An introduction to Precedent #PrecSem

Hearty Home Cooking Cookbook 80+ experts strategy & research

branding & communications user centred design

development & hosting content & publishing

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Melbourne London

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5 sectors finance

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#PrecSem

Usability The golden rules

#PrecSem

The golden rules 1. ignore the myths 2. consistency is king 3. content, content, content 4. focus on forms 5. mobile is a must 6. accessibility is relevant

1. ignore the myths

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Length of the page has no influence in the likelihood that a user will scroll down the page. Source: Clicktales – ‘Unfolding the fold’

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Less content above the fold even encourages users to explore below the fold. Source: CX partners – ‘The myth of the page fold’

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #1 People don’t scroll

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

The satisfaction of users doesn't depend on the number of clicks. Source: Joshua Porter –’Testing the Three-click rule’

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

‘ Users would rather have several links telling them they’re headed in the right direction at each step,

than think through lengthy lists of links and hope they guess the right place.’

Jakob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger Source Prioritizing Web Usability

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Source: Getting Confidence from Lincoln ‘Jared M. Spool’

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #2 All pages should be accessible in 3 clicks

Myth #3 The homepage is your most important page

2008 | 25% came via Home page

2010 | 10% came via Home page

Gerry McGovern Source: The decline of the home page

Myth #3 The homepage is your most important page

Amount of page views for specific time period Source: Joshua Porter – Prioritizing design time

Home Page

Article Pages

Myth #3 The homepage is your most important page

Page views by area of the site Source: Joshua Porter – Prioritizing design time

2 templates = 57% of page views

Home page = 9% of page views

2. consistency is king

Gently hold your user’s hand • Users learn from other sites • Visual and linguistic cues make a

huge difference • Don’t make them think

Open door

Enter

Give name on reservation

Wait to be seated

Sit down

Order drinks

Put napkin on lap

Look at menu

Discuss menu

Order meal

Talk

Drink water

Eat salad or soup

Meal arrives

Eat food

Finish meal

Order dessert

Eat dessert

Ask for a bill

Bill arrives

Pay bill

Leave tip

Get coat

Leave Bower, Black and Turner, 1979

3. content, content, content

Chance of text being read = 1

Volume of text

Content volume

Time

The bad

Tedious waffle Writing for the web can be a daunting process for a lot of people. You’ll notice the same three mistakes tend crop up time and time again.

To the point

The 3 most common web writing mistakes

are: ignoring the needs of your audiences, taking too long to make a point, and

using too much text.

Tedious waffle Writing for the web can be a daunting process for a lot of people. You’ll notice the same three mistakes tend crop up time and time again.

Hours to read

Page Title This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text.

Easy to read Page Title This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text.

Subheading This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text.

Another subheading This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text.

Subheading the third

• List item 1 • Another list item • And one more

Hours to read

Page Title This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text. This is some more text. This is some text.

What you can do Information the user must have

for your page to be successful

Additional helpful information

In-depth & detailed

Main content

Deeper content Links to further reading

Headings Page summary Highlighted content

Bin

http://www.charitywater.org/

4. focus on forms

5. mobile is a MUST

http://www.chuckaschultz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mobile-chart2.png

http://bostonglobe.com/

Context

Location

Time

Habits

Priorities

6. Accessibility is relevant

Tim Berners-Lee Inventor of the World Wide Web and Director of the W3C

“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”

WCAG 2.0 basic principles

Perceivable

Operable

Understandable

Robust

Are you compliant?

1. Check your alt tags 2. Give your links meaningful labels, avoid ‘click here’ 3. Try disabling JavaScript 4. Captions / transcripts for video and audio 5. Logical content structure 6. Explicitly associate form labels with input controls 7. Don’t rely on colour alone to convey meaning 8. Give data tables a summary or caption 9. Avoid rapidly flashing content 10.Ensure you can complete tasks using a keyboard

http://www.w3.org/WAI/

National Transition Strategy Timeline for WA …

Phase Summary of activities

Phase 1 – Prepare To complete by 31 Dec 2011

Define scope Assess sites for conformance to WCAG 2.0 Prioritise Plan governance, resource, budget

Phase 2 – Transition To complete by 31 Dec 2012

Put the capability in place - Training - Infrastructure - Risks and mitigation

Phase 3 – Implementation To complete by 31 Dec 2013

Implement website and content changes Verify compliance

http://www.publicsector.wa.gov.au/AgencyResponsibilities/Accessibility/Pages/Default.aspx

The golden rules 1. ignore the myths 2. consistency is king 3. content, content, content 4. focus on forms 5. mobile is a must 6. accessibility is relevant

MARKETING Increase visits to

increase conversions

USABILITY to improve conversions

Marketing + Usability = Results