ウェブサイト数、1億を突破

初期の頃の爆発的な成長も徐々にそのスピードを緩め、成熟に達しつつあるWebではあるが、その歩みは留まることなく、最近、ウェブサイトの数が1億を突破した。

Nielsen, Jakob. U-Site (2006). (Japanese) Articles>Usability>Web Design

世界真小：西方可用性规则预言中国在线书店用户的行为

这项研究调查了西方可用性规则是否可以应用于中文网站。Nielsen 等在2000年根据研究领域内的观察提议了一套207条可用性规则。我们采用了其中48条作为子集，研究四家中文在线书店的依从率（译者注：另译为顺应度）（一个网站所符合的规则条数，除以总的规则条数），任务完成时间，任务准确程度，以及用户的可用性感受和喜好程度。结果显示遵从可用性规则和站点可用性有显著关系：随着站点依从率的升高，用户所感受到的站点的可用性和印象也在提高。这一结果揭示了决定中文用户行为的规则和西方用户极为相似。简言之，这一研究质疑了很多人认为亚洲站点和西方站点的可用性（标准）应该不一样这一普遍的直觉。

Yau, Josephine K. Y. and William G. Hayward. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Design>Web Design>Usability>China

人性的界面

我们常常看到这样的新闻报道：飞机坠毁夺走了好几百人的生命，某次工业事故导致几百万英镑的损失，某新发现的系统医疗错误致使数千病患重返医院。几个月后，公布的调查结果如下：操作机器设备时的人为错误导致了这些事故。人们使用‘人为错误’一词来表达‘操作上的错误’，而经常的情况是，这些‘人为错误’ 根本就是机器设备的人机界面设计或安装上本身固有的问题。低劣的人机界面会导致使用效率降低或者容易发生错误，严重的则会造成财产和生命损失。

Dix, Alan. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Articles>Human Computer Interaction>Usability>User Centered Design

人机交互

樽本徹也（イード）によるユーザー中心設計、ユーザービリティ、ユーザーインターフェース設計にまつわるユーザビリティエンジニアの専門的視点からの考察コラム。

Tarumoto, Tetsuya. Cocolog-Nifty (2004). (Japanese) Resources>Web Design>Usability>Blogs

关于 Google 界面所谓的“简洁性”的真实情况

Google 的真实情况是怎样的呢？回答是：它并不简洁。 瞧，我喜欢 Google。它是个很棒的搜索引擎，但是我比较反感听到有人表扬它的外观优雅而简洁。见鬼，所有的搜索引擎都有一部分是优雅而又简洁的：在输入框中输入要查询的词语，然后按“回车”键。 “不”，有人会马上反对说：“Google的搜索页面是那样的简洁、优雅，没有和其它的功能挤在一起”。

Norman, Donald A. uiGarden (2006). (Chinese) Articles>Web Design>Usability>Search

参加の仕方は一様ではない：もっと大勢のユーザに書き込んでもらうには

多くのオンライン・システムでは、ユーザの90%は読むだけで自ら書き込むことは決してしない。9%は、ほんの少し書き込みをする。システム上にみられるアクションのほとんどは、残る1%のユーザによるものである。

Nielsen, Jakob. U-Site (2006). (Japanese) Design>Web Design>Community Building>Usability

可用性的维度：定义会话，推动进程

你有没有怀疑过你的同事或者客户是否真的理解“可用性”？在我们和同事的在商务、技术和设计讨论中谈论‘可用性’是什么时，经常充斥着一些标准和指导方针替代品。在本文中，我们通过了解可用性的五个维度，我们便能够围绕可用性目标达成一致的看法，并开始以这个可用性的定义为基础，来计划用户中心设计的工作。

Quesenbery, Whitney. uiGarden (2006). (Chinese) Articles>Usability>User Centered Design

开发出高性能的网站，第二部分 — 最佳缓冲控制

本文的第一部分（二月份）介绍了如何通过优化代码来尽可能少的传输数据，在本文的第二部分中，我们将着重介绍如何利用Web端的缓冲技术（caching）来尽可能降低传输的频繁度。一旦您开始注意进行有效的缓冲设置，您便可以极大地减少网页加载的次数，尤其对于经常访问您网站的常客和忠诚的访问者来说更是如此，而且还可以降低您整体带宽的消耗，并减少您有限的服务器资源的占用。

Powell, Thomas A. and Joe Lima. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Articles>Web Design>Usability

是不是应该选择Flash? - HTML与FLASH可用性与用户参与

在博物馆站点开发者面临的许多挑战中，可用性和参与性名列前茅。许多开发者采用macromedia公司的Flash作为有力的开发工具，他相比 HTML更具交互能力和多媒体特性。这篇论文对比评价了同一站点的Flash和HTML版本，集中比较了每一版本的用户目的信息搜索，行为和反映。我们然后比较了两个版本的操作阻力，任务完成时间，用户满意度和定性访谈。 测试发现了两个版本站点在青少年群体和成年群体之间的显著差异。结果颇有价值地显示了Flash和HTML的相对优势和弱点。虽然我们不能从单一案例的研究得出广泛的结论，但是这些数据可以帮助我们开始关于发展中初步标准和基础框架的讨论，这些标准和框架可以为博物馆站点的开发者面对的大量的选择Flash还是HTML的情境提供建议原理。

Schaller, David T., Steven Allison-Bunnell, Anthony Chow, Paul Marty and Misook Heo. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Design>Web Design>Usability>Flash

永远伟大的设计

我正坐在百老汇的一间咖啡厅里写这篇文章。我坐在这里已经有一会了，写文章，回邮件，用手机和我的客户联系，看着窗外移动的世界，享受着 3美元一杯的咖啡。昨天晚上，我很荣幸作为嘉宾出席了在纽约市举行的的设计与营销的学术会议。那是一个美好的夜晚，我的演讲收到了很好的效果。会议结束后，组织部门的工作人员将我领到了离时代广场差不多一个街区远的一家非常棒的餐厅用餐。在享受美味的晚餐的同时，我们的话题自然地就转到了设计和推广出色的产品与服务上。谈了一会后，其中一个人问我，在我看来哪个设计是永远伟大的的设计。

Jordan, Pat. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Design>Usability>User Interface

2D is Better Than 3D

Most abstract information spaces work poorly in 3D because they are non-physical. If anything, they have at least a hundred dimensions, so visualizing an information space in 3D means throwing away 97 dimensions instead of 98: hardly a big enough improvement to justify the added interface complexity.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (1998). Design>Web Design>Usability

見つけてもらうためには昔ながらの言葉を使おう

検索を行うとき、ユーザの頭に浮かぶのは、慣れ親しんだ言葉だ。もし使い古された言葉よりも、造語や新語を使っているならば、ユーザは貴方のサイトをみつけることはない。

Nielsen, Jakob. U-Site (2006). (Japanese) Design>Web Design>Writing>Usability

角色设计的方法

在我们着手开始内部网（译者注：本文中提到的内部网一词，指的是企事业单位中内部网中的在线应用，不是指硬件构架）或网站设计项目时，最重要的一点是了解用户需求。只有如此才有可能确定出产品功能和特色，最后保证项目的成功；也只有如此，才有可能保证设计出来的东西可以服务于不同级别和具有不同目标的用户。

Calabria, Tina. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Articles>Usability>User Centered Design>Personas

默认想法：消费品失败的原因

短信服务（SMS）是一个典型的迷人应用。不仅流行而且有利可图，给网络运行商带来了丰厚的收入。甚至还有强大的铃声下载，信息提醒以及交互式游戏的销售后市场。有意思的是，这样一个成功的产品在技术上是如此的被轻视。就所有的关于SMS市场的狂热的讨论来说，产品在最近几年中基本就没有变化。根据它的成功表现，业界应该投入更多的努力来理解SMS带给消费者的价值，并且推出能够延伸这种价值的新服务。

Jenson, Scott. uiGarden (2005). (Chinese) Design>Usability>User Centered Design

Ευχρηστία και διαδίκτυο

Η αναγκαιότητα χρήσης του Internet στις μέρες μας είναι προφανής ακόμα και για ανθρώπους που δεν έχουν άμεση ή έμμεση σχέση με το αντικείμενο των Ηλεκτρονικών Υπολογιστών. Ο πλούτος της παρεχόμενης πληροφορίας, η αμεσότητα ενημέρωσης οι προσφερόμενες υπηρεσίες και τα εργαλεία που συγκροτούν την έννοια που αποκαλούμε συνολικά διαδίκτυο, προκαλεί δέος. Πολλοί μάλιστα μιλούν για "τεχνολογικό αποκλεισμό" σε περίπτωση που κάποιος δεν προσπαθήσει να προσαρμοστεί και να ενσωματώσει τη νέα αυτή πραγματικότητα στο τρόπο ζωής και εργασίας του. Προφανώς λοιπόν το έργο που έχει να επιτελέσει η επιστήμη της Ευχρηστίας Λογισμικού σε αυτό το τομέα είναι σημαντικό και θα πρέπει να γίνει κατανοητή από όλους μια πιο ανθρωποκεντρική θεώρηση της διαδικασίας σχεδιασμού και ανάπτυξης λογισμικού για το διαδίκτυο. Το Internet έχει αρχίσει να ενηλικιώνεται και πλέον πρέπει να βελτιωθεί με τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να προάγει μια ευρύτερη ουμανιστική αντίληψη της χρήσης του υπολογιστή με κέντρο τον άνθρωπο και μέσο τον υπολογιστή που έχει σαν πάγιο στόχο να εξυπηρετήσει αρτιότερα, ταχύτερα, πιο ευχάριστα και πιο πλήρως τις ανάγκες του.

University of Patras. (Greek) Articles>Education>Usability>Web Design

About Personas and Scenarios

Personas are an extremely powerful design tool, which help you to visualise an end-product that you can be confident will suit your users' needs by helping them achieve their goals, and help you test your success.

Hunt, Ben. Web Design From Scratch (2005). Design>Usability>User Centered Design>Personas

"About Us" -- Presenting Information About an Organization on Its Website

Study participants searched websites for background information ranging from company history to management biographies and contact details. Their success rate was 70%, leaving much room for usability improvements in the 'About Us' designs.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Writing

Accessibility Arguments Revisited

Frontend has recently completed the delivery of the first version (1.1) of the Irish National Disability Authority (NDA) IT Accessibility Guidelines. In the course of our work for the NDA over the last year we’ve talked to a wide variety groups and individuals who have an interest in accessibility and as a result of their input, our approach has shifted a little. Here’s what we found out.

Poskitt, Henry. Frontend Infocentre (2002). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Usability

Accessibility Is Not Enough

A strict focus on accessibility as a scorecard item doesn't help users with disabilities. To help these users accomplish critical tasks, you must adopt a usability perspective.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2005). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Usability

Accessibility Meets Usability: A Plea for a Paramount and Concurrent User-Centered Design Approach to Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility for All  

This paper identifies challenges for a user–centered design process with respect to infusing accessible design practices into electronic and information technology product development. Initially, it emphasizes that when user–centered design is paramount and concurrent with accessible design, electronic and information technology can be accessible for all. Next, it provides an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Section 508. Last, it provides basic accessible design heuristics that can be integrated into the design process. It concludes with recommendations for a paramount and concurrent user–centered design approach to product development.

Reece, Gloria A. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>User Centered Design>Accessibility>Usability

Accessibility Redefined  

Accessibility has come a long way. Not only most public places but even many private areas now claim to be 'accessible'. However, this term usually implies that a person in a wheelchair is able to get to the inside of a venue. This is not enough. If I am using a wheelchair, I would like to be completely autonomous and move around freely. I don’t want to have to go along a long dark corridor to use a service lift in order to get to another floor. Although I always appreciate it, I don’t want to have to count on the generosity of passersby to help me open a door or push my wheelchair up a slope. My only wish is to blend in with other people, and enjoy life as much as anyone else.

Vais, Fabien. STC Proceedings (2003). Design>Accessibility>User Centered Design>Universal Usability

Accountability of Accessibility and Usability

Focus on your users, all of them. Learn from mistakes currently made on the Web. If a user can't fill out a form, they can't buy anything from your site. People turned away by unusable sites will probably try a competitor's site. Don't be the site that turned people away. Make your Web site as usable and accessible as possible. It's the business savvy thing to do. It's the right thing to do. If you don't, someone just might force you legally to do it or threaten to sue.

Pavka, Anitra. Digital Web Magazine (2002). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Usability

The Achilles Heel of Product Design Competitions and the Fair Judging Solution

I have judged a fair number of national and international product design competitions (five in the past three years alone) and each has made the same procedural mistake: products are assembled and categorized, judging criterion are devised, reputable judges are assembled, and yet we judges never see or touch the products in person. Instead, we receive a set of written documents describing each product, its intended function, and its design process. Imagine an art contest conducted by email and you get the gist of what's going on out there.

Buttiglieri, Rich. Usability Professionals Association (2007). Design>Usability>Assessment

Advanced Toolkit for Experienced Technical Communicators: Using a User-Centered Design Process to Overcome Challenges in Implementing a User-Centered Design Process  

Technical writers have known for years that a good explanation for a bad software interface may be better than nothing, but that it’s not as good as a usable software interface. With ‘usability' gaining greater visibility, this is a good time to implement a usercentered design process. This article looks at ways that the approach and techniques of such a process can be applied to the task of introducing a new process.

Quesenbery, Whitney. STC Proceedings (2001). Design>User Centered Design>Usability

Aesthetics and Usability: A Look at Color and Balance

As websites continue to fight for the attention of potential users, designers must begin to look not only at the inherent usability of the site, but also its perceived usability. For instance, Tractinsky (1997) found a correlation between perceived usability and aesthetics when investigating ATM machines. Subjects based their overall opinion of the usability of the ATM on the 'look' of the machine. Moreover, in examining users' first impression of websites, Shenkman and Jonsson (2000) found that the best predictor for the overall judgment by typical users of a website was its beauty. Design principles are frequently utilized by graphic designers to create aesthetically pleasing websites. The term harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, or color. In visual experiences, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. Two design principles that influence harmony are balance and color. When a website is harmonious, it engages the viewer and creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is not harmonious, it becomes either boring or chaotic (Lauer & Pentak, 2002). According to Lindgaard (1999), color is a strong predictor in the overall appeal of a website.

Brady, Laurie and Christine Phillips. Usability News (2003). Design>Web Design>Usability