A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

Steve Krug

Highly RecommendResource!

Nothing important should ever be more than two clicks away

Be consistent Speak the user’s language Leave plenty of whitespace Don’t make me think

Find a site that’s too cluttered

Puzzling over things that don’t matter to us tends to sap our energy and enthusiasm – and time

On the internet, the competition is always just one click away, so if you frustrate users they’ll head somewhere else.

Names of things

Things that aren’t obviously clickable

JobsEmployment Opportunities

Job-O-Rama

Results

Do I have to think about how to search?

KeywordTitleAuthor

We’d like to think users will read our site from top to bottom, then make choices.

What really happens?

Usually in a hurry Don’t really need to read everything We’re good at it

Far Side: blah blah GINGER blah blah blah blah GINGER blah blah blah

Focus on words/phrases that match our goal (plus trigger words – free, sale, etc.)

Users often don’t take the time to make optimal choices

Often choose the first reasonable option – satisfice

Study of fire commanders – didn’t compare options, took first reasonable plan, did mental test for problems, took action

Satisficing definitely applies to choosing web pages (no penalty, easier to click than weigh options)

Users often don’t take the time to figure out how things work (why? May not care)

Find a way to achieve goal (even if know it’s not optimal), continue to do it that way Examples?

May have completely wrong views about how things really work

Even true of “savvy” users Ex: type entire URL into Yahoo search

box every time

If your audience is going to act like you’re designing billboards, then design billboards.

“How to” suggestions come in later chapters

For now, our goal is to recognize the issue With a partner

Review 3-4 websites At least one site should be geared toward

purchasing something For each site, first identify your potential goal

(e.g., visit a university site, think of yourself as prospective student, etc.)

What questions arise as you use the site? Do you notice any techniques that are really

effective? Submit: a list of sites with your critiques on

BB. Be prepared to share with class.