Chapter 5

Seven Design Elements of Customer Interface Context  Functional look and feel  How it is presented Content  What is presented Community  Consumers and firm  Consumers to consumers  Chat room and message board Customization  Ability to modify itself Communication  Dialog between website and its users Connection  Links between the site and other sites Commerce  Transactional capacity

Context Functional design—Yahoo.com Aesthetic design—Apple.com Dimensions of context  Function Section breakdown Linking structuring  Hierarchical  Networked  Linear Navigation tools  By price  By style  Aesthetics Background color Background image Graphics Font Size

Content Offering mix  Products, services, information Appeal mix  Cognitive: functional aspects more comparison if you sell computers  Emotional: brand name, humor, novelty, warmth, stories More emotional statements if you sell flowers Multimedia Mix  Text, image, video, graphics, audio  Balance  Performance Content type  Time sensitivity  Restricted

Community Types of communities  Brand based Apple computer Ford Mustang  Hobby based Racket club Hot rod club Tools  Chat rooms  Message board  Rating system Create attractive content  Member generated  Administer generated Make activities possible and easier  Two shoppers shop simultaneously  book recommendations to other people

Customization Tools  Static vs. Dynamic web sites  HTML, ASP, Coldfusion Dimension  Personalization Login registration Cookies Personalized accounts Content and layout configuration: select own screen layout Storage: virtual hard disk space Agents: artificial agents  Tailoring by site Present different content with different design layout to different users depending user’s response and profile Methods  Tailored by past behavior  Tailored by classification  Product customization Dell Landends

Communications Types of communications  Broadcast (1 way) Mass mailing FAQs newsletters Content update notifications Broadcast events  Interactive (2 way) Chat room User feedback  Hybrid

Connection Dimensions  Links to other sites  Home site background Links to other sites with home site background  Outsourced content Stock quotes, weather

Commerce Steps  Configuration  Total calculation (tax, S&H)  Payment selection  Make the payment  Payment delivery  Tracking and receipt confirmation  Customer feedback  After service Dimensions  Registration  Shopping cart  Security  Credit card approval  One-click shopping  Order through affiliates  Configuration technology  Order tracking  Delivery options