**by Kim Krause Berg**
I've been in web development since 1995. For me, and many of you,
it's easy to forget that people don't have the computer equipment to
use the web sites and Internet applications we build. I've always
found it interesting that TV show web sites are Flash based and loaded
with images and video. It's as if they are built for an elite group of
TV watchers and everyone else doesn't matter.
At a large family gathering, where family and friends of the family
came to eat and relax at the shore, someone asked what I do for a
living. When it was discovered that I help companies make better
websites, I was bombarded with feedback about their experiences. The
most outspoken people were over 50 years old. They were smart, not
afraid of computers and had up to date computers and Internet
connections. They were more likely to have time to browse. Most of
them belonged to online communities.
What bothered them were poor user interface issues. They couldn't
find what they wanted without a lot of hassle. Pages were too busy,
too long or too boring. Navigation was the area they all agreed on as
being the worst. Drop down navigation menus? Hate them. Shopping cart
checkout navigation frustrated them. They weren't so concerned with
privacy as much as they just wanted to get in, accomplish their task
and get out without resistance.
Experience the user experience
This summer my husband and I packed our 3 kids and 2 dogs into our
motor home for a trip to Florida. As Chief Navigator, I relied on my
cell phone for directions. When the GPS chose to work, and after
figuring out how to use Google maps on my phone, we were able to
follow the tiny blue dot and know what direction we going. When I
needed to call ahead to one of the campgrounds we booked for a night,
in every single case their web site was a user nightmare. Something as
obvious as a phone number and address on the homepage was missing from
all of them. Their navigation was not designed for mobile devices.
Every task took a long time and incredible patience.
As the head webmaster for my town's Little League baseball web site,
I learned a lesson a few years back. I used to upload team game dates
and scores in the Excel spreadsheet format that each coach emailed to
me to post on the site. However, several parents wrote to say they
couldn't access the spreadsheet or it took too long to download for
them. So I began to offer two versions. One is the spreadsheet
converted into an html page and the other is the actual spreadsheet. I
label each link so they know which one to choose.
User interface design is for everybody
I began to wonder at the wide gap between those who have been using
the Internet for the past 15 years and those who are new to it. When I
ask a site owner for their site requirements, they typically don't
have any or they are limited in scope. Most will say, "We don't care
about dial-up users", but I know for a fact they still exist. Most
will say they that accessibility is not in the plan or might be in the
future. That decision has cost them another part of the population,
including someone who has a broken hand they would normally use to
guide their mouse. Nearly everyone forgets to design a site that can
be accessed by mobile devices. They don't realize that Flash and PDF
files require a plug-in to work and most cell phones are not enabled.
There was a time when we used to say, "Build it and they will
come," regarding web site design. But those days are long gone.
Today's environment is competitive. In the case of retail sites, even
a search on an SKU number can bring up 30 different sites selling the
exact same item. Split tests are done for link labels or different
layouts. I tend to flunk them. For some reason, I vote against the
majority. I'm that tiny percent who liked it the "old" way. I
didn't need snazzy or big. But, because the test results indicate most
users wanted snazzy or big, this is what the design team will make.
They'll do this even if those votes came from people who would not
ordinarily use their web site.
I've long felt we're missing something with the way we go about user
testing. There's a lot of advice to go out and get 5 random people,
show them something and get their feedback. Companies pay for random
people. I would rather spend time out in the field, with targeted
users who have used the site or fall into the targeted group of
intended users. I would prefer to watch them in their natural
environment. That would mean being in a motor home, with restless dogs
and a kid playing the electronic keyboard while another one is yelling
that he can't concentrate to read and watching the mom struggling to
find directions somewhere in South Carolina using a cell phone with a
screen smaller than a Hershey's candy bar.
Understanding the true user experience, for me, means actually going
out and experiencing what your site users are going through. Since
this is not always a practical option, stand back from your project.
Visualize how your friends, family, neighbors, customers in certain
circumstances or those with limited incomes, Internet access and
computer experience might respond to your design. There is so much we
have yet to learn about the real day to day Internet user experience.
Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author, and not
necessarily Search Engine Land.
Kim Krause Berg
<http://searchengineland.com/author/kim-krause-berg/>
is a Usability Consultant for UsabilityEffect.com <
http://usabilityeffect.com>
and Founder of Cre8asiteForums <http://cre8asiteforums.com>
. Her work combines usability testing with a working knowledge of
search engine optimization.
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