Website usability testing

Often when your website is being built the people closest to it don’t see how difficult the site might be to use.  It’s like having an old car.  It becomes automatic to lift the door a little when opening it, then pumping the accelerator twice before turning the ignition.  Once the car starts you rev to 5000 for three seconds and let it come down to a nice idle speed or it stalls.  Now think what it would be like to give some one the keys to your car and tell them to go for a drive, they might not even get the door open!  Some websites are like this and usability is often a key in getting conversions (sales, enquiries, downloads, etc) from a site.  

Usability is basically the ease in which users can operate your website.There is also an accessibility issue regarding usability for people with disabilities see w3.org/WAI/ for details.  An important factor is make your content to the point, don’t try to be too clever if you shop has a basket call it a basket not a trolley or some other obscure title. Make sure site areas or groups are clearly defined and recognizable.  Be consistent in layout, navigation and processes.  Give people access to all parts of the site easily and guide them to achieve your sites goal.  Consider the position of elements on a page and remember to put important things in the top left.  Most of us read from left to right so these will be seen quickly.

3-Click Principle: It is suggested that nothing useful on you site should take more than three clicks to achieve or reach.  If you have articles that you want people to read or products you want people to buy you should be able to do this in 3 clicks.  A shopping site should allow you 1 click to find a product, 1 click to add to basket and 1 click to checkout for instance.

Below are 10 do’s and don’ts whether they are the top 10 we`re not sure but they are all important:

1. Display your organisations branding is in the top left corner of a page users will expect this to link back to the sites homepage.
2. About Us commonly refers to the organisations information page.
3. Navigation must remains constant on every page and is either across the top or on the left side.
4. Contact Us is found as the last item on a menu
5. Anything you display that is animated and appears above a logo will be considered an advert by users
6. Don’t make the font’s too small and allow users to increase font sizes
7. Make links obvious and differentiate between visited and non-visited link
8. Don’t open new windows
9. Use minimal flash or animation, users equate animated content with useless content.
10. Write for the web, make it concise and to the point it’s better for search engines and it’s better for users