Probability In Confusing Your User

Functionality It’s all about the Navigation –Grouping Navigational Elements –Simple Naming Schemes –Clear/Easy-to-Understand Labeling

Functionality Clear/Easy-to-Understand Labeling –Navigation Options Should Be Easy to Find and Readable –Outside the Box for the Sake of Be Different Can Seriously Negatively Impact a Site’s Usability –Just Because a Concept Makes Sense To You Doesn’t Mean That Your Users Will “Get It”

Functionality It’s all about the Navigation –Grouping Navigational Elements –Simple Naming Schemes –Clear/Easy-to-Understand Labeling –Page-to-Page Consistency

Functionality Page-to-Page Consistency –Navigation Areas/Regions Shouldn’t Change Location Throughout the Site –Main Navigation Options Should Remain In the Same Order –Navigation Look and Feel Should Remain the Same Throughout the Site

Functionality It’s all about the Navigation –Grouping Navigational Elements –Simple Naming Schemes –Clear/Easy-to-Understand Labeling –Page-to-Page Consistency

Design Is the Site Aesthetically Pleasing? –A Well-Built Home Page

Design Effective Homepages Should Include: –Clear Logo/Titling in Header –Most Important Navigational Element In Top Left- Hand Region –Relevant Imagery –Bottom Line: You should be able to look at the home page of any site and figure out what the site is about within four seconds. If you can't, your site has failed.

Design Is the Site Aesthetically Pleasing? –A Well-Built Home Page –Too Much Material On One Page

Design Enhance Page Content by Providing Clear Links, Headings, Short Phrases, Short Paragraphs, and Bulleted Lists Users Tend to Scan, Stopping Only When They Find Something Interesting

Design Is the Site Aesthetically Pleasing? –A Well-Built Home Page –Too Much Material On One Page –Crazy Fonts

Design Use at Least a 10-point Font to Achieve The Best Possible Reading Performance Fonts Smaller Than 10-Point Elicited Slower Performance From Users The Older The Targeted Audience, The Larger The Point Size (12-14 Point)

Design Use Fonts That: Fit the Character of Your Site, Are Easy to Read On a Computer Screen, and Are Widely Available

Design Is the Site Aesthetically Pleasing? –A Well-Built Home Page –Too Much Material On One Page –Crazy Fonts