1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,180 Regardless of the web browser you use or the website you visit, 2 00:00:04,180 --> 00:00:08,460 every person brings their own expectations about the way things should work 3 00:00:08,460 --> 00:00:10,830 as they begin a new experience on a website. 4 00:00:11,620 --> 00:00:13,700 This relates directly to usability. 5 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:17,360 If expectations don't match the reality of what's found, 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,850 the experience may be a difficult one. 7 00:00:19,850 --> 00:00:24,610 Business owners can not afford to let users have bad experiences on their site. 8 00:00:24,610 --> 00:00:28,650 Therefore, it's important to understand some of the common usability issues 9 00:00:28,650 --> 00:00:33,550 that impact design and content, and how to meet the expectations of your users. 10 00:00:33,550 --> 00:00:38,100 Some of the most basic usability issues generally involve problems 11 00:00:38,100 --> 00:00:42,800 related to the readability or visibility of text and images. 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:48,460 They may include misspellings, broken images, and unreadable texts. 13 00:00:48,460 --> 00:00:52,550 These problems are basic because they can usually be fixed very easily, 14 00:00:52,550 --> 00:00:56,690 either by tweaking some code or adjusting your style sheet, for example. 15 00:00:56,690 --> 00:01:00,840 Another common concern relates to the layout of web pages. 16 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,739 Usually, they include a header at the top, a clear navigation area, 17 00:01:04,739 --> 00:01:07,980 a large central body, and a footer at the bottom. 18 00:01:07,980 --> 00:01:12,420 This basic hierarchy has been used successfully by millions of websites. 19 00:01:12,420 --> 00:01:17,140 So, it's something many users expect, and when it comes to web design 20 00:01:17,140 --> 00:01:20,620 it's important not to confuse users with something too different. 21 00:01:20,620 --> 00:01:25,090 That's not to say you can't deviate from the norm, but understand the risks involved 22 00:01:25,090 --> 00:01:29,680 when trying something completely new, especially when your business is involved. 23 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:36,180 Regardless of the layout used, it must be logical, allowing users to see what's there, 24 00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:39,300 providing a flow so they can find what they need, 25 00:01:39,300 --> 00:01:43,320 and it must be consistent across all pages of your site. 26 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:48,150 Lastly, a common usability concern relates to content. 27 00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:51,250 Content can relate to many things on a website, 28 00:01:51,250 --> 00:01:53,390 but in this case, we must consider how content 29 00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:56,820 allows users to be successful as they use the site. 30 00:01:56,820 --> 00:02:03,660 So, do you use content to effectively identify what your site is about and who it's for? 31 00:02:03,660 --> 00:02:08,530 If users can't figure out what site they're on when they get there, you're looking 32 00:02:08,530 --> 00:02:12,570 at a problem that can plague the user experience from the very beginning. 33 00:02:12,570 --> 00:02:15,580 Also, are your links named correctly? 34 00:02:15,580 --> 00:02:19,160 Do users end up on a page that matches the link name? 35 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:22,600 Does the content on the page, such as the text, images, 36 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,140 and downloads match the name of the page? 37 00:02:25,140 --> 00:02:28,310 Putting everything in its place helps reduce confusion, 38 00:02:28,310 --> 00:02:32,160 leading to a smoother experience and a longer one as well. 39 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,020 Many problems can be found by going through the site yourself 40 00:02:36,020 --> 00:02:40,400 and trying everything: clicking, downloading, filling out forms, 41 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,450 and, especially, reading what's on the site. 42 00:02:43,450 --> 00:02:48,070 Depending on the size of your site, this may be too big an undertaking for one person 43 00:02:48,070 --> 00:02:50,520 That's why occasional testing of your site 44 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,300 with outside users can help you catch things you may not have noticed. 45 00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:58,410 In the end, by maintaining a consistent design and layout, 46 00:02:58,410 --> 00:03:02,500 and the way your site elements are presented across all pages of the site, 47 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:06,020 you can avoid many basic usability problems.