Web usability: is your website easy to use?
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 7:06 am
The first step: conduct a usability test
Usability tests mainly show how users move around a website, where problems may occur, the navigation path they follow and even the point at which they decide to leave the page. All this information is essential to determine the degree of usability of a website. To do this, one of the available tools is the System Usability Scale (SUS) . This scale is made up of ten questions with their respective answers on a scale of 1 to 5. This method of quantitative analysis is the quickest and simplest solution among all the others, restaurants email database since the result it presents is a general satisfaction trend without delving into weaknesses and needs for optimization.
Made
The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a usability evaluation system, developed by John Brooke in 1986, which is not limited to the analysis of web pages.
To obtain truly meaningful results, more extensive testing will be necessary. Some of the ideal methods for this purpose are: user monitoring, live testing, eye tracking or heuristic evaluation , among others. Any of these usability tests will provide valuable and significant insights into user behavior, as well as actions for optimization.
The most important factors of web usability
The most important factors of web usability
Usability standards are independent of individual taste and preferences and should be the priority of every webmaster. No matter whether it is a simple corporate website or an online shop, in the online world the competition is just a click away. If users are not satisfied during their visit to a website, they will leave it within just a few seconds. That is why webmasters have to make their offer as attractive as possible for the target audience. This is primarily achieved when the user receives the information they are looking for as quickly as possible, and it is immediate and relevant. Web accessibility is also a valuable criterion for a technically appropriate presentation of content. Here, technology, design and navigation go hand in hand. The central points of web usability include:
Univocity
The first step towards good web usability is that the content, topics and offers of a website are unique and organized in a clear and legible manner. In other words, univocity is the characteristic according to which, within a few seconds, the user finds the answer to the question “What is this website about?”. Even with complex pages, it is the operator’s responsibility to explain to the user what to expect. This should be an indispensable characteristic of every home page, as it serves as a reference point for most users. The purpose and message of a website can easily be illustrated through a short and concise slogan (a short motto under the company logo/name) or through a detailed presentation of the UPS (Unique Selling Proposition or differential advantage).
Orientation and structure
Navigation and orientation on a website are just as important as its identity . A clearly structured website starts with logical navigation. Here, the webmaster should ask himself whether all buttons, icons and navigation elements are easily understandable without the need for explanation. The user should always be clear about what to expect when clicking on a link or a photo. In addition, the menu should have a reasonable number of elements and an intuitive main navigation bar. All elements included in the menu should be short and concise .
Working with classic navigation symbols (e.g. a shopping cart or a magnifying glass for a search engine) is advantageous, as they allow the user to automatically locate themselves. Key orientation elements include the logo with a link on the home page, a search box and a navigation menu. A web identifier (logo) that serves as a key agent for brand recognition will also be of great help.
Coherence
Consistency is an important factor for web usability. This includes the visual design and, above all, the content. The visual aspect must correspond to the format , logo, buttons and other graphic elements of the website. To ensure consistency, fonts, as well as their colors and sizes, must always be the same. This also applies to writing, where the terms used to refer to products and their characteristics, as well as to position the brand, must be consistent. Many companies have a style guide or manual that guarantees the uniform use of certain terms, as well as grammatical style. For example, talking about “orders” on the main page and then “orders” in the subcategories, can be confusing for a customer.
Attractive design
Although it may not be initially considered a fundamental element of web usability, web design is very relevant . This is why webmasters must comply with certain criteria, always maintaining a clear visual hierarchy. Regardless of whether it is images, graphics or subtitles, everything must be designed in such a way that the meaning and context are clear, that is, highlighting the most important elements over the less relevant ones.
Clickable elements should always be recognizable. Underlined words in text are conventionally perceived as links. For colors, images, and graphics, the rule is simple: order and simplicity are generally better than animations or flashy elements. A consistent and pleasing color scheme prolongs a user's visit, while bright colors, flashing images, colors, and other highly stimulating elements often lead a user to leave a website quickly.
Usability tests mainly show how users move around a website, where problems may occur, the navigation path they follow and even the point at which they decide to leave the page. All this information is essential to determine the degree of usability of a website. To do this, one of the available tools is the System Usability Scale (SUS) . This scale is made up of ten questions with their respective answers on a scale of 1 to 5. This method of quantitative analysis is the quickest and simplest solution among all the others, restaurants email database since the result it presents is a general satisfaction trend without delving into weaknesses and needs for optimization.
Made
The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a usability evaluation system, developed by John Brooke in 1986, which is not limited to the analysis of web pages.
To obtain truly meaningful results, more extensive testing will be necessary. Some of the ideal methods for this purpose are: user monitoring, live testing, eye tracking or heuristic evaluation , among others. Any of these usability tests will provide valuable and significant insights into user behavior, as well as actions for optimization.
The most important factors of web usability
The most important factors of web usability
Usability standards are independent of individual taste and preferences and should be the priority of every webmaster. No matter whether it is a simple corporate website or an online shop, in the online world the competition is just a click away. If users are not satisfied during their visit to a website, they will leave it within just a few seconds. That is why webmasters have to make their offer as attractive as possible for the target audience. This is primarily achieved when the user receives the information they are looking for as quickly as possible, and it is immediate and relevant. Web accessibility is also a valuable criterion for a technically appropriate presentation of content. Here, technology, design and navigation go hand in hand. The central points of web usability include:
Univocity
The first step towards good web usability is that the content, topics and offers of a website are unique and organized in a clear and legible manner. In other words, univocity is the characteristic according to which, within a few seconds, the user finds the answer to the question “What is this website about?”. Even with complex pages, it is the operator’s responsibility to explain to the user what to expect. This should be an indispensable characteristic of every home page, as it serves as a reference point for most users. The purpose and message of a website can easily be illustrated through a short and concise slogan (a short motto under the company logo/name) or through a detailed presentation of the UPS (Unique Selling Proposition or differential advantage).
Orientation and structure
Navigation and orientation on a website are just as important as its identity . A clearly structured website starts with logical navigation. Here, the webmaster should ask himself whether all buttons, icons and navigation elements are easily understandable without the need for explanation. The user should always be clear about what to expect when clicking on a link or a photo. In addition, the menu should have a reasonable number of elements and an intuitive main navigation bar. All elements included in the menu should be short and concise .
Working with classic navigation symbols (e.g. a shopping cart or a magnifying glass for a search engine) is advantageous, as they allow the user to automatically locate themselves. Key orientation elements include the logo with a link on the home page, a search box and a navigation menu. A web identifier (logo) that serves as a key agent for brand recognition will also be of great help.
Coherence
Consistency is an important factor for web usability. This includes the visual design and, above all, the content. The visual aspect must correspond to the format , logo, buttons and other graphic elements of the website. To ensure consistency, fonts, as well as their colors and sizes, must always be the same. This also applies to writing, where the terms used to refer to products and their characteristics, as well as to position the brand, must be consistent. Many companies have a style guide or manual that guarantees the uniform use of certain terms, as well as grammatical style. For example, talking about “orders” on the main page and then “orders” in the subcategories, can be confusing for a customer.
Attractive design
Although it may not be initially considered a fundamental element of web usability, web design is very relevant . This is why webmasters must comply with certain criteria, always maintaining a clear visual hierarchy. Regardless of whether it is images, graphics or subtitles, everything must be designed in such a way that the meaning and context are clear, that is, highlighting the most important elements over the less relevant ones.
Clickable elements should always be recognizable. Underlined words in text are conventionally perceived as links. For colors, images, and graphics, the rule is simple: order and simplicity are generally better than animations or flashy elements. A consistent and pleasing color scheme prolongs a user's visit, while bright colors, flashing images, colors, and other highly stimulating elements often lead a user to leave a website quickly.