Guest Blog – Susan Weinschenk and Top 10 Attributes of a Usable and Persuasive Web Site
It’s my distinct pleasure to post this guest blog for you by Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D., author of the book “Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?”
I’ve been an avid reader of Susan’s blog “What Makes Them Click” and Susan has graciously agreed to post one of her articles here. I think you’ll enjoy this article, as well as find it very informative.
Susan is the Chief of User Experience Strategy for Human Factors International (HFI). Her clients call her, The Brain Lady, and that is also her Twitter name @thebrainlady.
Enjoy!
The Top 10 Attributes of a Usable and Persuasive Web Site
By Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D.
Susan Weinschenk
Whether you spend a fair amount of time online, or you are responsible for the design or content of a web site or web application, the list below should be of interest to you.
What are the most important attributes of a web site that make it both usable and persuasive? Why do some web sites succeed in making us click while others result in abandonment?
1.The organization of the information at the website (the information architecture) fits the visitor’s mental model –
Is the website organized the way the visitor thinks? For example, if the visitor comes to a website looking up reviews of computer monitors is there a category called monitors? Or is the information on monitors part of the “Peripherals†category. Do the visitors really think of “peripherals†when they come to the site?
Web designers and content managers are often too close to their own information and need to make sure that the categories and organization of the web site match what most visitors have in their heads when they arrive at the site.
Usable and persuasive sites are designed for the visitor’s mental model.
2. Less is More –
Have you ever heard about the “magic number†7 plus or minus 2?–the idea that people can remember or deal with between 5 to 9 things at time? Well, that’s a myth. Research shows that the real magic number is 3 or maybe 4.
Research shows that people can only deal with about 3-4 items of information at a time. Anything more than that they are not really seeing or paying attention to. People will tell you they want more choices, but the research on decision-making is clear that too many choices means that we don’t choose at all.
Usable and persuasive sites provide 3 to 4 clear choices at a time.
3. The top third of the page, in the center, is “prime real estate†–
Where information is on the page does matter. The top third is the part of the page that people see first. Contrary to what some people say, the very top left is NOT the place people look first. The web has come to be much more of a TV model (top middle) than a book model (top left in countries that read left to right and top to bottom).
Smart designers pay attention to what is in this top third of the page. They make sure it is attention getting, meaningful, and speaks to the emotional/unconscious part of the brain, not just the logical /conscious part.
Usable and persuasive sites make good and careful use of the prime real estate.
4. Use visual and cognitive distinctions –
There is a lot going on at a typical web site page these days. There are images, and major category navigation bars. There are links to information about the company or individual who owns the site. There might be a place to go for help, a top banner with a shopping cart and a footer with more information. Then there is the main content on the page, and maybe there is advertising.
The list goes on and on.
In order to make sure the visitor knows where to look the site design has to use both visual and cognitive distinction.
Visual distinction means that a certain part of the screen uses different shapes, sizes, colors or fonts to look different.
For example a navigation bar has a green background, and a border around it. It is a rectangle and it is vertical. The top navigation bar on the other hand is horizontal, is on the top right of the page, is a set of links without a background color or a border. It looks visually different than the left navigation bar.
It’s not enough, though to use JUST visual distinction. The different parts of the page must also be cognitively distinct.
Cognitive distinction means that the items that are in different locations belong together with other items in that location, and are distinctly different than the items in other parts of the screen.
For example, the items in the green left navigation bar refer to different products I can buy. The items in the top right navigation bar without color are where I go to make changes to my account, get help, and ask for support.
Usable and persuasive sites use both visual and cognitive distinctions.
5. Engage all 3 brains –
In my book Neuro Web Design: What makes them click? I talk about the idea that we don’t have just one brain, we really have 3:
- The new brain is the logical/conscious brain
- The mid brain governs emotions
- The old brain is interested in scanning the environment and asking, “can I eat it?†“can I have sex with it?†“will it kill me?â€
Engaging the old brain means that you are speaking to issues that are important to the basic self, such as food or security/danger or sex. Since most sites aren’t about food or sex, this leaves danger messages such as security, feeling safe, the idea that we are getting something for FREE or some other trigger that grabs the attention of the old brain.
Engaging the mid brain means that you are using photos or pictures or stories that talk to the emotional part of the visitor.
Engaging the new brain means that you have taken care of all the rational/logical reasons why someone would want to continue at your site.
Usable and persuasive sites engage all three brains.
6. Make text easy to scan –
In general, people don’t like to read online. Devices such as the Kindle are an exception, since they don’t use regular LCD screens. Most websites are still being viewed on regular laptops and monitors, and these are still hard use for blocks of text.
With some exceptions (for example, people who have subscribed to the NYTimes Reader software application), people will not read large blocks of text online. In place of these large blocks web sites should be concise, and use headings, bullets, and small paragraphs to break up text.
Usable and persuasive sites make text easy to scan.
7. Use progressive disclosure to show people what they need when they need it –
Lots of people come to a web site. Some know what they want, some are browsing. Some have lots of knowledge about what the site contains and some are new to the topic.
The best tactic therefore is to use “progressive disclosure.â€
This means showing a small amount of information and then having the visitor click for more information. Then there is some more information and they can click again for more.
Have you heard that the user should be able to get to what they want in 3 clicks or less? That’s another myth! As long as the clicks make sense people are willing to “follow the scent†to get to their information.
Usable and persuasive sites use progressive disclosure.
8. Use grouping to show what things go together and limit clutter –
With all the information and pictures and videos and ads that are on screens these days it’s easy to forget that a screen can be visually overwhelming, especially to someone who is new to the page. There is a whole science behind designing screens and pages so that they use grouping to reduce clutter.
There can be a lot of material on the page as long as the things that go together are placed together, and that there is a little more space between separate groups than there is within items inside of a group.
Web sites that minimize the number of unique margins by lining up labels and fields and columns well can have lots of information and still not appear cluttered.
Usable and persuasive sites pay attention to the grouping of information and limit clutter.
9. Build in the features and functionality that make the site become a habit –
Research shows that over time people will tend to focus on one or two web sites for a particular task. For example, they will go to one or two websites for news, one or two web sites to shop, one or two web sites for entertainment. So what makes them choose to come back over and over to one or two sites and let the others fall away?
Sites that build in features that encourage use to be habitual are the winners, for example, e-commerce sites that make it easy to re-order (Staples), or offer one-click buying (Amazon). Or sites that aggregate all of your financial information together in one place (Mint) or allow you to not only send a twitter message but also monitor the twitters on particular topics (HootSuite).
There’s a limit here though. It’s not about having lots of features, it’s about having the one or two “can’t live without it†features that make the site become a habit.
Usable and persuasive sites choose and outperform in one or two killer features and functions.
10. Create a buzz in a specific market –
Don’t forget the power of social validation. I have a whole chapter on this in my book on “Neuro Web Design: What makes them click?”
People listen to what other people say, especially if they are uncertain about what to do.
So if there are 5 different sites that you can use to upload your photos, but one of those sites is talked about amongst your twitter group, is written about at the blogs you read, and advertises how many members they have, then that is the site you are most likely to check out and stick with.
Usable and persuasive sites know who they are aiming for, and do the marketing and publicity to make sure that have buzz among a certain cohort.
Conclusion: Top 10 Attributes of a Usable and Persuasive Web Site
So that’s the current top 10 list. Try evaluating your favorite websites against the list and let me know what you think. What sites do you use that match several of the items on the list?
If you liked this article check out Susan’s blog: www.whatmakesthemclick.net for more information about Neuro Web Design.
About the Author:
Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D., is the author of the popular blog “What Makes Them Click? Applying Psychology to Understand How We Think Work and Relate.”
Susan has a Ph.D. in Psychology and 30 years of experience as a usability, user experience, and human factors consultant for Fortune 500 companies. She is the author of several books in the field, and her most recent book, published by New Riders is, “Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?” She is Chief of User Experience Strategy for Human Factors International (HFI). Her clients call her, The Brain Lady, and that is also her Twitter name: @thebrainlady.
My seven controversial usability predictions for 2010
Flickr New Year Baby Photo via Skokie Public Library Creative Commons License
I have seven somewhat controversial usability predictions for the 2010 I think you might be surprised to read. These predictions are based on my understanding of the state of the usability field based on blog posts, articles, tweets and all the other news and information I’ve picked up throughout the year.   Whether you agree or disagree with these predictions, I think you’ll agree that in the past year we’ve seen plenty of change, and will continue to see increasing changes in our field in 2010.
1. The cost of conducting usability testing will decrease by a factor of 10.
As I mentioned in my article; 24 web site usability testing tools, I’ve noticed a recent significant increase in the number of low cost or free usability testing tools available. In 2009, several new, simple but effective tools have risen to prominence. Considering there are many additional new and easy-to-use tools being developed even as I type this, it seems reasonable to assume usability testing and analysis tools will be available in unprecedented numbers for amazingly low costs.
Anyone still renting a usability lab, going through expensive recruiting firms for participants, or using specialized rooms with one-way mirrors and multiple video cameras is wasting money – lots of money.
For a company that switches to low cost usability tools instead of renting a lab, this will decrease their usability testing costs by much greater than a factor of 10.  For companies already using these low cost tools, the incremental increase in use of the tools means many more usability reports and optimizations, at extremely low costs.
The year 2010 should see many more firms converting to these lower cost usability testing methods, and saving tremendous amounts of money doing so.
2. There will be a dramatic increase in the use of low cost web-based usability testing tools
In 2010, several new, cheap and powerful web-based usability testing tools will be launched. This will have a positive impact on usability practitioners. The positives include additional functionality at very low costs, a greater variety of types of tools for specific testing tasks, and anywhere, anytime access to tests and data. All of which means a lot more people can and will be using these usability testing tools.
In the bad old days, usability testing tools were expensive hardware/software contraptions that were not easily accessible, portable or cheap. Because of the significant increase in these new low cost web-based tools, usability practitioners now have a much more usable set of tools with which to ply their trade.
There is a downside however, especially for vendors of the more traditional tools: the added competition of the new tools will force the older usability testing companies that have PC hardware/software solutions to change their products – or go out of business. Increasing low-cost competition means less ability for these older companies to operate in a marginalized capacity. For 2010, the older vendors will need to re-think their products and pricing – or potentially face exiting the business.
The good news for usability practitioners is 2010 will be a banner year for new and exciting low cost web-based tools.
3. True usability ROI will continue to elude usability practitioners
True ROI, in terms of bottom-line numbers reported in annual reports and quarterly statements, will continue to elude the usability profession. The sad fact of the matter is most corporations do not realize usability is in fact a profit center. As I mentioned in my ROI article, it’s not practical, or wise, to quote ROI guarantees for a usability project. Typically usability improvements decrease overall costs, and increase revenue potential. Yet from the conversations I’ve had with usability practitioners, the conversation always seems to come back to, “how do I ‘prove’ that adding more usability testing will bring a positive ROI?”
The on-going education of corporations by usability practitioners, Associations such as the UPA and educational institutions is the primary way to continue to make headway in obtaining usability advocates. Until someone can formally introduce a usability ROI metric that is used in annual reports and thus can be understood by the Wall Street crowd, many corporate executives will continue to believe true usability ROI is a myth.
For 2010, this trend of non-belief of usability ROI will continue to exist.
4. Use of remote moderated usability testing will increase by a factor of 10
As more and more usability practitioners use remote moderated usability testing, and talk about with their practitioner friends, use of this low-cost and effective testing method will explode.
In the past, tools like UserVue or video conferencing rooms were about it for practitioners who wished to conduct remote moderated testing and recording of usability sessions. But the increasing access to cheap and effective tools like WebEx, GotoMyPC and Webcams coupled with high-bandwidth internet access and conference calling has effectively eliminated the barrier to entry for practitioners.
Saving thousands of dollars in travel costs, and enabling testing of users literally around the world are powerful reasons why remote moderated testing will become the way to get things done in 2010.
In 2010, more and more usability practitioners will take the plunge and use remote moderated testing as their primary way to conduct usability testing.
5. The UK will become a major source of usability expertise
The United Kingdom and the European Union already are doing significant usability work – and have the smarts to prove it. But have you noticed the amazing number of usability practitioner job openings in the United Kingdom, or the increasing number of usability projects occurring there and in the rest of the European Union in the past year? I have. And I’m not alone. Recognizing the significance of usability in the EU, for the first time ever the Usability Professionals Association International conference will be held outside North America – Munich, Germany to be precise.
I’ve also noted that there have been an incredible number of new job positions opened in 2009 for usability testers, information architects and user experience designers in the UK. All these new positions mean lots and lots of usability work – and with that work comes knowledge and expertise.
I fully expect to start seeing many more UK and EU based brilliant usability practitioners providing their expertise to a host of small, mid-size and large companies. I also expect to see many more  usability projects and experiments, with resulting white papers, articles and blog posts demonstrating the expertise and thought-leadership resident there.
In 2010, the UK will dramatically increase the number of usability projects, and thought-leadership this provides.
6. The phrase “user experience design†will become overused and almost meaningless
It’s amazing to see the number of job positions titled “user experience design†in which it’s quite clear what the hiring manager is actually after is a graphics designer that knows css, flash and html, and can create wireframes, prototypes and final production files. In my humble opinion, and the opinion of others such as Nielsen, this is not a correct usage of the term ‘user experience.’
According to Nielsen/Norman Group’s definition of user experience…
“”User experience” encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products. The first requirement for an exemplary user experience is to meet the exact needs of the customer, without fuss or bother. Next comes simplicity and elegance that produce products that are a joy to own, a joy to use. True user experience goes far beyond giving customers what they say they want, or providing checklist features. In order to achieve high-quality user experience in a company’s offerings there must be a seamless merging of the services of multiple disciplines, including engineering, marketing, graphical and industrial design, and interface design.”
Here then is the problem; the term ‘user experience design’ is more and more often not being used to reflect someone who creates all aspects of the user perceiving, learning and interacting with a company’s products and services. Instead, it’s being used to define a designer that only designs web interfaces – without the myriad other research, behavioral and usability knowledge that is needed to truly design a holistic user experience.
And because it’s over-used, and used incorrectly, the term ‘user experience design’ will become more and more generic, confusing and thus meaningless. Will it continue to be used? Yes! But you can expect to hear many more conversations like, “So, you have a job position for user experience designer, I’d like to apply, but I need to know, what will this person actually do?â€
For 2010, the term ‘user experience design’ will become abused and thus more meaningless as an actual description of true ‘user experience design.’
7. Without professional certification being required, more and more charlatans will be attracted to usability
Dentists, Pilots and Public Accountants all have to pass training and certification before practicing their occupation. However, with usability anyone can declare themselves a ‘usability professional’ and set up shop, providing usability services to unsuspecting clients.
Without some form of formal certification, anyone can (and will) provide usability testing services if they believe there’s money to be made – whether they know the difference between a card sort and a heuristic review, or not. The same access you and I have to free and low-cost usability tools likewise means college students, stay at home moms and dads and even children can create usability services and sell them on the internet, using these same free or low-cost tools.
This isn’t a new topic of discussion, the UPA went down this path of investigating usability certification in 2001.
The only way to ensure a professional is providing usability services is to make usability a profession, via a certification process in which the practitioner has demonstrated the expertise and knowledge necessary to properly practice the art and science of usability. Without this certification in place, anyone can and will declare themselves a usability vendor, if they believe there’s money in it.
For 2010, more and more fake usability practitioners will set up virtual shops, using the free or low cost usability testing tools now available.
Conclusion: My 7 controversial 2010 usability predictions
So there you are, my rather controversial predictions for usability in 2010. Do you agree with them? Do you disagree? Share your thoughts about my 2010 predictions, or better yet make your own by adding a comment! Only time will tell if you and I are right!
