Web Design Core Issue 3: Designing for Users (6)

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3.9 General types of users

Based on the ability to use the web, there are three general types of users: beginners, general ability users, experts, or powerful users. A beginner needs special help and may prefer to get feedback on a special click to accomplish a simple task. An example of a user interface for beginners is an Automation wizard that completes a general task. Instead, experts are users who can understand the site well. The ability of users should be divided into two categories: frequent visits to the site and infrequently visit the site. Users who have frequent access to the site can take advantage of the advanced features of the site, such as complex searches, directly form their own U R L, and may remember the location of an object in the site. A user with a strong ability to visit a site infrequently may not be familiar with the structure of the site, but with some capabilities, such as search, to browse the entire site. Strong users need less clues, want to click some less and get some more information. Obviously, the gap between the novice and the expert is very large. The design of a site is too close to the needs of a visitor, the other visitors will be annoyed-for experts is the site design is too popular, and for beginners is the site design is too professional.

The third type of user, the user who does not frequently access the general capabilities of the web, is actually the largest user group of the web. Most of them are users who have little access to the general capabilities of the web, because they can better understand how the Web works, but don't know how to navigate the site effectively. Further, it can be said that the general ability of users will not continue to visit a site again. If they continue to visit, they will become an advanced user. Since most of the visitors to the site are generally capable users, they should consider designing the site according to the capabilities and knowledge of those users, although this may seem to exclude novice users and limit advanced users. The best way to build a site for a basic user base is to provide features that cater to all users. Software application is such, the site why can not be so? A software application provides shortcut keys and custom features, such as a custom interface for advanced users, while providing menus and icons for users and novices who are generally capable. The Help system and wizards are also available, which is primarily designed for beginners. A site provides the full U R L System, advanced search capabilities, and personalized interface for advanced users. A site if it provides a button that is exactly like other sites, tags (such as about, product, occupation, etc.) and have a consistent navigation bar, it is very friendly to novice and general ability users, of course, it can also have a dynamic "crumb" style navigation bar, which is very popular for advanced users. Finally, a Web site should be able to provide help systems, images, and access options for beginners, such as simple text links.

Recommendation: Create an adaptive site to meet the needs of novice, intermediate, and advanced users.

In an ideal world, there is no reason why you cannot create a site that meets the needs of all user groups. However, time and cost constraints limit the number of features that can be added to the site. In this case, it is best to design the site for the general ability of users. Some people may argue that the design should be aimed at the lowest-power users because of the exclusion of some novices who are unable to understand the entire site. The question is whether you create a site that is just for a complete novice, and if so, you will quickly alienate users who know what they want to do.

Recommendation: If you can not design an adaptive user interface, then for the general ability of users to do the design.

Even if you can create an adaptive user interface, be aware that what we are talking about is meeting the basic needs of the general user. A real user can be a different situation. No matter how hard we try, there are certain people who cannot understand or like the sites we have created.

Tip: No matter how good the site design, remember that there are always some users do not like or do not visit our site.

Users are individuals with different tastes and opinions. They have different experiences, abilities, personalities, ages, genders and cultural backgrounds. Some users may have some disabilities that prevent them from using a web that is easy for other users to use. Users bring some prior knowledge from the real world and other sites. However, they may also have some real-world concepts, such as navigation. They may use some metaphors from the real world. Of course, they may have gained some knowledge about web operations while visiting other sites. Knowledge of traditional software operations can also work. Remember what this chapter says is that users bring their web sites to the real world and they don't access the universe created by the site.

Rule: Users bring past knowledge about the world, software, and Web to your site. The site must be made to meet their expectations.

Make sure your site is the same as any other site or software used by a user, and that it meets their general expectations. Remember the rules of consistency: if you do things differently than others, you cannot rely on past knowledge and force others to learn new knowledge. Of course, for real users, the challenge is that their expectations come from past experience. However, try to find some common rules in the graphical user interface and in the familiar sites of the user.

Graphical user interface rules

The graphical user interface (G U I) has a range of standards set by operating system vendors such as Microsoft, Apple, or industrial organization such as O S F. These rules are obvious to most software. Consider the simple impressions of the latest version of Microsoft Wo R D, as shown in Figure 3-5.

It is worth noting that there are some common menus in the interface such as file, edit, view, and help. These important menus are typically at the top of the screen, and the Help menu is at the very right end. The close box is in the upper-right corner, and other controls, such as maximizing and minimizing, are also in the upper-right corner. The toolbar of the software application is in the upper part. At the bottom of the screen there are some unimportant controls or status messages. The features you apply can be done in a variety of ways, such as action buttons, text menus, shortcuts, and wizards.

It is useful to understand graphical user interface rules, especially when designing interactive elements for forms and other sites. The 1th Chapter 2 discusses the use of small parts of graphical user interface, and discusses the differences between Web and graphical user interface. The web has no graphical user interface rules that are as well understood as the application software. There are two main reasons for this. First of all. Software applications are largely controlled by the operating system. Microsoft has determined how to run the applications on WI n d o w S. And Apple defines the detailed rules for M-c i n s t o s h software. Second, the ability to create and distribute software is limited to smaller groups of users than web design. Many web designers lack a strict understanding of the graphical user interface and shun it in the name of artistic freedom.