In our last article, we talked about how the concept of visibility had evolved among each website design company. As the Internet is a constantly evolving entity, changing to fit the needs and tastes of the individual user, so to does web design change. One of the biggest changes in web design over the last ten years has been in the aspect of usability, the topic of this article.
Usability is, briefly, the ease with which a site can be used by the visitor. Although this seems like a relatively simple concept, the fact is that it is quite a new one amongst website developers. Not too long ago, there were many designers who believed that the more bells and whistles a site contained, the more likely it would be to attract visitors and sell a product, even if it was a site selling sewage pumps. Thus, a site that ranked the best web-based collaboration tool might have not only the relevant information, but also banner advertisements, music, games, and other additions meant to interest a visitor.
The development of usability came about as designers realized that too much information led to a cluttered website and frustrated visitors, who had trouble finding what they came for. If you're looking for compression lugs or a steel bender as a buyer for a factory, it's unlikely you want more than the price and make listed. Moreover, all the extras led to slow uploading times and from time to time overloaded central servers.
Today, most sites (and particularly those set up to sell items) will be stripped down compared to what one might have found a few years ago. The purpose is not to curb creativity, but rather to make the visit a more pleasant one for the surfer. They also take into consideration how a person shops for that item. A site dealing with Toronto relocation might be seperated by house prices, while a site about getting cash for gold jewelery might be more simple.
At the heart of the concept of usability are navigation and interface. In order to be considered usable, both factors must be simple and reliable. This means, for example, that a website designed to promote bankruptcy lawyers should make it as easy for the customer to purchase as possible. From the moment they arrive to contacting the firm, the site should always work the same way. In addition, that way must be easy enough for the average web user to intuitively understand (by way of on screen instructions, simple navigation arrows, and so on).
The Internet today is all about simplicity, and that concept should always be at the heart of the aspect of usability in website design.
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