As Simple As Possible

The virtues of simplicity are well-known among experienced systems designers. And many of the things that are 'right' with simpler software systems are also applicable to Web pages and site designs.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1996). Articles>Usability>Web Design

Could Helen Keller Read Your Page?

The 'line-at-a-time' approach of screen-reader software complicates navigation on text lines that contain multiple hyperlinks (such as navigation bars). Thus, in an ideal world, accommodating visually impaired readers would move an author to place each link on its own separate line. But individual lines for each link can make for long scrolling pages, which, in turn, compromises navigation speed for sighted readers.

Sullivan, Terry and Krystyn Manning. All Things Web (1997). Design>Web Design>Accessibility

Extending Validators

HTML validators are essential tools for eliminating embedded syntactical errors in HTML documents that can cause client-side software errors. But HTML validators are also extensible tools that can be adapted to serve a variety of other useful functions, as well. The systematic use of an HTML validator, coupled with a 'house style' DTD, can simplify immensely the task of creating a consistent repository of hypertext-based corporate information.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1997). Design>Web Design>SGML

Steps to Web Document Quality

Less than true software (in the traditional sense), but more than mere documents, Web pages constitute a strange mixture of content and commands. Still, Web documents can and do trigger client-side software processes, and thus can (and do!) generate client-side software errors. So it is appropriate to apply some of the basic principles and practices from software quality assurance (SQA) to Web documents.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1997). Design>Web Design>Assessment

User Testing Techniques - A Reader-Friendliness Checklist

Periodic user testing is an important element in developing and maintaining a reader-friendly Website. But formal usability tests are expensive and time-consuming -- often prohibitively so. Happily, inspection-based user testing methods, ranging from a free-form site review to more structured approaches, provide a cost-effective means of assessing (and thus improving) the usability of almost any Website. One of the most effective forms of inspection-based user testing involves the use of a 'usability checklist.' Checklist-based user testing is extremely inexpensive to implement, and requires a surprisingly small number of testers to be effective. It's also easy to schedule; it can be used at virtually any time throughout the development cycle, from the earliest prototype screens to a full-blown Website.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1996). Design>Usability>Testing>Web Design

User-Testing Techniques - Site Reviews

Accurately measuring reader-friendliness is a complex task for any Website. Usability testing techniques have been applied with some success to Web pages. But formal usability tests are difficult to set up, and very expensive to conduct (often prohibitively so). And the diversity of the audience of Internet sites probably limits the utility of formal usability testing of many Web pages. Happily, inspection-based usability evaluation is generally as effective as formal, experimental testing, and it is much easier (and less costly) to conduct. This series focuses on inspection-based usability assessment. A site review is basically an unstructured inspection by a third party, typically focusing on the site's usability and aesthetics. It's a difficult but worthwhile effort for serious-minded authors to seek out reviewers who are willing to invest the time to undertake a serious review of your site, offering constructive suggestions for improvement.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1996). Articles>Usability>Methods>Web Design

The Value of Usability

'Value' is like 'quality' -- no one seems to be able to define it, and yet everyone knows it when they see it. This ATW feature explores the concept of 'value' in a Web site and looks at how creating usable Webspace is an integral part of creating valuable Webspace.

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1996). Design>Web Design>Usability

The "Vision Thing"

It's important for Web designers to have a basic understanding of the mechanics of human visual perception. To the extent that your pages are 'easy on the eyes,' readers will find your site more inviting and more readable. Conversely, pages that visually overstimulate a reader are not only more difficult to read, but much more likely to result in eyestrain, fatigue, even headaches (none of which is particularly popular among readers).

Sullivan, Terry. All Things Web (1996). Design>Usability>Accessibility>Web Design

When Kids Use the Web: A Naturalistic Comparison of Children's Navigation Behavior and Subjective Preferences on Two WWW Sites

This paper reports the results of scavenger-hunt usability tests conducted with 16 adolescent children (8 males and 8 females) in two age groups (12 years old and 16 years old), using two general-interest topical Web sites. The tests yield comparison data regarding both search performance and self-reported subjective preferences. The sole independent variable affecting search performance was the age of the subject, from which the authors conclude that children's domain knowledge may be a key component of their ability to retrieve information successfully from Web-based systems. Subjective preferences of children are systematically compared to previously reported preference data for adults who tested the same topical Web sites. Based on these data, as well as on insights based on subjects' verbal protocols, conclusions regarding both commonalities and differences in Web usability requirements between adults and children are suggested.

Sullivan, Terry, Cathleen Norris, Martha Peet and Elliot Soloway. Conference on Human Factors and the Web (2000). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Children