| Your website is your masterpiece. Designing your | | | | within minutes after ordering to let them know the |
| own website gives you a chance to be creative and | | | | status of their order or give them the download link |
| bring out your personality. But remember when | | | | if it is an electronic product. |
| designing your website that you keep in mind the | | | | 8. That if you have shipping charges or taxes that will |
| web usability aspects of your design. | | | | be added to orders that they can find this |
| What is web usability? Web usability, simply explained, | | | | information easily without having to search. |
| means making sure that everything on your website | | | | 9. That the pages are inviting and get attention that |
| works correctly no matter who is visiting it, no | | | | makes them want to stay and read more. |
| matter what browser they are using, what resolution | | | | Getting feedback |
| their screen is, or how much experience they have | | | | Web usability includes every aspect of how your |
| online. | | | | website is designed. You want your reviewers to |
| How usable is your site for your customers? | | | | give you feedback on everything about your site |
| Before putting your website live for all of your | | | | whether it was effective or ineffective. Have your |
| customers to see, you should at the very least | | | | reviewers do as many of the common things that |
| observe some customers using your website. That | | | | your website customers will do. If there are common |
| way you can examine your website thoroughly and | | | | tasks, they should complete those. For example, if |
| test every aspect to ensure that it is working | | | | you have an online camera store and people are |
| properly. | | | | shopping for cameras you should ask your reviewers |
| You want to have your customers check everything, | | | | to shop for a camera. This is what we refer to as a |
| including: | | | | "core task" in the industry. It's critical that they do |
| 1. Ease of navigation. How easy is it for customers to | | | | things that represent what your customers actually |
| navigate through your site? Do links take them | | | | do. Otherwise, you will get a lot of feedback about |
| where they expect? Does the naming of your site's | | | | things that are not important or useful. The more |
| links make sense to your customers? Can customers | | | | realistic the tasks that they are doing, the more |
| find what they are looking for without backtracking? | | | | accurate and useful your feedback will be and the |
| 2. That all of your links are clickable and lead to the | | | | better your chances for success at making your |
| right place. That there are no broken links. | | | | site's web usability effective. |
| 3. That your pages work and look correct in all the | | | | Why is Usability Essential for My Website's Success |
| different browsers. | | | | Testing your site's usability helps ensure that your |
| 4. That your home page and other pages are | | | | customers won't run into problems when using your |
| designed correctly making them easy to navigate and | | | | website. By asking just a few of your customers to |
| read. Is the text size and contrast easy to read? | | | | review your website you can find many of the |
| 5. That your contact and information about you is | | | | usability problems awaiting the rest of your |
| easily accessible. | | | | customers. If just a handful of reviewers are running |
| 6. That your pages load quickly and all your graphics | | | | into these problems, then the chances that the rest |
| are working including the ALT tags. | | | | of your customers are running into these problems is |
| 7. That your shopping cart or other ordering | | | | pretty high. Catching these problems up front and as |
| processes are all easy to use and work correctly. | | | | soon as possible will help you create a more usable |
| That the emails are delivered to your customers | | | | site for all your customers. |