USABILITY = WEB EFFICIENCY
Usability is increasingly recognized as a major factor in the design of any website, portal, Intranet or Extranet. This fairly new field is largely based on cognitive sciences and the ergonomics of human-system interactions. Not surprisingly, members of the UPA (Usability Professionals Association) work at multiple-media.com.
multiple-media.com has developed a grid to evaluate and analyze the usability of websites and Web project. With more than 60 weighted criteria, we can measure just about everything, from download speeds to link color changes, not to mention the relevance of the content.
Our 60 criteria form three main categories:
- Navigation: everything the visitor uses to move around within the site (navigation menus, localization bars, interactivity).
- Interface: all that relates to the visual interpretation (graphic design, fonts, animations, etc.).
- Content: all that relates to the information and the way it is organized, depending on the target audiences and the objectives of the site, section, or even specific page.
The multiple-media.com analysis grid therefore helps us:
- Make sites more intuitive
- Give a logical structure to the way the information is posted
- Ensure the relevance of real-time content in a transactional context
- Enhance search engine visibility.
Another way to enhance usability is to develop “Personas”.
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Personas, a Crucial Strategic Tool
A persona is the embodiment of a group of actual users who share similar needs and objectives. Mainly through qualitative analysis, this approach provides a holistic customer profile–the persona–that allows the design team to find out what can satisfy, motivate or frustrate potential users.
In a nutshell, a series of well-built personas can help the development team identify the functional elements of the site and make sure the conceptual design is in keeping with users’ needs and expectations.
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> It is profitable !
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