Jakob Nielsen analyzes four sites for usability in his April 14 column Four Bad Designs.
“Bad content, bad links, bad navigation, bad category pages… which is worst for business? In these examples, bad content takes the prize for costing the company the most money.”
Ouch.
Let me know what you think. Nielsen is a polarizing figure for Web designers, so I hope we can have some good discussion.
Take a look at the following collection of New York City subway maps.
The maps on the left are very precise. They are geographically pure. This would be great if they were intended for geographers or anyone else who needs a precise map.
However, these are graphics to inform people who ride the subway. They could care less about the surrounding landscape. They just need to find the right transfer, to get in the right tube. The information and clarity of the subway lines themselves is what’s most important.
The maps on the right are redesigned with the user in mind. They clarify the relationship of the subway lines to one another. Geographical purity is sacrificed, but the result (in theory) is a happier and more civil subway commuter.
Who is your audience? Do they need every tiny detail? What can you remove to provide more clarity to the message.
Remember, design and communication is the practice of subtraction.
In What users hate most about Web sites , Sandra Rossi outlines some all-too common Web usability mistakes. To sum them up:
So there you have it. The top 5 of “Web No-Nos,” print them out and glue them next to your monitor or tatoo them on your forearm if you’re really hard-core.
Jakob Nielsen has posted results of a recent study that uses eye-tracking technology to understand how people scan web pages. Some quick take-aways from this study are:
Not is this good advice for readers, it’s also good advice for getting the attention of search engine spiders!
