8 Critical Usability Tips Slideshare Post

8 Critical Usability Tips: Quick low cost ways to get impressive results John Whalen, PhD Director, User Experience and Design, e.magination

Usability Reviews and Usability Testing

Top 8 Critical Usability Tips Navigation Interaction Content Persuasive Design

Tip 1: Navigation – KISS – Harder than you think…

Tip 1: Navigation – KISS – Harder than you think… Trying to describe 10 steps… Notice the numbering: …but page has 42 4,5,6,7,8… links 4,5,6,7,8… 4??? …29 related to task at hand …13 leaving page. Where do I start??

Take a step back, think like the user

Make an obvious first step

Distinguish primary and secondary navigation

Provide a table of contents

Informal Test – Where should you click first? e.mag design 100% Correct 30% Correct

Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More

Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More 2 sets of tabs… Clickable buttons for navigation… Clickable buttons for actions… Clickable objects for navigation… Large distance between question and “Next” button Large distance between help and question

Tip 2: Navigation – Less is More Previous Next

Informal Test – Which would you prefer? Previous Next e.mag design 92% 8%

Tip 3: Content – Provide visual clues that direct eyes.

A B 0 Seconds

A B 5 Seconds

A B After 15 seconds, users “below the fold” 15 Seconds

Tip 4: Content – Create scan-able content ✓

Users scan content in an “F” pattern

They skip irrelevant content

Tip 5: Interaction – Make the next step “duh” obvious

Informal Test – Where should you click next? Amazon 91% Correct 6% Correct

What makes it obvious? • Distinct color • Size • Affordance (click-ability) • Next in user eye-flow • Absence of any other items with that style • Consistency in positioning

Tip 6: Interaction – Search + Refine

Do you prefer Search + Refine? Yes 85% No 15%

What makes it obvious? • Distinct color • Size • Affordance (click-ability) • Next in user eye-flow • Absence of any other items with that style • Consistency in positioning

Tip 7: Persuasion – Invoke reciprocity, social validation, and similarity Reciprocity: • Give things away. • Create an environment where you contribute, then ask for something in return.

Tip 7: Persuasion – Invoke reciprocity, social validation, and similarity Social Validation: • You’re making the right choice. • Lots of other people choose this too.

Tip 7: Persuasion – Invoke reciprocity, social validation, and similarity Similarity: • People just like you choose us.

Tip 8: Persuasion – Find the right social networks and provide thought leadership Source: Forrester.com

Tip 8: Persuasion – Find the right social networks and provide thought leadership Develop a B.E.S.T. formula • Behavioral: Everything you communicate is designed to change customer behavior • Essential: Your communications really help your customers succeed in their jobs • Strategic: Your content becomes a integral part of your business strategy • Targeted: Target your content so that it is truly relevant to your clients.

8 Critical Usability Tips Navigation 2. K.I.S.S. – Make the first step obvious 3. Less is More – Remove unnecessary navigation Content 5. Provide visual clues that direct eyes to next step 6. Create scan-able content Interaction 8. Make the next step “duh” obvious 9. Search + Refine Persuasion 11.Invoke reciprocity, social validation, and similarity 12.Find the right social networks and provide thought leadership

Your Summer Reading List…

…or talk to us! John Whalen, PhD Director, User Experience Twitter: @johnwhalen Email: john.whalen@emagination.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwhalen THANK YOU!

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8 Critical Usability Tips Slideshare Post

by Emagination ® on Jul 17, 2009

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