| Usability is one of the key terms that are widely | | | | and graphics are always bad for a website. They |
| used in web design. In many respects, it is the most | | | | actually mislead visitors' attention. Thus make sure, |
| important and vital aspect of any web design. | | | | you only design to improve the web page not just to |
| Why Usability is so important? | | | | decorate it. From a web usability and navigation point |
| It's a very normal tendency that if an online web | | | | of view, simple and less is always more powerful. |
| surfer visit your website but find it difficult to use | | | | Graphical Navigation- Try to include a text version of |
| then he or she may leave and never become | | | | graphical navigation items. When graphics are links, try |
| customers. In fact, it's very important to understand | | | | to make it easier by including meaningful alt text for |
| that web design must give its visitors freedom and | | | | graphical links. If you use an icon next to a text link, |
| choice to surf it properly. A good web design is not | | | | make sure both items are clickable. Be very cautious |
| just about a website looking cool and flamboyant. It | | | | about using image maps as navigation because |
| has more got to do with its role i.e. the website must | | | | visitors often lose track of where they are and |
| be able communicate its goal with as little effort as | | | | where they have been. |
| possible on the part of the user. Moreover, if the site | | | | Avoid Designing Graphic Elements like a Button- Most |
| has well-built usability, more online surfers will notice | | | | of the time visitor see text that is underlined and |
| because they won't be wasting time trying to figure | | | | looks like links, but are not clickable. By not having |
| out how the site works. | | | | any action that the online web surfer expects |
| Looking on the other side, a bad or poor design may | | | | actually hampers their interest in website. As a result, |
| cause visitors to do any of the following things again | | | | they would think that the site is broken and |
| and again, like- | | | | eventually leave. |
| Clicking on back button and keep waiting for a long | | | | |
| download. | | | | Choose Background, Image Color and Text Color |
| Wasting time in making a guess as to where, and | | | | very carefully- You must require taking this point into |
| what, the navigation is all about. | | | | serious consideration very seriously. You must |
| As a result, to make your website more visible you | | | | understand that if your color scheme of web design |
| must involve potential customers in its design. | | | | is unappetizing, visitors may leave even if your |
| Factors or Steps to Increase your Website Usability | | | | subject matter content is very good. For optimum |
| Nowadays every big and small business owners or | | | | usability, make sure you always check the color |
| web development firms and web designers are | | | | balance, sharpness and contrast of each image. |
| focusing on different ways to make their site more | | | | Besides this, also make certain that web page text |
| usable. Usability has turned out to be the important | | | | color balances with the rest of the page and other |
| factor in web designing because as long as it remains | | | | images. |
| missing, the site can confuse the online web surfer. | | | | Stick to Standards of Hyperlinks- Try to make the |
| Besides this, it may further detract from whatever | | | | visited link a duller, less saturated color than unvisited |
| the main message, product or service, you want to | | | | so that the links the visitor hasn't visited or clicked |
| convey through website. | | | | yet stand out more. Make it easy for your visitors |
| Here are few important points that can help you go | | | | and it won't mess up your web design. |
| a long way to provide or develop a more | | | | Always Include a Sitemap- Including a site map |
| user-friendly site: | | | | webpage and registering a sitemap XML document in |
| Alignment and Spacing- Alignment and spacing in web | | | | search engines can further increase your web design |
| site design are important factors. It helps in creating | | | | usability. Though the concept of site maps are a |
| a proper order, organizing the page and groups parts | | | | relatively new website feature but it widely improves |
| of the website for easy navigation. A proper | | | | web page navigation. It is a structural representation |
| alignment and spacing of text and image keep visitor | | | | of a website's pages and architecture. It can be a |
| stick to your website and read content. You can | | | | document in any form, or a web page that lists the |
| easily use the guidelines in Photoshop to ensure that | | | | pages on a web site, typically organized in hierarchical |
| all your elements are aligned which can be done by | | | | fashion. |
| dragging 'rulers' from your rulers tab. | | | | Do Not Overuse JavaScript- With the advent of |
| Including a Tagline- In terms of web designing, a | | | | JavaScript and the AJAX technique, web designers |
| tagline is a statement that represents a company's, | | | | and developers can develop responsive and more |
| philosophy and mission. It is the most obvious | | | | transparent websites. However, the major drawback |
| element on a website's front page and must clearly | | | | of this tool is browser inconsistency. Every online |
| depict the website purpose in one phrase. As per | | | | user visiting your website might not have an |
| recent statistics, it has been found that a website | | | | up-to-date web browser. They also might not have |
| has just few seconds to confine an online visitor's | | | | JavaScript enabled by default. So by using Javascript |
| attention. A website without any clear tagline might | | | | on a website extensively we block out these users. |
| find it hard to keep its visitors' attention long enough | | | | Today website usability is all about reducing and |
| to further browse the inner pages. | | | | reorganizing the complexity into small and manageable |
| Title Every Webpage- Giving title to every web page | | | | web navigation process where website design plays |
| can be very beneficial. This small procedure actually | | | | an important part. Ensuring readability and taking care |
| ensures your visitors don't get lost on your website. | | | | of the above checking points will actually help you |
| In simple words, if you title every web page - you | | | | move in the right direction of designing user-friendly |
| directly help your visitor know what page they are | | | | websites. The bottom-line is - Making your website |
| currently viewing. | | | | more usable is the simply best credit that you can |
| Avoid Using Extensive Graphics- It's very important | | | | achieve from your visitors. |
| to understand that too much use of design elements | | | | |