Usability
Research Methods
It
is very important that several types of evaluation occur
early on in the design of a web site. It is much easier to
clarify misunderstandings at an early stage, before
expensive page layout has commenced, than to redesign a
working site.
Paper
Mockups: One method of testing involves asking
typical users to work through paper mockups of screens,
using talk-aloud protocols to show what they are thinking
about. Unclear navigation options or categorization
problems can be identified.
Heuristics:
A second method involves working through a design using
heuristics.[5]
Nielsen has designed a checklist of items
[4]
to consider when developing computer interfaces. These
checklist items, which are called heuristics, can help
you look for things when designing which you might not
normally think about. A really useful document which
takes Nielsen's heuristics and adapts them for the web is
available from Instone [1].
Microsoft
Network has also been conducting usability research and
has also produced a checklist which designers can use to
ensure their web pages are effective
[2].
Rapid
Prototyping: A third method involves setting users
down in front of a rough prototype of a system and
watching them as they work through the design (this
method utilizes the talk-aloud protocol as well as
video-taping the user).
Here's
an article by Jakob Nielsen about prototyping
web sites.
Guidelines
from Usability Research
Jakob
Nielsen [3],
who has been conducting web usability studies for several
years, has published a list of guidelines for web design
based on results since 1994. His findings:
- most
users don't read, they scan for information
- the
author's personality makes a site more
attractive
- web
users are impatient, they don't want to be slowed down by
cool features or self-promotion
- search
capability is very important
- download
factors are critical
- animation
is almost always annoying
- frames
are disliked
- wild
backgrounds disrupt a user's reading
- more
users are scrolling (pages no longer than 3 screens are
recommended) but many still don't go beyond the first
screen
- image
maps are more usable now, especially if they are broken
up into smaller sections that load more quickly than one
large graphic
- users
want sites to work and are no longer tolerant of those
that don't
[1] Instone, K. (1997). Usability
Heuristics for the Web. [Online]. Available:
http://www.webreview.com/1997/10_10/strategists/10_10_97_1.shtml
[2] Keeker, K. (1997). Improving
web site usability and appeal. [Online]. Available:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsiteplan/html/improvingsiteusa.asp
[3] Nielsen,
J. (Dec. 1997). Changes in Web Usability Since 1994.
[Online]. Available: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9712a.html
[4] Nielsen,
J. Ten Usability Heuristics.
[Online]. Available:
http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html
[5] Nielsen,
J. How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation
[Online]. Available:
http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_evaluation.html
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