Love the web

Usability Uncovered

This series of articles starts with what lies behind the science of website usability and then explores some of the basic principles and techniques that can be applied to website design. Also see What is usability? and How can we help users find the information they are looking for? Some basic steps to good web design.

Why has usability become such a big player in contemporary website design?

In order to answer this question we have to look back at how the web has evolved over the last twenty something years.  Unlike html and css (the building blocks of the web) which have moved towards common standards (see w3.org), interface design for the web has been an extremely ad hoc affair. Rapid advances in technology, lifestyle changes, visual fashions, trends and design (or lack of it) have all played their part in shaping how websites look and work. This rapidly evolving blend of design and technology has resulted in many websites having little in common other than being a collection of screens linked by some form of navigation.

Don't get me wrong, the diversity is great, but it can sometimes make browsing the web a frustrating experience, especially when designers haven't considered basic usability or thought about how people interact with their sites and their cool new 'design'.

In fact, it's not uncommon to stumble across pieces of web interface that make you think their creators have actually gone out of their way to be obscure. It's like they sit down and think "Now, how can I make this ridiculously hard to use" - which of course they don't. They just don't think about how others might perceive their creations.

Operating systems (like Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS etc) and the programs which run on them (like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Photoshop, Word and Excel) have strict user interface guidelines that help us make sense of their inherent complexity.  Imagine sitting down at a computer where the operating system changes all the time!  Because this is basically what happens when you surf the web.

Now if you are learning to use a new piece of software, you probably expect that it is going to take some time to master.  However when it comes to the web, we expect to be able to visit a new website, or use a new web application, and master it immediately without any training or instruction what so ever.  And in most cases this is a valid expectation. If your online shop looks cool and quirky, but people can't actually use it, it doesn't take much effort for them to go elsewhere. It's got to work first time.

It's this demand for instant gratification that has driven the industry to develop the principles of website usability.  These principles are all about you, the user. Putting you first and building sites to meet your expectations.

Good web design should be a magic combination of emotional engagement, interesting content and easy, intuitive use.   This has to start in the shoes of someone new - a person who has never been to your site and doesn't know the things you do. You need to imagine what they will be thinking and doing when they first arrive. Make them feel welcome and ensure that their visit is hassle free and productive.

But it doesn't just stop there. Making a website perfectly clear and easy to use for first time visitors may annoy, and even slow down regular users who know how it works and don't require the instructions, tips, and visual cues a new user might. This trade off between Learnability and Usability is another area requiring careful consideration.

So why has usability become the mantra for so much contemporary web design?  Because it's now clearly recognised that to make a successful website, it's essential to provide not only the content that your users want, but the experience they want. And in most cases this experience should be one of overall satisfaction - an effortless process devoid of frustration and annoyance.