Usability Archive
Friendly web addresses
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May 11, 2008 5:17 PM
When redesigning boagworld considerable time was spent formatting the sites' web addresses. In this post I explain why so much time was taken and introduce you to the tools I used.
What goes into a user testing script
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February 29, 2008 5:30 PM
I have talked before about the benefits of user testing. I have discussed how to user test on a budget. Now, I want to look at some basics that go into every usability test script.
The profit and loss of usability
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January 31, 2008 11:00 AM
We have looked a number of times before at user testing but have never really asked why it is important.
Common mistakes of site structure
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December 21, 2007 11:12 AM
Although information architecture work is highly skilled and best left to the genius of people like Garrett Dimon the reality is that everybody from designers to website owners find themselves working on it. So what are the most common mistakes and how do we avoid them?
Quick and dirty wireframes
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December 6, 2007 11:52 AM
I am currently in the process of wireframing an internal project that we are working on at Headscape. It occurred to me that despite the fact that wireframes are a fundamental tool of web design, they are not something I have spoken about before.
Bargain basement usability testing
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November 28, 2007 5:43 PM
There is a lot written about usability testing both online and off. However, except for &#";Don’t Make Me Think&#"; by Steve Krug they all seem to make it sound very complicated and expensive. So here is the boagworld guide to bargain basement usability testing.
Making the most of the footer
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September 4, 2007 3:47 PM
The footer is the graveyard of many websites. The place where links are sent to die. However it doesn't have to be that way.
A new way to visualize your desktop
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June 29, 2007 11:06 AM
Bumptop is a new way to work with files that mirrors much more closing the experience of interacting with your desk in the physical universe. You can stack files, throw them around and even crumple them up in a 3D environment.
The importance of Undo
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June 13, 2007 12:12 PM
Many internet users lack confidence when interacting with the web. It is our job as web designers to try and reassure them and provide a safety net when things go wrong. Providing various methods by which users can undo actions is a useful crutch to the less confident user.
Keeping your home page clean
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May 16, 2007 5:55 PM
One of the most common sticking points I encounter when developing a website is the sign off of the home page. Client's want to cram it with as much content as possible, while the designer is seeking to maintain the integrity of the design. So, what is the best way of avoiding this kind of confrontation?
Non hierarchical navigation
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February 27, 2007 12:34 PM
Just occasionally you come across a website that just doesn’t fit the normal pattern of things. Headscape was recently approach by a potential client who had literally hundreds of thousands of web pages which were almost impossible to organise into a traditional information architecture. They wanted us to suggest some alternatives and so I thought I would share with you my response.
Dump your information architecture
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August 7, 2006 9:31 AM
Do you run a website made up of thousands of pages? If so, then you may want to consider listening to an excellent presentation by Russ Weakley. He proposes an interesting new approach to the information architecture of large sites.
Statstastic! Jakob loves his stats
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August 1, 2006 6:25 PM
I am currently reading Jakob Nielsen's new book "Prioritizing Web Usability" and would highly recommend it for any user experience designer. The book is packed with some excellent statistics and I thought I would share a few of them with you.
Creating a great search facility
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May 8, 2006 11:40 AM
I find it hard to believe that in over a year of blogging about web design usability I have failed to tackle the issue of in-site search. In this entry I endeavour to rectify that error by looking at this vital navigational tool.
Tag your pages
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April 25, 2006 10:35 PM
You can't swing a cat at the moment on the web without hitting some form of tagging. From delicious to flickr, tagging is all the rage, but what about tagging the pages on your website?
Jakob Nielsen says AJAX sucks?
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December 14, 2005 6:03 PM
I know I was supposed to stop posting until after Christmas but I couldn't resist telling you about this brilliant analysis of AJAX by Jakob Nielsen.
Don't break the default browser behaviour
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October 27, 2005 12:35 PM
Isn't it fun how sometimes you think you are being helpful when in fact you are making things far worse? Take for example the small piece of JavaScript this site uses to focus the cursor in the search box.
Using forms with care
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August 29, 2005 4:53 PM
Marketers, know your limits! Why is it that so many marketing departments seem determined to make it difficult for people to contact them?
Can PDF really be used for good?
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August 23, 2005 3:23 PM
Yesterday Joe Clark published his long awaited article on PDF accessibility and it did not disappoint. It includes some excellent advice on when to use PDF and dispelled many of the accusations levelled against the format. If you use PDF on your site, you should read on.
Sticking up for the humble site map
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August 18, 2005 4:09 PM
I was working on a site map yesterday and realised how little thought I give them. They tend to be an after thought in the design process. Vowing to repent of this half-assed attitude, I set out to learn all I could about this under appreciated site tool.
Card sorting
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July 24, 2005 4:16 PM
I am currently involved in some usability consultancy for an intranet that is going through a major redesign. One of the tools we will use to decide on the sites new information architecture is card sorting.
Fearing the fold
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June 21, 2005 7:54 AM
Its funny how challenging one preconception can leave you totally inspired. I am in the process of reading a book called CSS Zen Garden by Molly Holzschlag and David Shea based on David's superb site. While reading the book and browsing the associated site I couldn't help noticing that many of the designs were incredibly long and had little in the way of valuable content above the fold.
When good shopping sites go bad
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May 25, 2005 5:18 PM
I have just finished reading a fascinating article on the BBC web site about the growth of ecommerce. This comes on the sameday that I have watched one of my clients fail to grasp some of the basics of ecommerce.
Web Accessibility Report Published
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October 29, 2004 3:58 PM
As part of my work with Headscape I have released a report which surveys the accessibility of University and further education web sites. I am pleased to say that it has received a lot of publicity which is good news but I hope that people don't see it as condemning.
Higher education & web accessibility
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August 17, 2004 1:17 PM
By now anybody involved in managing a higher education web site will be aware of the need to make it accessible. However, not all are clear as to why this is important or indeed how to go about it. This article is designed to give you a quick overview of the subject and direct you to some useful resources. What is web accessibility?
A fundamental flaw
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August 11, 2004 5:57 PM
The web has a fundamental flaw; every web site is different. Every time a user visits a web site they are faced with a different interface with a different set of rules.
Top usability mistakes
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August 4, 2004 8:07 PM
I read an interesting article today which outlined some of the top usability mistakes made by major web sites. Here's your chance to learn from their mistakes.
Handling missing pages
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August 2, 2004 9:31 AM
No matter how well built your website is there is no avoiding the fact that sometimes the page a user is looking for just can't be found. What matters is how you handle the problem when it occurs.
Get the fundermentals right
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July 27, 2004 5:53 PM
Sometimes we get so carried away with the latest technology or the new approach to marketing online that we can forget the fundermentals. Here are just ten of the basic principles that should underpin every site.
The problem with PDF
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July 18, 2004 7:46 PM
PDF seems like an excellent way of quickly and easily putting large amounts of printed content onto your web site with minimal effort. But is it really such a good idea?
Current web site design trends
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July 9, 2004 9:38 AM
I am sure that I am not alone when I say I am always looking at web sites for inspiration and current design trends. In one of my previous articles I talk about how it is important to place page elements such as search and navigation in the screen locations where people expect to find them. But how do you know what the standard position is without trawling through hundreds of web sites?
Why all websites should look the same ;)
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July 2, 2004 5:26 PM
One of the things I love about my job is the fact that I get to work with all sorts of companies and organisations. Headscape (the company I work for) has just launched www.smallpoxbiosecurity.orgwhich provides information on the threat of an outbreak following the deliberate release of smallpox. Not the average run of the mill web site! Although I have to say that isn't the most unusual web site I have ever worked on. That accolade would have to go to the chicken incinerator site, but that is a whole different story.
Dealing with complex navigation
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July 1, 2004 9:51 AM
One of the biggest challenges faced by website designers is how to deal with a sites main navigation. It is a particular challenge on deep complex sites.
Financial benefits of usability
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June 27, 2004 5:52 PM
In this article I outline exactly why usability testing is worth the effort and how it can translate into real financial gain.
Top Tip: Homepage emphasis
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June 26, 2004 5:49 PM
The most important piece of real estate on your website is your homepage. So how do you decide what it should include?
Usability guidelines
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June 15, 2004 9:32 PM
Read Jakob Nielsen's top ten tips to creating a usable website or application.
The checkout blues
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June 12, 2004 11:24 AM
You've got good products at good prices and an attractive, easy to use site. So why do more than half of your customers abandon their full shopping carts?
