Use it : Creating a customer-friendly website

If you're a communicator tasked with developing a website, consider your customer's point of view with this basic usability checklist:

Access to the site is easy

• users can find the site and it loads quickly
  

Minimize the potential for errors through design

• use accurate and descriptive labels, link names and section titles.

Navigation is intuitive

• minimize the amount of information a user must type in for forms

• use intuitive content structure and labels, hierarchies and natural order (sequential, frequency of use, function)

• use simple, concise language and plain terminology

• match the content and its presentation to the people who will use the site.

The user has control over how they use the site

• put a 'home' link on every page

• provide a site map

• provide (in some cases, multiple) navigation elements on all content pages.

Consistency to aid navigation

• use alignment to reinforce site structure

• place recurring navigation, text and buttons on all pages in same place

• use the same sequence in lists and navigation throughout the site.

Support movement through the site

• identify the site on every page

• identify the page with 1st, 2nd and 3rd level headings

• link every page to at least one level up

• use recognizable metaphors for navigation.

Promote recognition rather than recall

• clearly identify the page using a consistent textual and graphic style

• provide good navigation using concise, meaningful, unique titles
  

• use descriptive labels and links.

Flexibility and efficiency

• make pages easy to bookmark, avoid pop ups and gimmicks
  

• allow users to move through the site how they wish

Efficient design

• use a clear sequence on navigation bar

• keep the navigation bar to a maximum of 9 items

• chunk and group information to create a deep site with multiple pages rather than a broad one

• use "pointers" to immediate parent pages and to the beginnings of sections, as well as to the main sections and help

Informative error handling

• offer informative error messages

• provide help to recover from the error

Aid the site user

• provide a search function

• provide a site map

• provide step-by-step information on downloads, forms, transactions and other interactions.
  

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