Web Site Useability Consulting

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Those of us who work regularly with computers are often surprised at the number of people we meet who are essentially clueless about the machines. And many people have only basic Internet skills. These otherwise bright people can be easily confused and intimidated by the technology. But if you're in the business of selling widgets on the Web, then you'd better take into consideration the needs of this technologically challenged majority when you build your Web site.

Even relatively experienced Web surfers, when confronted with a poorly designed site, will leave promptly if its design isn't simple, straightforward and intuitive. And trust me: 99 per cent of them couldn't care less about the elegant logic of your database and the nuance of the computer code that runs it.

Unless your site is built for average users-- not just the technologically savvy-- then you've just lost a bunch of sales.

I know; this is hardly a novel concept! Every professional developer and designer who ever put together a Web site knows that one always writes to his or her audience.

What's Web site usability?

Usability is the artful synergy of site infrastructure, functionality, navigation and look and feel. Poor usability causes people to grow impatient or frustrated and leave a poorly designed Web site because

It isn't immediately clear how to use the home page
They can't navigate easily to the pages containing the information they want
Poor "look and feel" of the site contributes to poor corporate image and even doubts about integrity
The buyer finally arrives at the point of checkout and credit card payment but won't finalize the purchase due to security concerns or lack of trust.

Build your site to accommodate the Web skills of the average user-- not only the technologically savvy--and your sales will increase.

Why, then, do so many corporate and e-commerce Web sites come up short on usability? Why do so many of the very people for whom a Web site is ostensibly aimed at arrive and, well, just leave?

Here are some reasons why well-intentioned Web sites end up less than user friendly:

It's all too easy for we techies to assume that, because we deal with this stuff every day and it's become second nature to us, then everybody else must be computer literate too
Look and feel and usability may become only "nice to have" qualities amid the rush of deadlines and production schedules. Look and feel is the single most neglected underpinning of a Web site. Yet its depressing effect on sales is often least understood.
Business owners or corporate managers who sign off on the production results may be out of their areas of expertise
Otherwise competent Web developers (programmers and code writers) acting also as designers and usability experts are often out of their area of expertise.

I came, I saw.... I left.
People grow impatient and leave a Web site because

It isn't immediately clear how to use the home page
They can't navigate easily to the internal pages containing the information they want
Poor look and feel contributes to their general feeling of poor quality and lack of integrity
They don't trust you: buyers arrive at the checkout point for final payment but won't finalize the purchase because they don't feel good about credit card security or the merchant's integrity.

But wait! If I could only explain...
When that potential customer first lands on your Web site you have only a few moments to make her feel comfortable with your site, for her to believe that it has what she wants, and for her to think that it will be easy-- and perhaps even fun-- to use. It's that simple. You won't have time to educate her or to explain to her how to use it. It has to be crystal clear. On the Web, your competitor's site is only a mouse click away.

The Sum of The Parts Is Greater Than The Whole.
The artful crafting of Web site usability-- that is, a synergy of infrastructure, functionality, navigation and look and feel-- is an elusive but powerful accomplishment. Let us show you how a usability study can identify ways to increase your Web sales, promote customer satisfaction and enhance your company's image. I think you'll agree that it makes good sense to spend a only reasonable amount up front to get it right in the first place, instead of losing a ton of sales and then paying to fix mistakes later.