Guidelines for Website Usability Evaluation

It is a known fact that the average statuses of Web sites that have been published on the Internet are poor. Many Web sites before publishing needed to have not just their content evaluated but also their general design. In order to evaluate a Web site successfully, the one who is performing the evaluation must follow a checklist of predefined guidelines. These guidelines have evolved from extensive research on the subject of Web usability and have been derived from the years of personal experience in creating and maintaining Web sited. The guidelines are outlined as follows:

1. content must be perceivable
2. interface in the content operable
3. content and controls understandable
4. content robust enough to work with current and future technologies
5. continuity throughout site
6. navigation understandable
7. target audience experience level
8. error handling
9. users with disabilities
10. preferences and settings
11. international users/languages
12. respect for users

Content must be perceivable. Guarantee that all content can be made apparent by any user in any form, the exclusion to this being those aspects of the content that cannot be expressed in words. Graphical representation is a quality that is used incorrectly on several Web sites. The Web developer for BMG Music Services site did a great job in designing the site with simplicity in mind. To view the BMG Music Services site, visit www.bmgmusic.com. The content of this site is easy to understand and all items are fairly easy to locate. Located at www.columbiahouse.com, Columbia House did not do as well in the perceivable content area of Web usability. In the same industry as BMG Music Services, one would think that they too would go with the simplistic approach. This is not the case. The content is more difficult to understand and items are a little more challenging to find.

The interface in the content must be operable. Ensure that all aspects of the interface be operable to all the users anticipated to visit the site. Tooting my horn is not what I am trying to achieve here, however Xtreme Web Designs created a good solid interface that is operable for Classic Kennels at www.classic-kennels.com. The content is appropriate for the business and it "fits" with the theme of the site. The Web developer for the Maryland Horse Show Association, Inc. located at www.mdhsa.org obviously did not test the interface before publishing the site. The only thing on the interface that worked properly was the link to contact the MHSA office.

Content and controls must be understandable to the potential users. Try to make the Web site as easy as possible so potential users will be able to easily understand the content and controls that are displayed on the Web site. The Web site must have the functionality essential to provide for the user's needs. The American Kennel Club found at www.akc.org, has a site that is designed for the new visitor. Everything on the site is easy to understand even for the not too technical user. The Jefferson Community College Web site, www.jeffco.edu, however leaves a lot to be desired. The Web developer of this site seemed to make it more complicated than it had to be. Links that a potential new student may need are embedded in various links throughout the site. Neither the content nor the controls are very easy to understand if you are unfamiliar with the site.

Content of a Web site must be robust enough to work with current and future technologies. The use of Web technologies that capitalize on the capacity of the content to work with current and future accessibility technologies and user agents is encouraged. The American Correctional Association Web site is located at www.aca.org. This Web site already has implemented the latest technology and will be able to easily upgrade as the technology world evolves. The Crossings Book Club found at www.crossings.com, is not a robust Web site. The site seems to have fallen behind when it comes to technology. The members of this club cannot enjoy the same benefits that members of other clubs enjoy online. While you can shop online and view account information, the technology just is not there to support the entire membership options online.

Continuity throughout the Web site is important to pull the site together and ensure that potential users know when they exit the site to an external link. Too many background changes, font changes, color scheme changes, etc. cause a Web site to lose the interest of potential users. Continuity contains the following specific ideology as found in the Designing Web Sites that Work: Usability for the Web by Brinck, Gergle, and Wood:

· "Page layouts are consistent throughout the site.

· Page titles are consistent with link names.

· All headers have consistent syntax, capitalization, and punctuation.

· Bullets are the same style throughout the site.

· Images receive the same stylistic treatment throughout the site.

· Logos all conform to strict corporate standards without variation.

· Link colors do not vary from page to page."

The Web developer for the Royal Windsor Horse Show located at www.royal-windsor-horse-show.co.uk obviously understands the importance of continuity within a Web site.

The site boasts an impressive header that is seen throughout the entire site along with an appropriate color scheme. The site is done immaculately in terms of continuity. Unfortunately Design Tyme's Web site found at www.designtyme.com, cannot boast about its continuity. While still a nicely designed site, it lacks continuity due to its use of different logos, backgrounds, and colors. Using multiple backgrounds, colors and logos throughout a site causes the site to loose its flow.

Navigation is simply one of the most important aspects of a Web site. Simple navigation is the key. Potential users expect a Web site to be simple enough for the user to be able to decipher where the navigation tools are located and where the user is being directed once they click the appropriate navigation tool. Consider posing the following questions when considering the effectiveness of a Web site's navigation:

· Is the navigation tool (usually bar) well organized?

· Is there anything missing?

· Can the potential user find their way from place to place?

· Are the relationships between the main sections and the subsections understandable?

· Overall, how clear is the organization of the Web site?

A great example of proper navigation is my own site, Xtreme Web Designs located at www.xtreme-webdesigns.net. The site was designed to offer Web design services to the small businessman. In doing so, navigation had to be simple and easy to understand. The navigation for this site allows the user to navigate through the entire site without complications. The Onofrio Dog Shows Web site, www.onofrio.com, shows a poor example of how bad design can affect the navigation of a site. The choice of interface affects the navigation because the navigation buttons are smudged to the point of almost being unreadable. Had the developer chosen a more appropriate interface, the navigation may not have been so difficult to understand.

The experience level of the target audience needs to be considered when evaluating a Web site. Understanding your audience is means to success for this guideline. If your target audience is of a novice level, then obviously a more simplistic approach is the appropriate method designing a Web site. A Web site that targets their audience well is the Funbrain Web site, www.funbrain.com. This site breaks down all of its information into categories for the specific age levels. It also targets its audience well with its appropriate use of graphics, fonts and colors. A Web site that targets their audience poorly is the Pogo Web site found at www.pogo.com. This site is more difficult for the audience to understand. It is uncertain if the intended audience is the older gamers or the younger gamers. The information just is not broken down enough for it to be easy to understand.

Error handling will become more important for complex database-driven Web sites. Forms that require specific fields will also use error handling. When evaluating for error handling the most critical question that should be asked is: Does it prevent the potential user from entering inappropriate data? Good error handling technique can be found at EBay, www.ebay.com. The sign-up pages and bidding pages show examples of excellent error handling. Any mistakes are caught prior to going on to the next page or before submission of the request. Bad error handling technique is found at Onofrio Dog Shows, more specifically the entry forms located at www.onofrio.com/entry/choice.html. In this site the forms do not seem to be set up correctly. There is too much navigation that has to take place for these forms. When you actually enter an event, there is very little error handling that occurs when you are filling out the appropriate forms.

Evaluate the Web site from the vantage point of a disabled user. Many Web sites do not make concessions for a disabled user. There are numerous guidelines being evolved to help Web developers incorporate into their designs a leeway for disabled users, mostly the visually impaired and those with motor difficulties. When evaluating a Web site, ask the question: Will a disabled potential user be able to use the site in the manner it was designed to be used? This is a touchy subject and most Web sites are not set up to help the disabled user. A Web site that makes concessions for disabled user is the Disabilities Rights Commission site, www.drc-gb.org. This site is actually set up for the disabled user to learn more about their rights. A Web site that does not make concessions for a disabled user is the Happy Puppy site, www.happypuppy.com. This site has font that is too small and there is too much busyness to the site for a disabled user to be able to follow.

Potential users' preferences and settings need to be evaluated. Potential users may set their browser preferences to unusual settings which can cause a developer a lot of trepidation. Luckily for developers, most potential users never change their settings, so testing should be done using default browser settings. Some settings may be dictated by corporate regulation and therefore will be unable to be changed to your preferred settings. The Ability Net site located at www.abilitynet.org.uk/content/accessibility/prefs/ie.htm is a great example of users' potential preferences and settings. It goes through the step-by-step on how to change settings and preferences so the user is more informed. The Puck Wizard site, www.forsberg.puckin-a.net, does not make concessions for potential users' preferences and settings. This is a poor site to begin with and should the user have changed their settings from the default settings that this site was designed in; the site would be viewed in an inferior format.

Since potential users could be coming from anywhere in the world, international users and languages need to be considered should your Web site's targeted audience include other countries. Even if your site is not intended for intercontinental users, your hit logs will prove that you still receive global visitors. On the Web site be sure to list where you are located and the international code for your phone number should you wish for global contacts from the site. When using multiple translations for a Web site, avoid using the national flags to denote which link goes to which language. Languages are spoken is a variety of countries and this is considered a faux pas among international dignitaries. The Disney Online site found at http://disney.go.com allows for the international user and the language barriers that exist. Aside from demonstrating excellent navigation, this site allows international users to view the information offered in their own language. The Susning Nu site, http://susning.nu/Peter_Forsberg, however does not allow any concessions for the international users. The site is centered on the Swedish hockey player, Peter Forsberg, who plays in the United States and in Sweden. This site however only allows you to view the information in Sweden's native language.

A Web site must show respect for the potential user. When evaluating this guideline, ask the following questions found in the Designing Web Sites that Work: Usability for the Web by Brinck, Gergle, and Wood:

· "Are you putting your users' security or privacy at risk?

· Are you misleading them, wasting their time, or trapping them into a path they don't want to be on?

· Are you requiring them to opt out of mailing lists that they never wanted to join?

· While it's tempting to think you want those click-throughs at all costs, do you really want to anger or frustrate users?

Respect for the users can be seen at www.hwi.buffalo.edu/ACA, the Web site for the American Crystallographic Association. The user does not feel pressured to sign up for any promotions or newsletters. The user is allowed to navigate through the site with the freedom from having to be hassled to join their mailing list. Miniclip located at www.miniclip.com, however shows very little respect for the users. Once you go to this Web site, you are unable to back out of this site. Once you begin navigation through the site, users are required to register to participate in the site.

Although the moment and the way to use Web usability guidelines still remains vague, we know that Web usability guidelines play an important role in ensuring usability when designing and evaluating Web sites. It has been established that there are 12 important guidelines to follow when evaluating the usability of a Web site. Those guidelines were explained and examples were provided of the correct and incorrect design. These guidelines are to be established before and followed during the construction of a new Web site. Designing a Web site is great fun, provided you do not let your artistic being become too abstract and you forget that you are designing a Web site for you targeted potential users.