Services
Creation
- website development
- website makeovers
- web 2.0 applications
- mobile reversioning
- customised HTML emails
- blog creation
- audio podcasts
- video podcasts
- video production
Maintenance
- search engine optimisation
- website maintenance
- disability compliance
- usability overhaul
- hosting
- content and copywriting
- domain registration
The importance of usability
Every website has a different purpose, depending on the business needs of its owner (see why do I need a website) but many websites score poorly in usability tests. Very often the usability of the site is an afterthought, but it should be the most important building block of any site design.A site with good usability will:
- allow a customers the quickest route from arriving at the site to purchasing a product/finding the information they need
- Make the user have to think less about where they are and how they can find what they want
- Provide a pleasurable browsing experience that will make the user likely to recommend the site to others
- be more appealing to more users, and thus will generate more traffic
- earn more revenue, as higher traffic can lead to a higher volume of sales
Good usability means laying out your site so that the user instantly understands what each element of the page does, without having to read every word.
A usable site could be in a foreign language and still be perfectly understandable, with clear menus and navigation structures, demarcation between adverts and content and an easy way for a lost user to find their way again.
What is bad usability?
Many sites look great but give little clue to what the navigation does, what the purpose of the site is, or where the user is supposed to go to find a particular piece of information.
Why do usability problems occur?
Poor usability usually comes from the difference between those who sign off a site and those who actually use it. The CEO has no need to purchase from his site, so will simply look at the visuals.
It's always good if a site looks stylish, but if that same design is almost impossible to use, even the best design will result in few sales. The trick is to get a happy medium between something that looks great and is easy to use.
How can I ensure my site is usable?
Thousands of studies have been conducted in this field, and the one result everyone agrees on is that no two users are alike. That said, it's likely that if one person has a problem with your site, others will.
For that reason it's important to have a multi-layered usability strategy. Experience has taught us that there are many things you can do in your page, from the way you lay it out to the way you describe options, that will make your site usable. A new media company such as Deeper Shade can provide a full analysis and consultation on where your site might be going wrong.
The second approach is to conduct regular usability testing at every stage of the design process. The usability experts at Deeper Shade have many years experience of this and can test your site on your behalf, providing detailed feedback and recommendations which can then be quickly and easily acted upon to ensure your site gives your customers the best experience possible.
Contact us for a usability quote
