To use design principles effectively, it is important to understand the way users behave and interact with the websites.
What do users think?
In essence, the habits of users on the web and those in stores are not that dissimilar. The visitor will scan the page and then click the link which catches his interest. There are many parts of the site that they never even glance at. For advice on Web Design Swansea, contact Accent ADC
When they find something promising, most users will click. The Back button will be clicked if the page does not meet the user’s expectations.
- Users are more willing to sacrifice the quality of the page’s content for the ads and design. This is the reason why not-that-well-designed websites with high-quality content gain a lot of traffic over years. The content is much more important than its design.
- Users scan, not read. When analysing a website, the user looks for fixed points and anchors that will guide him through its content.The users don’t actually read the text, but scan it. You’ll notice that “hot” spots are abruptly placed in the middle sentences. The scanning process is similar to this.
- Users are impatient, and they want instant satisfaction. A very simple principle is that if a site fails to deliver on users’ expectations then the designer has failed in his task and the company will lose money. Users are more likely to abandon a website if it has a high cognitive load or if the navigation is not intuitive.
- The user doesn’t always make the best choices.The users don’t look for the fastest way to locate the information that they are looking for. They also don’t scan the page in a sequential manner, moving from one section of the site to another. Users choose to satisfy themselves by choosing the first option that seems reasonable. There is a good chance they will click on a link as soon as it appears to lead them towards their goal.
- Most users don’t read the designer-provided information.
- The users want control. They want the ability to use their own browser, and to rely on consistent data display throughout the website. E.g. They don’t like new windows opening up and want to return to their previous site with the “Back” button. Therefore, it is a good idea to not open links in a new window.
