Slide 1

Slide 2 Whats the most important thing I should do if I want to make sure my web site is easy to use? Whats the most important thing I should do if I want to make sure my web site is easy to use? Slide 3 It is not Nothing important should ever be more than two clicks away. Nothing important should ever be more than two clicks away. Speak the users language. Speak the users language. Be consistent. Be consistent. Slide 4 Dont make me think. Slide 5 Web pages should be self-evident We should be able to get it We should be able to get it What it is How to use it Without expending any effort thinking about it. Without expending any effort thinking about it. Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Things that make us think Slide 10 Slide 11 Slide 12 If you point the cursor at it, itll change from an arrow to a pointing hand. Whats the big deal? Slide 13 Every question mark adds to our cognitive workload. Slide 14 As a rule, people dont like to puzzle over how to use things. Slide 15 Slide 16 Slide 17 Slide 18 Slide 19 The most important principle of web design is to work toward eliminating question marks. Slide 20 However, you cannot make everything self-evident. Slide 21 However, you cannot make everything self-evident. Sometimes you need to settle for self- explanatory. Slide 22 Slide 23 Ive waited ten minutes for this bus already, so I may as well hang in there a little longer. Slide 24 So why then? Most people are going to spend less time looking at the pages we design than we think. Most people are going to spend less time looking at the pages we design than we think. Slide 25 So why then? Most people are going to spend less time looking at the pages we design than we think. Most people are going to spend less time looking at the pages we design than we think. If web pages are going to be effective, they have to work most of their magic at a glance. If web pages are going to be effective, they have to work most of their magic at a glance. Slide 26 Slide 27 Were thinking: Lets write some great literature (or at least product brochure) Slide 28 The users reality is much closer to: billboard going by at 60 miles an hour. Slide 29 Fact of Life #1 We dont read pages; we scan them. We dont read pages; we scan them. Were usually in a hurry We dont need to read everything. Were good at it. Slide 30 Slide 31 What one user sees Slide 32 What another user sees Slide 33 Fact of life #2 We dont make optimal choices. We satisfice. We dont make optimal choices. We satisfice. Slide 34 Slide 35 Fact of life #2 We dont make optimal choices. We satisfice. We dont make optimal choices. We satisfice. We dont choose the best option we choose the first reasonable option. As soon as we find a link that seems like it might lead where we want, we click it. Slide 36 Gary Klein Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions Slide 37 Why dont web users look for the best choice? Were usually in a hurry Were usually in a hurry Theres not much of a penalty for guessing wrong Theres not much of a penalty for guessing wrong Weighing options may not improve our chances Weighing options may not improve our chances Guessing is more fun Guessing is more fun Less work If youre right its faster Introduces an element of chance - serendipity Slide 38 Fact of life #3 We dont figure out how things work. We muddle through ( form a mental model). We dont figure out how things work. We muddle through ( form a mental model). Slide 39 Slide 40 Slide 41 Slide 42 If people manage to muddle through does it really matter whether they get it? Muddling tends to be inefficient and error-prone If they get it: Better chance theyll find what theyre looking for. Understand the full range of what your site has to offer You have a better chance of steering them where you want them to go Theyll feel smarter and more in control Slide 43 Whats a girl to do? If your audience is going to act like youre designing billboards, then design great billboards.