Best practice in design on NREN websites
A heuristic evaluation made for TERENA TF-PR
February 2004
By Julia Gardner & Gitte Kudsk, UNI•C
Best practice – for whom?
Demand from the
economics department
Suggestion from the design department
What the sales department
thinks is Best Practice
What the customer needs
Result from the production department
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Purpose of the evaluation
As a delivery for the TERENA Task Force in
Public Relations the purpose of the survey of
NREN websites is to find Best Practice on how
to set up and maintain an NREN website.
The leaders of the deliverable will look at the
current websites of the NRENs and make an
assessment, for a report to be given at the next
meeting in February, and will also prepare a
report/presentation at this time.
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Ways to make an evaluation of a website
Qualitative user evaluations
•
•
•
Usability test
Field study
Workshops
Quantitative user evaluations
•
Questionnaires
Expert evaluation based on a list of established usability
principles
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A heuristic evaluation
A usability inspection where usability specialists examine the user
interface and judge whether each element complies with a list of
established usability principles (the “heuristics”).
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Usability = User friendliness +
Usefulness
•Accessibility
(relevance)
– Is it possible for people with any kind of
disability to use the website
•Navigation
– Is it possible for any user to find the
information he is looking for
•Content
– Is it possible for the user to understand and
use the information on the website. Is the
information on the website relevant for the
user.
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Results of the evaluation
Results
• Accessibility
• Navigation
• Content
8
Every frame and page should have an unique title, so
that identification and navigation is easier
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Every non-text element should have a text equivalent
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All information must be available without colour
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Results
• Accesibility
• Navigation
• Content
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•All pages must include a clearly visible link to the
homepage
•Site logos should link to the homepage
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Provide access to the main menu from all parts of the
site
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Use the menu to clearly indicate where a certain page
belongs
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Give the content a useable date
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Write for the net
• Make sentences short and precise
• Label sections to allow the user to scan the page easily
• Write less
• Start with the conclusion
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Do not write text in a different colour unless it is a link
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Do not use animation to attract attention
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Avoid “pogo sticking”
List of services
Booking service
•Booking service
•Videoconferencing
service
•Technology service
•Training courses
Xxx xxxx xxxxx
Xxx xxxx xxxxx
Videoconferencing
service
Xxx xxxx xxxxx
Xxx xxxx xxxxx
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Avoid “pogo sticking” - example
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Design should be consistent across the site
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Search results should offer sufficient information to
allow the user to make an informed choice
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Results
• Accesibility
• Navigation
• Content
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Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your
site
-1
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Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your
site
-2
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Offer direct access from the homepage to topics of
special interest
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Inform about problems from the homepage
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A site map on the homepage is a concise
introduction to your site
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Include general contact information on the
homepage
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Avoid organizing the material on the web according to
your own organisation
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Use cross-linking
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Clickable organisational charts
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Customer support – helpdesk
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News
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Questions
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
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Suggestion
•
•
•
•
Read the rapport
Have a look at your own website
Can you do anything better?
Feel free to ask – gitte.julin.kudsk@uni-c.dk
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