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User Interface Design for the Web

Lawrence Najjar

Senior Usability Specialist, iXL

lnajjar@ixl.com

Presentation available at: http://mime1.gtri.gatech.edu/ui/index.htm

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Lawrence’s Background

• MS Engineering Psychology, 1983, Georgia Tech

• 10 years in industry (SRL, IBM)• PhD Engineering Psychology, 1998, Georgia

Tech• Worked at Georgia Tech Research Institute

as student• 1.5 years at iXL in Atlanta

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What is a “User Interface?”

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What is a “User Interface?”

• Way that people interact with a computer– Hardware: Keyboard, mouse, monitor– Software: Graphical user interface, Web

browser

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Why Worry about the Web User Interface?

• Biggest problem with Web is download time1

• 2nd biggest reason people don’t buy from Web site is navigation difficulties2

• 28% of Web shoppers surveyed had trouble finding the product they wanted3

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Why Worry about the Web User Interface (continued)

• 62% of Web shoppers surveyed gave up looking for a product online4

• Dissatisfied customers tell about 10 others5

• Web usability not getting better6

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Challenges for Designing Web-Based User Interfaces

• Short download times

• Limited interaction options (e.g., drag and drop item into shopping cart)

• Broad user population

• Diverse interaction hardware and software

• Impatient users (e.g., abandon bad sites)

• Many application choices

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Web User Interface Design Process

1. Perform needs analysis

2. Design draft site structure

3. Review with customer

4. Design individual screens

5. Review with customer

6. Evaluate usability

7. Iterate (38% better usability each time)7

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Deliverables

• Site structure diagrams

• Conceptual user interface (CUI)

• Screen design specifications

• Usability evaluation reports

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Site Structure DiagramAmerica

Online, Inc.

W ho W e AreMedia

Point of V iew

AOLFoundation(new logo;

m isson; links;em ployee

involvem ent)

Investors(stock ticker;link to Press

Releases,Speeches)

Mem berServices

Careers(instructions;slogan; lists

of jobs byLocation,

Job Title, keyword search)

Tech Data

Taxation

Careers

Contact Us Search

Com panyHistory

Calendar ofEvents

AccessPhone

Num bers

Careers

Data Points

aol.com

Mem berBenefits

Our Brands(continued)

Speeches(selectablelist, search)

S ite Map

Calendar ofEvents

FAQ

MediaContacts

About theFoundation

InteractiveEducationInitiative

(continued)

CivicInvolvem ent

Initiative(continued)

Your AOLConnection

In the Future

W ebm asterInfo

(opens newbrowser)

Earnings(continued)

Financial(continued)

Docum entsArchive

(continued)

Online Safety

Privacy

Cable Access AOLAchievers

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Conceptual User Interface (CUI)7

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Screen Design Specifications

Global buttons – top navigation bar GE Home - links to the GE Home page at http://www.ge.com Customer Center Home - links to the Power Systems customer center at

http://schexnweb.sch.ge.com/cgi-bin/xnetmainmenu.exe Sales and Service Home - links to the GE Power Systems Sales and Service home page

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Working Prototype

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Usability Evaluation Reports

Sample Usability Problems• Users were required to know three-letter airport codes Users should enter the month then the date, rather than

vice versa. The terms “Help,” “Info,” and “Tips” are too similar. Be

more descriptive by using options such as “Travel tips.”

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Web User Interface Design Suggestions

• Keep it simple

• Minimize animation and blinking

• Don’t use frames

• Make navigation consistent and obvious

• Show users where they are and how they got there

• Minimize scrolling

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Web User Interface Design Suggestions (continued)

• Use standard link and visited link colors

• Underline only links

• Use contrast to make text legible

• Minimize long text paragraphs

• Match navigation labels with screen titles

• Others?

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Conclusions

• User interface for the Web is different

• Above all, keep it simple!

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References

• 1 Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center (1998). GVU’s 9th WWW User Survey. Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology, College of Computing, Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center. Available: http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys/survey-1998-04

• 2 Kadison, M. L., Weisman, D. E., Modahl, M., Lieu, K. C., and Levin, K. (1998, April). On-line Research Strategies: The Look to Buy Imperative. Forrester Report, vol. 1(1). Available: http://www. forrester.com

• 3, 4 Seminerio, M. (1998, September 10). Study: One In Three Experienced Surfers Find Online Shopping Difficult. Inter@ctive Week. Available: http://www.zdnet.com/intweek/quickpoll/981007/ 981007b.html

• 5 Albrecht, K. and Zembre, R. E. (1985). Service America. New York: Warner.

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References (continued)

• 6 Thompson, M. J. (1999, October 11). Site usability isn’t improving. The Standard. Available: http://www.zdnet.com/devhead/stories/ articles/0,4413,2137664,00.html

• 7 Nielsen, J. Users first! Web usability: Why and how. How to get a usable website. Available: http://www.zdnet.com/devhead/stories/ articles/0,4413,2137664,00.html

• 8 Najjar, L. J. (2000). Conceptual User Interface: A new tool for designing e-commerce user interfaces. Manuscript submitted for publication. Available: http://mime1.gtri.gatech.edu/tim/imb/ papers/cui.html

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Suggested Readings

• Christopher Wickens’ “Engineering psychology and human performance” book

• Jakob Nielsen’s www.useit.com site

• Mayhew’s “Principles and guidelines for user interface design” book

• Najjar, L. J. (1998). Principles of educational multimedia user interface design. Human Factors, 40(2), 311-323. Available: http://wearables. gatech.edu/papers/larry.html

• Najjar, L. J. (1999, June). Beyond Web usability. Internetworking [On-line], 2.2. Available: http://www.sandia.gov/itg/newsletter/jun99/

beyond_web_usability.html

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User Interface Design for the Web

Lawrence Najjar

Senior Usability Specialist, iXL

lnajjar@ixl.com

Presentation available at: http://mime1.gtri.gatech.edu/ui/index.htm