I studied web design because I realized that many of the sites I saw on the web had poor user experience – that is, they were a pain to use. In those days, there was little formal web design training. What there was included design and development, but user experience instruction was often limited to good navigation and good architecture. Today, web design focuses on user experience design, which is more about the experience than the design. It isn’t enough to have a website. You want a website that stands out as it meets the needs of the user.
At the end of the project, if a website doesn’t work for the end user, then it’s just expensive internet art. I got one of my early clients when I mentioned to an organization that I couldn’t find on their website how to join, which was the whole point of their site.
What Does User Experience Include?
A website needs to be visually appealing
- Does the website design reflect the nature of the business or entity it is for?
- Are the colors, fonts, and layout appropriate for the audience?
- Have colors, font-faces, font-sizes and font-colors been selected with care and are they appropriate for the audience?
The Website Is focused on what you want the user to do
- What do you ultimately want the user to do?
- Does the site set facilitate getting them to do that?
- Is it easy and clear for them to do what you want?
- Are calls-to-action clearly definable and repeated ?
A user can easily navigate through the site
- The navigation is intuitive and makes sense
- Things are where one would expect them to be
- Menu labels clearly indicate what content will found
- The user can easily find, understand and figure out the navigation
- She finds what she’s looking for easily within the site
- All parts of the site are accessible from everywhere on the site
- He can always get back to where he was without use of browser BACK buttons
- Users do not use sites in a linera manner so both navigation and content must realize that and allow a user to move around in whatever way they want.
Content answers the needs and questions of the user
- Content addresses the most common questions your customers have
- Users easily find information they will expect to find on the site
- The site address common concerns and objections
- Content makes it clear why you are the best solution to their need and how you will benefit them
- Users can easily contact you and have you encouraged them to do so through calls to action
Best practices for the web are employed
- The website responsively adapts to all monitor sizes from cell phone to desktop (without pinching to enlarge)
- The user can use touch to phone on cell phones
- Slideshows advance by touch
- PDFs and links to other sites open in a new window, so your site stays available
- You have used accessibility practices like alt titles, good contrast, enough room around links and buttons (essential on sites which are likely to be used by people with visual or motor disabilities)?
Many people think that a website is just about getting their information “out there”, but if the user experience isn’t good, it psychologically tells the user (your potential client or customer) that you really don’t care about them, that it’s all about you. That is not likely to encourage them to employ you. On the other hand, if they can navigate your site seamlessly and you answer their questions or concerns, they are more likely to believe that you understand them and care about their best interests, too.