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Usability on the Web. 5 Tips to improve your Web site. What is Usability?. The effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks in a particular environment of a product. What is Usability?. Easy to learn and remember Efficient Visually pleasing Fun to use
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Usability on the Web 5 Tips to improve your Web site
What is Usability? The effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks in a particular environment of a product.
What is Usability? • Easy to learn and remember • Efficient • Visually pleasing • Fun to use • Quick to recover from errors.
1. Underlining Text The new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center for Interdisciplinary Research, incorporating technology that enables students to "see" any geographic place from a variety of perspectives, officially opens on GIS Day, Wednesday, Nov. 17. The center promises to become an important teaching tool for several different courses, including ID 210, Introduction to GIS, an interdisciplinary course launched this fall. International GIS Day is a grassroots event co-sponsored by the National Geographic Society to showcase real-world applications of the technology. At Skidmore, the new GIS Center will be open from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 17, and visitors will be able to see demonstrations of the College's GIS tools. Refreshments will be served at 4 p.m.
Historically underline = link • Pavlovian response • Confusion • Frustration • Missed links
Solution • Save the underline for the links • Use another indicator for information • bold • quotes • itallics The new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center for Interdisciplinary Research, incorporating technology that enables students to "see" any geographic place from a variety of perspectives, officially opens on GIS Day, Wednesday, Nov. 17. The center promises to become an important teaching tool for several different courses, including ID 210, “Introduction to GIS”, an interdisciplinary course launched this fall.
2. Too much clicking Enter
Home Page About Catalog News Directions Contact Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu, lobortis ut, dictum at, dui. In rutrum. Sed ac dolor sit amet purus malesuada congue. In laoreet, magna id viverra tincidunt, sem odio bibendum justo, vel imperdiet sapien wisi sed libero. Suspendisse sagittis ultrices augue. Mauris metus.
Architecture Portal Home Page (Welcome) About Catalog News
Solution • Ask yourself: “What’s necessary to get my information out there?” • Consolidate pages. • Add links or shortcuts to important areas of your site.
3. You want me to read that? • Color choice affects the visitor’s experience. • Vibrations • Pain • Readability
Sample 1 Morbi leo mi, nonummy eget, tristique non, rhoncus non, leo. Nullam faucibus mi quis velit. Integer in sapien. Fusce tellus odio, dapibus id, fermentum quis, suscipit id, erat. Fusce aliquam vestibulum ipsum. Aliquam erat volutpat. Pellentesque sapien. Cras elementum. Nulla pulvinar eleifend sem. Fusce consectetuer risus a nunc. Aliquam ornare wisi eu metus. Integer pellentesque quam vel velit. Duis pulvinar.
Sample 2 Morbi leo mi, nonummy eget, tristique non, rhoncus non, leo. Nullam faucibus mi quis velit. Integer in sapien. Fusce tellus odio, dapibus id, fermentum quis, suscipit id, erat. Fusce aliquam vestibulum ipsum. Aliquam erat volutpat. Pellentesque sapien. Cras elementum. Nulla pulvinar eleifend sem. Fusce consectetuer risus a nunc. Aliquam ornare wisi eu metus. Integer pellentesque quam vel velit. Duis pulvinar.
Solutions • Use caution when selecting colors • Ask a friend • Stare at the page
4. Outside links • Outside Links = a link that does not contain www.skidmore.edu or related text within the same page • Points on the Web • Access to information quickly and easily • Link to related information • Easily distracted
From a Marketing Standpoint • Same window • Visitor can be distracted • Visitor can forget about your site • Your information is lost to Visitor • New window • Site is still open • Visitor must consciously choose to leave your site.
Solution • Create a new window (Target = _blank) • In Dreamweaver • Insert -> Hyperlink • In Target Select box select “_blank”
5. Images • Graphics are important • Draw attention to important information • Illustrates ideas with less text • 2 problems • Too many images • Too many moving images
Home Page Sample Maecenas ipsum velit, consectetuer eu, lobortis ut, dictum at, dui. In rutrum. Sed ac dolor sit amet purus malesuada congue. In laoreet, magna id viverra tincidunt, sem odio bibendum justo, vel imperdiet sapien wisi sed libero. Suspendisse sagittis ultrices augue. Mauris metus. Catalog About Us News Email Us
Solution • Decide what needs emphasis • Decide what needs illustration • Cut back