Coming from a web design background we all know that usability is an important factor for the user adoption of a website or web application. But I think, these issues should nowadays be rather hygiene factors and good businesses should focus on the overall user experience, since this is what gets people talking and what multiplies success. But let’s take a look at the usability first.
Components of Designing Usability
Usability Design spans several dimensions we want browse though briefly, which are: taxonomy, interaction design, visual design, user feedback and content.
Taxonomy: focuses on the consistent classification of content, navigation and user orientation. Does the user know where she is at all times? Does she have ways to navigate to different areas of the website and is it clear by which clicks the user can complete a task (e.g. find something)?
Interaction Design: takes care of a consistent use of UI patterns and site components and aims to minimize the learning curve and to increase accuracy and efficiency of a task. Good interaction design ensures an always comprehensible user interaction and reduces frustration on the side of the user.
Visual Design: is aimed at optimizing the visual communication between user and website (or website’s content). Visual design communicates the underlying site’s structure to the user, pointing out relevant information or interaction artifacts at the appropriate time in the process. On a more general basis this manifests in graphic design standards (aka. style guides) and branding guidelines for a website.
Content: reminds you that even if you have perfect navigation and high usability, it all doesn’t help, when there is no relevant content. And relevant means a) there is everything, users want (including help sections and support pages) and b) that the provided content does match the expectations and is helpful.
Creating a real User Experience is more than just good Usability
Now, where we have illuminated the hygiene factors, let’s move on to the higher level: the user experience. The difference between good usability and a real user experience, one can say is like the difference between just liking it and getting people to talk about it!
Serving users well and delivering everything that they expect is usability – a great user experience however is, when your site over-delivers exceeding expectations in some key areas. To create a great user experience, it is important to find out, what your users really want and expect. This can be done by user surveys and other (qualitative) studies. When you are clear about that, make sure, all hygiene factors are implemented and in place. Now it’s time to show your creativity and define areas in which you can and want to exceed expectations.
I suggest to either choose areas with low user expectations, since those are the low hanging fruits where it’s easy to over-deliver or issues that are the deal breakers where it is really important (and worth it) to put some more effort in to create something really impressive for your users.
But when creating real user experiences, do not make the mistake to just focus on your website! User experience has got to do with every point of communication over all the different media and channels (product, website, support etc.) between you and your users. It is like a web analytics system which only shows its real value, when the loop is closed and you can track users from the first point of entry all the way to the checkout button.
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About the Author:
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Pidoco.com – Interface Design, Wireframe Software, Interface Design Software, Clickable Wireframe and GUI Prototyping Tool. Fast wireframe creation and remote website usability testing lead to an improved conversion!
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