1. Jeff Wisniewski University of Pittsburgh jeffw@pitt.edu
New Rules of Web Design
Jeff Wisniewski
University of Pittsburgh
Computers in Libraries 2009

2. As Long as the Content and AI Are Good…
You’re OK…..NOT
Design matters…
Novice users judge superficially, and quickly!
Professional design= credibility

3. All Content Is Created Equal
..but some content is more equal than other
Design for what your users are doing
Emphasize the highest priority tasks so that users have a clear starting point. Nielsen

5. “The Rule of Seven” Not a rule a guideline
Persuasive evidence both ways
The answer depends on context
More than 9…maybe your site lacks focus?

6. 3 click rule… …is dead-ish Design for SCENT
3-Click-Rule
According to this rule users stop using the site if they aren’t able to find the information or access the site feature within 3 mouse clicks. In other words, the rule emphasizes the importance of clear navigation, logical structure and easy-to-follow site hierarchy. In most situations the number of clicks is irrelevant; what is really important is that visitors always know where they are, where they were and where they can go next. Even 10 clicks are OK if users feel that they have a full understanding of how the system works.

7. Design for 800x600? NO: Optimize for 1024x768 (Nielsen)
What of other platforms (phones, handhelds, etc.)? Use CSS media types

8. Color me…colorful?
The majority of users browse with 24-bit color rendering
RIP websafe palette?
File size
Alternative platforms

9. For Redesign Inspiration…
Check other library websites
Standards, conventions, and user expectations are established OUTSIDE of library land…see Jacob’s Rule

10. How Often to Redesign? Constantly Iterative, evolutionary change
A/B testing
Sometimes a tear down is required
Google and Amazon have EVOLVED
Revolutionary change is disruptive for users

11. I Must Support All Browsers
Accessibility is critical and the right thing to do
Graded support aka progressive enhancement

12. Avoid CSS for Layout…It’s Buggy
Well yes it is, sort of, but no longer enough to justify not using it
Be a <TABLE> hater
Advantages include smaller, faster, more transformable content

13. The Top of the Page is Prime Real Estate
Actually, it’s useless space…Banner Blindness…
Nielsen”: People have a tendency to never look at a slim rectangular area that's above the page's main headline.”

15. Flash is Evil Flash Introductions are (in most cases) evil
Flash can be used for effective animation and interactivity
RIAs

16. Mouseover menus… …are still evil!…have usability considerations
They’re : slower, not scanable (therefore preventing users from getting an overview of you sites’ content)

17. Opening links in a new browser window…
Is sometimes OK: external links, file downloads (PDF).
TELL users
Tabbed browsers make this less of an issue

18. Keep It Above the Fold Maybe…
76% of users scrolled and that a good portion of them scrolled all the way to the bottom, despite the height of the screen …

19. Resources
Google Website Optimizer
Large Web Sites Don't Change Much
OneStat screen resolution survey
Forrester Research: Smackdown! Rich Internet Applications vs. HTML
Web users judge sites in the blink of an eye
Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility
Fancy Formatting
Human Factors International Design Newsletter: From Bricks to Clicks….
Blasting the Myth of the Fold
Utilizing the Cutoff Look