Best practice in design on NREN websites
A heuristic evaluation made for TERENA TF-PR
By Julia Gardner & Gitte Kudsk, UNI•C
Julia.gardner@uni-c.dk & gitte.kudsk@uni-c.dk
Presentation for TERENA GA 10.06.2004
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 Practise on how
to set up and maintain an NREN website.
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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
(relevance)
•Accessibility
– 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
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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
Service 1
•Service 1
•Service 2
•Service 3
•Service 4
Xxx xxxx
xxxxx
Xxx xxxx
xxxxx
Service 4
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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Homepage
Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your site
-1
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Homepage
Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your site
-2
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Homepage
Offer direct access to topics of special interest
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Homepage
Inform about problems
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Homepage
A site map on the homepage is a concise introduction
to your site
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Homepage
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 graphics/organisational charts
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News
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Finally - Why is usability important?
• ”The competitors” site is only a click away
• Involving the user is preparing for the future
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Questions
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
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