what makes a website user friendly
2007-03-15 08:11:15 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
1. It has to be simple and intuitive to navigate
2. Consistent Design i.e. all heading same font size etc etc
3. It Has to be relevant
4. No Spelling \ Grammar errors
5. NO popups, unless relevant
6. Not Overcrowded
7. No Blinking text or stupid effects (like you see on some screensavers when they change picture)
6. You should test it in the following Browsers (at the least)
Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, you could also try Opera & Lynx (Lynx is text only, but you should be able to still navigate)
have a look at http://www.coolhomepages.com for inspiration
2007-03-15 10:20:14 · answer #1 · answered by Mark T 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, definitely easy / straight-forward to use. You shouldn't have to read a manual to figure out how to do something.
When there's currently nothing to do/show on a page, provide some helper information to get the user started.
When on a page / feature, if help may be needed, strike pre-emptively by providing tooltips, help icons, etc for specific help on that page/feature.
Handle errors in a friendly. Reassure the user that the problem has been forwarded to the tech staff.
There are also many good books out there too for developing :
- Don't make me think: a common sense approach to web usability
- Defensive design for the web
- etc
2007-03-15 08:26:03 · answer #2 · answered by clievers 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Check out www.webpagesthatsuck.com - "learn good web design by looking at bad web design"
There's also a checklist on the page (look under: Does my website suck? on the left menu) that has a list of things to avoid.
Basically, I think the simpler the better. A too simple site is better than a too complicated one.
2007-03-15 08:31:06 · answer #3 · answered by finlandssvensk 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sleek images with drop shadows and fades etc., fast loading, great features. Also, give users lots of stuff to play around with like a blog and a video player.
2007-03-15 08:36:34 · answer #4 · answered by michael2041 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No scripts or flashy junk, I want data,information and a telephone or e.mail IP# . May be boreing to some, but give me the information that I can use and leave the movies and fireworks to the comedy sites.
2007-03-15 08:51:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Good usability. It's not about someone's opinion, it's actually a field of study. Read these books for good usability and making websites user-friendly (all are in my library and are excellent resources):
Designing Web Usability (Nielsen)
http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Web-Usability-Practice-Simplicity/dp/156205810X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-0984288-7766013?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173986613&sr=1-2
Prioritizing Web Usability (Nielsen)
http://www.amazon.com/Prioritizing-Usability-VOICES-Jakob-Nielsen/dp/0321350316/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0984288-7766013?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173986613&sr=1-1
Don't Make Me Think (Krug)
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Me-Think-Usability/dp/0321344758/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-0984288-7766013?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173986590&sr=8-1
Defensive Design for the Web (37Signals)
http://www.amazon.com/Defensive-Design-Web-improve-messages/dp/073571410X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0984288-7766013?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173986925&sr=8-1
Also, read Jakob Nielsen's articles at http://www.alertbox.com/ - there is a mountain of the best usability advice spanning many years, from the best usability expert there is.
2007-03-15 08:22:26 · answer #6 · answered by Rex M 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋