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MJ DeMarco
I followed the science; all I found was money.
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For all you current and aspiring web entrepreneurs ...
When developing (or redeveloping) your website, a good UI (User Interface or sometimes Graphical User Interface [GUI]) will improve your success, or hamper it.
Most of the websites I visit struggle with UI and your own experiences in using websites will confirm this.
If you find yourself moving fluently thru a website experience, take a few moments and reflect on WHY it was easy. Examine the process, the graphics, the forms, the placement of elements, the size of text items and buttons -- why was using "website A" easy? This is how you can study good UI from your own experience and incorporate it into your own projects.
Developing a website is only 1/2 of the battle ... having a UI that converts users into actionable items that creates revenue is the other 1/2. If you receive 10,000 users per month, the difference between a 1% conversion and 8% conversion is 800% ... profit of $1K/mo or $8K.
So when in development mode and spec'ing out a UI, ask yourself this question ... will this element improve usability for my user? Or distract from it?
Some references:
http://www.UseIt.com (Website for Good Design Usability)
Top 10 Application Design Mistakes
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/application-mistakes.html
Guidelines for Links
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040510.html
When developing (or redeveloping) your website, a good UI (User Interface or sometimes Graphical User Interface [GUI]) will improve your success, or hamper it.
Most of the websites I visit struggle with UI and your own experiences in using websites will confirm this.
If you find yourself moving fluently thru a website experience, take a few moments and reflect on WHY it was easy. Examine the process, the graphics, the forms, the placement of elements, the size of text items and buttons -- why was using "website A" easy? This is how you can study good UI from your own experience and incorporate it into your own projects.
What is Good/Bad UI?
- A good UI lets users know within a few seconds what your site does and its available actions.
- A bad UI forces users to spend time trying to decipher your page ... often resulting in "What do I do next?"
- A good UI offers text as supplemental confirmation of actions.
- A bad UI makes readers read thru piles of text which most users never do.
- A good UI clearly outlines available benefits to users.
- A bad UI forces users to *guess* if this website can help them.
- A good UI offers a clear path to getting user's needs solved.
- A bad UI forces users to pick amongst a slew of non-related action items.
- A good UI uses conventional web elements.
- A bad UI uses unconventional web elements (un-underlined web links)
- A good UI gives users consistent feedback during actionable items.
- A bad UI doesn't tell users progress and keeps them guessing.
- A good UI is developed and designed around the site's mission.
- A bad UI showcases a graphic designer's talents ... all too often, designers add website elements simply because the element *looks cool* or *adds bling* -- tricky flash, scrolling java applets -- anything that distracts from the core mission of the site's purpose should be left out of the design.
So when in development mode and spec'ing out a UI, ask yourself this question ... will this element improve usability for my user? Or distract from it?
Some references:
http://www.UseIt.com (Website for Good Design Usability)
Top 10 Application Design Mistakes
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/application-mistakes.html
Guidelines for Links
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040510.html
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