Guidelines for Designing and Evaluating Websites

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Guidelines for Designing andEvaluating Websites

• Or
• The Importance of Usability

By Nicholas Bates (Sharjah Colleges)
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The Four Most Dissatisfying Web Experiences

• Michael Bernard states that the 4 most
• dissatisfying web experiences are
• Not being able to find specific information
• Using confusing websites
• Slow download time
• Non working links
• All the above add to a lack of Usability

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Focus on Usability

• Thomas Williams states that there are 6
• areas to focus on to promote usability
• Making display elements legible
• Designing (arranging) display elements
• Ensuring that text is readable
• Using pictures and illustrations
• Using icons
• Using animation

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1. Making Display Items Legible

• Size
• Contrast

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2. Designing (Arranging) Display Elements

• Information structure
• Grouping
• Relative importance
• Consistency and predictability
• Sequence

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3. Ensuring Text is Readable

• Typeface (font) choice
• Typeface size
• Bold and italics
• ALL CAPITALS
• Alignment
• Line Length
• Leading
• Paragraph Boundaries
• Headings

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4. Using Pictures and Illustrations

• Decorative pictures
• Supplemental text
• Information structure
• Appearance and perceptual qualities

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Quiz Time

• Do you know these icons?

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5. Using Icons

• Labels
• Familiarity
• c. Global Differences

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6. Using Animation

• Viewers attention
• Change over time

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References

• Bernard, M. 2002, Criteria for optimal web
• design (designing for usability)
• Williams, T, R. 2000, Guidelines for
• Designing and Evaluating the Display of
• Information on the Web