Usability Can Save Your Company

Data indicate that usability offers a better return on investment than almost any other business action. When times get rough, usability shines. The benefits are huge. Usability is a weapon that can save you money, improve your competitive position, and improve customer loyalty. Now is the time to invest in the research.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2000). Articles>Usability>Management

Usability Metrics

First, when you are conducting a usability test, it is important to understand exactly what data you should be collecting. You should not run a test without first deciding on what data is required to address your business challenges. Plan ahead! Second, in a usability test, you don't just watch users. You must collect data that reflects how customers actually use your products and services. This is easier said than done.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2001). Articles>Usability>Methods>Testing

The Usability of Email Subject Lines

Email is very important to a lot of people and companies. However, very little usability research has been done on email, specifically email subject lines. This article is a summary of a research report written by WebWord on the topic and contains several results. The basic finding from the research is that effective email subject lines are very short, very meaningful, and personal.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2001). Articles>Usability>Correspondence>Email

Usability Perspective on Banner Ads

I recently have read a lot about the use of banner ads. My short answer is that they don't work. They might be useful for branding and image campaigns but they are not usable and users don't like them at all.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (1999). Design>Web Design>Marketing>Usability

The Voyeur Web

The purpose of this article is to explain the voyeur web. The central idea is that it is easy to view what other people are doing and experiencing on the web. A list of voyeur tools are provided.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2002). Design>Web Design>Community Building

Web Developers: On Being Too Wired

I was wondering if anyone else is starting to feel ill at ease about the work that we do. I personally do a lot of web development work. I regularly conduct usability testing on people so that web sites, and other technology, fit better with humans. I make it a point to stress that good design work yields higher profits, growth, and strategic advantage for our clients.  While these things are acceptable and fit with our social norms, I feel like we are becoming the defense contractors of the new economy. I remember when folks at General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing were getting heat for being baby killers and the like. Will the masses start revolting against us?

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2000). Careers>Web Design>Usability

The Web for Your Company: Magic Bullet or Poison Pill?

There are basically two types of companies. The first see the Internet as a poison pill, the rest see it a magic bullet. The poison pill companies fear the Web. They see the rush of companies onto the Internet, and they feel that they must join the stampede. They are bitter, they feel slow, and they are angry that the Web has changed the game. The magic bullet companies see the Web as a new frontier, they embrace change, and they capitalize on the Internet hysteria. Rather than simply throwing a Web site out there, they are making the Internet part of their business. They are building the Internet into their strategic plans, and they are taking it for a ride.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (1999). Articles>Web Design>Marketing

Web Sites That Heal

The first purpose of this article is to explain the true causes of linkrot. The second purpose is to outline a new way to solve the linkrot problem.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2002). Design>Web Design>Usability

Web Usability Bill of Rights

Web developers, web designers, web producers: Wake up. Hear me roar. I am the common user. I am the person that pays your bills. I am the reason you exist. I am your traffic. Heed my words. I am sick and tired of being abused. I am not smiling or winking. I'm not happy. I am a good person, but you have treaded on me for too long now. I am going to tell you what I want. I am going to tell you what I need from you today so that my experience is better. Listen to me. This is no manifesto, this is my life.

Rhodes, John S. and Sean Lindsay. WebWord (2001). Design>Web Design>Usability

The WebWord Content Management System

The WebWord content management system is not technical, it is human. In fact, the technology is minimal and the web site works because a human understands and maintains the content using very simple tools. While this approach consumes a lot of time, it is simple and cost effective. Small and medium web sites can get along without using content management systems.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2001). Design>Content Management>Case Studies>Web Design

When The Title Ain't Good: How PC Magazine Failed

If you try a bait and switch tactic on your web site and you are trying to sell to customers, you will fail. You must provide the right information to people. You have to exceed their expectations.Sales follow the delivery of solid, respected content.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (1999). Design>Web Design>Writing

When to Link Out of Your Site

You should only link out of your own site as a last resort. In general you want to keep your visitors at your site. Heck, isn't that why you built it? But there are times when it makes sense to stop the insanity and add that link. You must send visitors away sometimes.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (1999). Design>Web Design>Hypertext>Usability

CEOs and Usability

Talking to a CEO about usability can be wonderful or terrifying. The difference between raging success and total failure comes down to understanding exactly what the CEO needs to know and then adjusting your usability message to fit. This article explains how to understand various contexts, and in turn, how to position your usability message.

Rhodes, John S. and Daniel Szuc. Apogee (2006). Articles>Management>Usability>Collaboration

An Introduction to Persuasive Design

Many users are highly motivated to complete tasks before they begin and before any external motivation is provided. In other words, usability can easily be an umbrella that covers persuasion.

Rhodes, John S. WebWord (2008). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Persuasive Design

How To Drive Free, Massive Traffic Using Simple RSS  

This report is going to show you a couple of brief, but extremely powerful secrets to increase the traffic to your website. RSS drives frequent search engine (spider) visits and that translates to higher search engine rankings.

Rhodes, John S. and Matthew W. Rhodes. Wordpreneur (2007). Articles>Web Design>Information Design>RSS