1. Usability 1.0
J. Richard Stevens

2. Rule #1 “Don’t Make Me Think!” Orientation vs. Engagement
Conventions and Affordances
Less is more, more or less …
Get rid of questions
Wording
Graphics

3. How we really use the Web
Design vs. Use
Author vs. reader perspective
Reading vs. Scanning
Agenda function
Users don’t make optimal choices.
They “satisfice.”
Users don’t figure, they muddle
Satisfice = “sacrifice” to “satisfy”

4. Designing Billboards Creating a clear visual hierarchy
Prominence = importance
Relationships between objects
Use recognized conventions
Break up content, add definition
Clickables MUST be obvious
Contrast is key

5. Omit Needless Words Be concise.
Omit half your words, then omit another half.
Kill “Happy Talk”
Kill instructions

6. Common Problems No sense of scale No sense of direction
No sense of location
Why design good navigation?
To give the users something to hold onto
To orient and inform
To build confidence

7. Examples of Bad Design Busyness Interface gone awry Bad Communication
Interface gone awry
Bad Communication
“Conference Hall” or something else?

8. Persistent Navigation
Every page must be consistent
Homepage, forms, etc.
Why we do what others do
Sections and subsections
Utilities
Searching
Street signs as page names
Placement and consistency
Breadcrumbs

9. The End Experience Always keep in mind the end-user experience
Tailor content to fit into end-user spaces
Consider the environment of use
Why I use powerpoint in this class

10. Trunk Testing What site is this? What page am I on?
What are the major sections?
What are my options?
Where am I in the scheme of things?
How can I search?

11. Web Team Arguments “Everybody Likes …” The myth of the average user
The antidote for religious debate: testing.