Web Design Core Issue 3: Designing for Users (1)

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As discussed in chapter 1th, individual Web sites are often designed according to their specific philosophical views. Sometimes this view is content-centric and sometimes it is technology-centric. More often, it is centered on visual effects. However, the real focus when designing a Web site should be the user. Always think of users, and do everything possible to meet their requirements is the user-centric design of the key. But understanding users is not an easy task. Although all users have some common abilities such as memory and response time, different users are still different individuals. Web sites should be designed for common users, not for individual new or old users. The site should be understood by all, while at the same time taking into account the different points displayed by different individuals. Usability refers to the ease with which a Web site can be used. Building a good web site can be challenging because the things that are good for a user may cause problems for another user. By interviewing users, testing them, or interacting with them, you can dramatically improve the likelihood of building a user-centric site. And, of course, be careful not to be misled by the user. Although a site should always be designed for users, it should also take into account the desire of the creator of the site, even if sometimes this desire is inconsistent with the user's wishes. It is not easy to balance the user and the designer.

3.1 Availability

Each person has a vague idea of usability. One can discuss in detail what kind of Web site is friendly, intuitive, or simply "usable". So what exactly does it mean to be available? First consider utility. Two e-commerce sites that sell books offer the same basic features. Both allow users to find or browse books, read information about books, buy books, and track their orders. If two sites have the same basic characteristics, say they have the same utility (meaning that they can do the same thing). For sites that provide the same functionality, you'll find it easier to do something on a site than other sites. In this case, we say that this site is more available than other sites. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on what is available. Many people have tried to give usability characteristics. The following definition of availability is excerpted from the I S o Standard.

Definition: Availability refers to the degree to which a site can be effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily achieved by a group of users in a particular use environment.

Consider the various meanings contained in this definition. First, notice that we should qualify the user group when talking about usability. Availability can vary greatly, depending on the user.

Second, usability is a task-related. The availability of a site should not be considered in the general sense. Conversely, when discussing availability, you should limit the context in which you perform specific tasks, such as finding a phone number, buying a product, and so on. Usability can then be defined as the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of the user in attempting to achieve these goals. Validity describes whether the user can accomplish their goals. Such a site is not actually available if the user cannot or is only partially able to complete the tasks they have given beforehand through a site.

Again, usability is related to efficiency. If users make a lot of mistakes when they visit the site, or if they have to do things in a way that is not straightforward, the site is not very useful. Finally, the user must be satisfied with the completion of the task. There are many other definitions of usability. Some experts who study usability think usability can be specifically defined. For example, you can get a comprehensive account of the completion time of a typical visit and the number of errors made by the user during this visit. From a user's point of view, that may not be very meaningful; The user may be concerned with his satisfaction only after completing the task. Many usability experts such as Jakob Nielsen (www. u s e i t. C o m) tend to adopt a similar definition in the i s o Standard. For example, n i e l s e N presents the following five points that determine the availability of a site:

• can be learned.
• of memory.
• Efficiency when used.
• The degree of reliability used.
• The degree of satisfaction of the user.

According to this definition, a site is available, if it is easy to learn, easy to remember the use of the process, efficient use (on the user side does not need to do a lot of work), work correctly and help the user to complete the task correctly, and users are generally satisfied with the use of this site. This seems to remain somewhat vague and prone to contradictions. For example, a site that is easy to learn for a new user can be laborious to use for a skilled user. Because people are different, and their abilities and the level of knowledge gained about the Web are different. It is impossible for all people to hold the same view of usability. A site that works well for a user may be difficult for others to use.

Rule: There is no absolute view of what is available on the site. Availability can vary greatly when a user visits a site.

Even without considering the user's differences, we'll find that usability varies depending on how the user interacts with the site. Usability is also dependent on the use of media, and the text content displayed on the screen is better when used in larger fonts, while printed on paper with a small font. If you've ever tried to read a lot of small fonts online, you know it's hard. People tend to find that the same information is easier to read on paper. Experts say people are slower at reading content on the screen. In this case, the use of the media is screen or paper, which affects the availability of content. For the web, media, including networks, browsers, screen sizes, and technical factors such as H T M L, often affect usability to a large extent. In this book, the mantra "Understanding your media" should be repeatedly mentioned.

Rule: Availability depends on the media used.

Availability is also different depending on the site. The availability limit for an entertainment site is different from that of a commercial site. Further, the user's familiarity with a site and the frequency with which they visit the site, and the purpose of their use of the site, can affect their perception of the user friendliness of the site. Consider how people feel about a site that has never been visited and that is not very interesting, and how they feel about the sites they visit frequently. They are more likely to forgive their mistakes for the sites they need or have to use, but not the sites they are interested in. In short, the availability limit for a one-time access site is different from the site that users rely on on a daily basis.

Rule: Availability depends on the type of site and how familiar the user is with it.

The last point may seem a bit strange, but it's not true. People often believe that the inefficient way of doing things is perfectly acceptable. Be careful not to be overly scientific when discussing usability (such as counting web clicks, mouse movements, error rates, and other similar things). The user's sense of their experience (their level of satisfaction with the site and the tasks they perform) is paramount. For some people, their feelings are not very logical, and even some people get satisfaction by performing difficult tasks, and they may feel the same way about the site. Others allow the familiarity of organizations outside the web to get away with it, but not allow a new company to do so simply because they trust the brand of an old company. On the other hand, do not use an accidental illogical user as an excuse to create a site that is difficult to work with. A site that requires users to handle tasks in a new way, or is inflexible, or has many errors, is usually not satisfactory to the user. Increase usability, users will feel very happy.

Rules: Availability and user satisfaction are directly related.

To understand how to make something available, you must understand the user. The following sections discuss usability based on the user's capabilities and preferences. This chapter will review these elements and give a few rules of thumb. Applying these rules to Web site design can improve the usability of your site.