| There are many mistakes committed by individuals in | | | | - Language that is direct to the point. |
| the field of Web design and management. It is good | | | | 5. Using a fixed font size for CSS Style sheets - |
| to know, though, that there are less usability crimes | | | | Websites often disable the change-font-size button |
| committed against users now than before. | | | | on Web browsers to designate a fixed font size. |
| This article presents the ten worst errors in Web | | | | Most of the time, such a fixed font size is too small |
| design. | | | | for majority of readers over the age of 40. Users |
| 1. Poorly designed search engines - Some search | | | | should have the option to resize text when needed. |
| engines take searches too literally to the point that | | | | 6. Maintaining Page Titles with low search engine |
| usability is cut in half. These search engines cannot | | | | visibility - It is important to use good page titles to |
| manage hyphens, plural forms, typos and other | | | | lure new visitors during their search while permitting |
| variants of the terms inputted. Such search engines | | | | current users to find the specific pages required. |
| not only make life harder for everyone but are | | | | If you are designing a homepage, start with the |
| especially difficult to use by the elderly. | | | | company name. Then describe the site briefly. Do not |
| Sometimes, search engines rank results on the basis | | | | begin with words such as The or Welcome To. Aside |
| of the amount of query terms inputted, rather than | | | | from the homepage, other pages should have a title |
| on the relation of each document to your search. It | | | | that begins with words that closely describe what |
| would be an improvement if the search engine places | | | | the user will read on that page. |
| the articles with the closest relationship to your | | | | Taglines on homepages should also be short while |
| search at the top of the list, particularly for important | | | | concisely giving the purpose of the site. |
| searches. | | | | 7. Using designs that look like advertisements - Users |
| The search engine is the next option for users when | | | | frequently ignore any site whose homepage appears |
| navigation does not work. Simple search is the most | | | | to advertise something. |
| convenient method so search should be offered as a | | | | Users display the following behavior as far as design |
| simple box for the benefit of users. | | | | is concerned: |
| 2. The use of PDF Files - PDF files are the pits to use | | | | - Banner blindness |
| since these break the flow during browsing. Standard | | | | - Animation avoidance |
| browser commands are useless thus rendering | | | | - Ignoring pop-ups |
| printing or saving more difficult. The font of the | | | | 8. Not being consistent with design - Users rely on |
| layout is also smaller as it was made to fit into a | | | | the design principles used in most websites to form |
| sheet of paper. | | | | expectations of what will be found on yours. |
| Navigation is harder with PDF files though PDF works | | | | Disappointing your users makes them feel insecure - |
| well for compressing huge documents into one file | | | | which is bad. It makes the site that much harder to |
| for printing. Thus, PDF should be confined to this | | | | use and users will eventually leave. |
| purpose while other information that should be | | | | 9. Opening new browser windows - This is |
| browsed or read on-screen must be converted into | | | | discouraged as it confuses users and undermines their |
| real web pages. | | | | understanding of how their system works. |
| 3. Maintaining the color of visited links to just one - | | | | 10. Failing to answer the question of the user - The |
| When users cannot tell the difference between a | | | | worst crime a website can commit is to fail to supply |
| visited link and a link which has yet to be tapped due | | | | the information a user was looking for. Users only |
| to no color changes, it makes the experience of | | | | visit sites because they are goal-driven and want to |
| navigation that much more difficult. | | | | accomplish something. When you use too much |
| Links that do not change color cause users to return | | | | language to market to the user, the same thing |
| to the same links over and over again, which is | | | | happens - the user loses interest and leaves. |
| disorienting - not to mention irritating. | | | | You may find from the MyDLstore useful website |
| 4. Text that is difficult to scan - A block of text | | | | scripts which can help you to design and enrich your |
| found online is difficult to read. To improve | | | | website. provides instant download of digital products |
| scannability, it is important touse the following: | | | | such as scripts, software, template, clip arts, logo, |
| - Subheads | | | | term papers, ebooks, etc. |
| - Bulleted lists | | | | This article may be used on the web as long as it is |
| - Highlighted keywords | | | | presented unchanged and in its entirety along with |
| - Short paragraphs | | | | this entire resource box. For other uses, please |
| - The inverted pyramid | | | | contact the author. |
| - A simple writing style | | | | |