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Of the web sites that
you have visited...
- How many sites were easy to
use?
- Did the site provide
the information you were seeking?
- Was the information
easy to find?
- Were there too many
options, causing confusion?
Many web sites
need to be redefined to improve their usability. They may be graphically
attractive but too difficult to navigate. By creating a useable
web site that caters to your customer's needs, goals and expectations,
you will increase the company's profits. Which is always
the goal for making changes or enhancements.
- If you already
have a web site, how usable is your site?
- If you are
planning a web site have you considered the appropriate usability
factors?
Usability
of a web site consists of...
Navigating
the Site
- Too many
selections or inconsistent navigation can make it confusing.
- Make sure
all selections are obvious and clear as to where they take you.
- Does the
flow of the site feel comfortable and natural to your customer?
- If a user
action is required is it made clear that the action took place
successfully?
Finding
Things
- Is there
a table of contents providing an overall picture of the web site?
- Does the
site have search capabilities?
- Have you
provided easy-to-use links to topics that interest your customers?
User's
Expectations
- Does the
site actually provide the tools or information that the user is
expecting or needs?
- Is information
provided with terms the customer is used to using?
Providing
Valuable Information
- Is the information
provided of use to your customers?
- Is there
enough information or is information lacking?
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Some of
the benefits to having a highly useable web site that will improve
your company's marketing presence are ...
Facilitating
your customer's goals
- Of course
you have to know what your customer's goals are. Do you?
Increasing
your customer's retention to your web site
- If the web
site is not easy to use or does not provide the needed features,
customers will not return.
Enhancing
brand loyalty
- Are you providing
adequate product information?
Inviting
repeat purchases
- Any tools
that make it easier for your customer to do business with you
should result in repeat business.
Increasing
productivity
- Customers
should be able to increase productivity
- Your internal
staff should also realize the same results
- This should
also decrease your company's support costs by having the web site
address tasks that are currently provided by your staff.
Making
products and/or services more accessible
- A web site
works 24 hours a day seven days a week. Status of existing product
information and services is readily available to your customers.
New or changed product information can quickly be distributed
to customers.
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Are they. . .
- New to the
web
- Frequent repeat
visitors
- Novices or
experts on using their computer and/or a web browser
- What services
do they need
- What information
do they need
- How do they
expect to access or find your services or information
- How will they
access the web - slow dial-up or faster dedicated connection
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- Don't require
that the user has to identify themselves until it is necessary
- Only prompt
for necessary user and company information
- Provide an
easy means for the user to change their personal information
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- Discover what
they did wrong and don't do the same thing
- Discover what
they did correctly
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