Introduction

A web site's success is subject to its usability. The easier a site is to use, the longer it will survive. Recent studies, however, show that the majority of commercial web sites are poorly designed. User-friendly qualities are minimal and users regularly have difficulty in locating the information they are looking for. If they are unable to figure out how a site works during the initial few seconds, they leave it. Such sites do not cater to the interests of their users nor to the company they are representing. In fact, they only represent potential loss of custom. To prevent this, usability should be considered crucial at all stages of site design.

Knowing your audience

For a web site to keep its transient audience, user-friendliness must be a top priority. In order to support the interests of your users, you must know who makes up your audience and what their goals are. Demographic studies based on factors such as age, education, and location should be carried out on the target audience. You should also be aware of the hardware and software your users can support on their current computer systems. An additional factor that shouldn't be overlooked is how accessible your site is to the disabled – this refers to people with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor disabilities. For example, if your site contains audio clips, make sure that you also provide a transcript for possible users with hearing problems. Once you have identified your audience and what their expectations and requirements are, you can adjust your content accordingly. Aim at making your objectives for the site overlap with those of the audience.

Elements that improve usability

There are four equally important elements that contribute to the usability of a site. If one of these elements is absent or has been designed carelessly, the usability of that particular site decreases. These elements relate to the following areas:

• quality content: users ultimately focus on the content of a site – if the content is irrelevant or of low quality, they lose interest
• information architecture: the content of a site should be structured logically – to make the site easier to understand, prioritize the most important material
• easy navigation: if a site is difficult to navigate, users become irritated and tend to search for another, more navigable site
• search capability: providing a search engine within a site allows for content identification and retrieval

User conservatism

Usability tests conducted over the last five years show that users today are more reluctant to accept innovations in web design. Because they are more interested in content than software development, they expect sites to communicate information effectively. Consequently, they favor web designs similar to those already widespread on the Web. Be aware that, for the user, the Web is an environment with its own established conventions that transcend individual sites.

However, there is still room for progress in web design, and promising new ideas should be tried, as today's innovation may become tomorrow's standard. Because the majority of users are slow to upgrade their browsers, you should use new concepts that are supported across all browsers and not just the more recent versions.

Conducting usability tests

To achieve maximum site usability, a usability test should be carried out on a wide range of users, including those who have as little exposure to the site as possible and who are preferably not Internet experts.

You should observe the users throughout the testing process in order to get an objective view of your web site. You should not participate in the test, because you have an intimate knowledge of the site and thus cannot provide a fresh assessment.

The final results will indicate how well your site works for users and will highlight what needs fixing or changing. Some criticisms may be hard for you to take, but it's better to receive and deal with them in-house rather than face bad reviews or disastrous site performance after publication on the Web.

When testing for usability, the site itself should be as developed as possible. The nearer it is to the finished product, the better. Clearly, there is no point in testing a product that contains known bugs and incomplete features. However, time should be allowed for post-test fixes or modifications and as soon as these have been implemented, you should test the users again.

Recruiting users for the test group

Usability testing should be conducted using a maximum of five users. Those tested should include members of the target audience, preferably a mixture of novices and experts.

Studies show that testing with five users is just as efficient as testing with a larger test group. The reason for this is that the first user reveals the majority of a site's usability problems. Subsequent users repeat these findings and often generate only a small amount of new data. However, if a site has an extensive audience that is made up of users from diverse backgrounds, such as parents and children, test three to four users from each group.

Testing with your employees is not recommended unless the site is intended to function within an intranet. In such a case, the audience members should be corporate members should be a broad cross-section to provide an accurate representation of your site's usability.

Defining usability tasks

The five users should be asked to perform as many small goal-directed tasks as possible. These tasks should include the various activities that you anticipate most users to perform within your site when it is up and running. Do not indicate to the test group how the tasks are performed. This should be evident from the site itself – as with software tools, intuitiveness is a valuable quality.

Three tests on five users are just as effective as one test on fifteen users. The first test usually determines 85 percent of usability problems. Once the design has been improved, test users for a second time. Sometimes, design concepts change and this creates new usability problems. The second study reveals the remaining 15 percent of problems. It also delves deeper than the surface design. The third test ensures that the site is usable from perspectives such as the information architecture, the task flow, the overall structure of the site, and user fulfillment.

During the testing process, users should take note of site elements that they like as well as those they dislike. Both kinds of feedback can help you hone the site's effectiveness. Do not help users or interfere during the process. If you feel that observation is necessary, which in most cases it is, video the testing process or even use a one-way mirror.

Analyzing and applying the results

Interview the participants after the testing process. Enquire about their first impressions of the site, the company image portrayed by the site, their understanding of the site structure, and the site's major elements. Such questions help users recall their initial observations, which may have been forgotten or modified later in the process. Take note of any complaints, suggestions, or recommendations.

Measure the percentage of tasks that users perform correctly. This is usually an easy process. However, if certain tasks are extremely complex, there may be reasons relating to why users fail or how well they perform. If this is the case, focus on the partial success rate of your site to gain a more realistic image of the usability issues. The manner in which you rate your site is also important. For example, if your site is business-oriented, rate it on a performance level. If it provides entertainment, user satisfaction should be the key issue.

Compile your results methodically and, where appropriate, statistically, in terms of recurring problems among users and general weaknesses that have been documented. Examine each problem individually and see how you can improve or alleviate it. Apply the results constructively to ensure that the site is not faulty and to avoid widespread criticism. Ultimately, the effort of the testing stage pays off in terms of the overall usability and success of your site.

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