Web Page Design J. Richard Stevens

Layout grids Page dimensions Usability Layout grids Page dimensions Usability Basic Online Journalism Design

Journalism and Usability News Web sites are not generally highly regarded for design Tend to be cluttered, and a variety of ad models News Web sites are not generally highly regarded for design Tend to be cluttered, and a variety of ad models

Basic Grid Design

See the home pages of these sites to see how the basic design has been adapted. The New York Times MSNBC ESPN See the home pages of these sites to see how the basic design has been adapted. The New York Times MSNBC ESPN Basic Grid Design as Adapted to Various Sites

Principles of Design Unity Contrast Hierarchy Consistency Unity Contrast Hierarchy Consistency

Text Formatting Considerations Fonts Alignment Line length Fonts Alignment Line length

Text Techniques to Avoid Avoid line-to-line hyphenation Avoid use of underlining except for links Avoid italicized text Avoid line-to-line hyphenation Avoid use of underlining except for links Avoid italicized text

Eye Track 2004 EyeTrackIII Joint venture by The Poynter Institute Estlow Center for Journalism and New Media Eyetools 2 Methods Eyetrack Heatmap EyeTrackIII Joint venture by The Poynter Institute Estlow Center for Journalism and New Media Eyetools 2 Methods Eyetrack Heatmap -

Where Users Look Viewing Pattern

Where Users Look Viewing Zones

Traditional Journalism site Readers most often view the top headlines and logo

The Impact of Blurbs Blurbs pull the readers down the page and keep them in this area longer

Headline Viewing Online news readers concentrate viewing on the left-hand side of headlines (the first 1-2 inches). The first few words of a headline are critical in drawing user attention Online news readers concentrate viewing on the left-hand side of headlines (the first 1-2 inches). The first few words of a headline are critical in drawing user attention

Headline Viewing

Article Designs When readers encountered a story with an introductory paragraph, 95 percent of them read all or part of the introductory paragraph. Those who spent time carefully reading the introductory paragraph of a story on article-level pages typically spent little time with the full story. Those who gave the intro paragraphs little time usually spent even less time with the story text. Shorter paragraphs encouraged testers to continue reading. When readers encountered a story with an introductory paragraph, 95 percent of them read all or part of the introductory paragraph. Those who spent time carefully reading the introductory paragraph of a story on article-level pages typically spent little time with the full story. Those who gave the intro paragraphs little time usually spent even less time with the story text. Shorter paragraphs encouraged testers to continue reading.

Article Designs Story text in one-column format was read more extensively than story text presented in a "newspaper-like" multiple-column format. Subheads in online stories had little affect on how much of the first or top portion of the story was read when the reader's interest was strongest. However, subheads increased reading for "skimmers" and for those whose attention in a story was beginning to wane. When readers got to an article-level page, they seemed to be there to view the text. Overall, participants' eyes fixated on the story or other text elements before the accompanying image. Story text in one-column format was read more extensively than story text presented in a "newspaper-like" multiple-column format. Subheads in online stories had little affect on how much of the first or top portion of the story was read when the reader's interest was strongest. However, subheads increased reading for "skimmers" and for those whose attention in a story was beginning to wane. When readers got to an article-level page, they seemed to be there to view the text. Overall, participants' eyes fixated on the story or other text elements before the accompanying image.

Blurbs Blurbs encourage scrolling Blurbs boost reading Clicks per user unaffected by blurbs Left-third blurbs most viewed Blurbs encourage scrolling Blurbs boost reading Clicks per user unaffected by blurbs Left-third blurbs most viewed

Headlines Smaller headlines lead to more scrolling “Hot” words catch attention of skimmers Large headlines make pages “too easy” Smaller headlines make reader work harder and invest. Smaller headlines lead to more scrolling “Hot” words catch attention of skimmers Large headlines make pages “too easy” Smaller headlines make reader work harder and invest.

Font Size Smaller font size results in more careful reading Disparity leads to fall off in reading of smaller text. Smaller font size results in more careful reading Disparity leads to fall off in reading of smaller text.