Usability indicators directly influence conversion of an Internet resource. In the online sphere this criterion is important as it directly influences the probability of "survival" of the website on the Internet among analogs and competitors.
That the usability means to the website
If the website is difficult in use, it will be closed by users. If the main page does not show the sphere of work of the website or those data which the visitor can use, the result will be the same is the website will close.
Also at bad adaptedness of the website under audience the user will not be able to orient on its pages and will close on the first seconds. Situations there can be a set, but integrates their one – a bad indicator of a usability at which the website not only is difficult in navigation, but also does not represent information advantage for the visitor.
Criteria for evaluation of a usability
It is possible to evaluate a website usability by five criteria:
- Orientation – how simply to visitors of the website to make the simplest actions on it (whether prevent to pass to other pages of advertizing, add-ons, avtople and "vsplyvashka"). That is the less will be the distracting elements on pages of the website, the quicker it will be found information and that high probability of the fact that the user will visit the website once again is necessary.
- Efficiency – the speed with which the user will orient on an Internet resource and will make those actions for the sake of which it appeared here.
- The memorability – as far as the website will be remembered and how fast will act the user after long absence on it.
- Errors – quantity of software, design and interface failures, methods of their elimination, etc.
- Satisfaction – subjective "dovolnost" of the user, emotional perception of an Internet resource.
At the same time the last criterion is rather difficult and important as it is based on parameters of information usefulness of the website, quality of its design and navigation and also on convenience of display of all resource in general.
When it is necessary to begin work on a usability of the website
Actually it is the constant procedure which needs to be engaged nearly in the first day of work of an Internet resource. Many specialists noted that the usability is that criterion which should be one of the main at all development stages of the website therefore it is worth being engaged in testing of it quickly and thoroughly. Here some rules and the conditions allowing to receive right assessment of a usability at different stages of creation of the Internet resource:
- Testing of the old website before testing of its new option. This simple action will help the owner to reveal weak and strengths of the last version that to lose sight of nothing during creation of the new version.
- Evaluating Internet resources of the rival companies. It is free and rather effective method of obtaining the competitive data allowing to make own website same or it is better, than at the rival websites.
- Carrying out the field researches allowing to understand how exactly the user will behave on the website.
- Creation of the versions printed on paper the website and their providing to potential visitors. Here it is important to remember that the less resources and time will spend for adjustment and changes of the interface, the more will be time for changes after all other testings.
- Search of those adjustments which will allow to make the level of a usability better. Testing of a usability needs to be held after each editing in its code, the interface and functionality.
- Check of a final version of a resource on compliance to criteria of a usability.
- Repeated testing before final start of the website.
At the same time it is important not to postpone testing of a usability of the website for the last moment, the majority of serious and insignificant errors will be heavy to be corrected on the finish because of a contradiction between opinion of the designer, programmer, the website purposes, scripts and positioning of a resource on the Internet.
How to improve a usability: work with the website and users
There is some basis of work with the website which is important for knowing. If to follow several rules, it is possible to minimize works on testing of a usability. It is also possible to test and define strategy for improvement of a usability by users. Below both options of actions will be provided.
Work with the website
- It should be worked and convenient for navigation. If there is any important information, it is necessary to take out it on the separate page and to put down links on the main page.
- Correct relinking. Existence on the website of relinking will allow how to raise website positions in search delivery, and to improve factors of behavior of users.
- Grain crumbs. They are presented usually in the form of the horizontal strip which is in website top. Grain crumbs are an indication of that page on which there is a user (it is equivalent as path to the folder on the computer).
- Existence of the card the websites will allow to show organically all sections, categories and pages located on the website.
- Important information. For bigger convenience it is necessary to display the most important information on the main page or on a visible part of the website (sideways or on top).
Important: users read the text from left to right therefore their attention concentrates generally on the left half of the website and on those elements which are located exactly there.
Work with audience
One more way is carrying out audit of the Internet resource and receiving assessment of a usability. There are 3 principal components of testing of the website:
- Gathering of group in which there has to be an overwhelming number of representatives of target audience.
- Delivery to group of the tasks consisting in execution the simplest and primitive actions on the website.
- Observation of actions of each certain member of the group, the analysis of what left and that did not turn out.
At the same time it is important that observing sat quietly and did not draw attention to itself with movements or councils. Any councils or the help instantly implement other directions of actions in the heads that becomes the reason of emergence of incorrect test results.
Work of a specialist usability
First of all the specialist usability is a consultant, trying to find the agreement between users and requirements clients. Carrying out tasks, usability specialist can be engaged in the following works:
- Carrying out researches of users and their opinions for detection of customer requirements to the website.
- Requirements gathering of business and the customer to the website.
- Assessment of the interface of the website at its existence (at the same time the specialist can make assessment as independently, and with involvement of experts).
- Creation of the models (if there is no website) capable to completely meet requirements of the customer and users.
- Making recommendations concerning structure of navigation, the text and terminology.
Nevertheless, as it was already noted above, final success of an Internet resource will depend as on convenience of the selected interface, and quality of the website. The conscientious and honestly working day specialist will be able to report about all noticed problems even if these problems are not connected with the interface in any way.
At transfer of a specialist usability to the state not only the optimization of the website, but also establishing working interaction between workers and divisions of the company will be its main task. It enters correctly picked up strategy of improvement of work process.