10 Usability Tips for Web Designers

Nowadays online competition is sometimes even more severe than regular one. Every site fights to get more users and become more popular as a result. That’s why everyone needs perfect usability. This is a combination of features that make web pages easier to percept. High level of usability is your key to a successful web project. Moreover, it doesn’t take much time to improve the usability of a certain site.

In this article we have prepared several key tips that will help you make a perfectly usable website. Its users will find information faster and use it better. So, check out our list of usability tips for web designers.

1. Improve visual scanability. This option is probably the most important. All users browse information on webpages only in several concentrated spots. This means you have to allocate the most important facts and data in these areas.
2. Make your tagline visible. First of all, create a tagline or a motto that will explain the principles of the project you work with. Then, make this phrase visible — outline it well, and do your best to locate it in upper parts of the webpage.
3. Home page link. One of the most important usability points is making the website name visible and clickable on all pages. This is important, as it lets users navigate back if they haven’t found what they need.
4. Pay attention to search options. Search module is extremely important for a successful website. Make the search line long enough, and visible on all pages of the site — if it’s possible, of course.
5. Mind the colours. It is very important that the colours of your website are united harmonically. Please note that a certain colour may cause special reactions of people viewing it. For instance, red usually works as an eye magnet.
6. Make Sitemaps. If the design and the structure of the site allows, create a sitemap. It will be extremely convenient for users to navigate. Of course, it’s reasonable to create a sitemap only if the site you work on has many pages. Also, some CMSs offer you modules creating sitemaps themselves.
7. Use Javascript reasonably. Too much Javascript will annoy your users. However, visually it looks really great, so reasonable Javascript is very good.
8. Avoid CAPTCHAs. These just irritate users. Moreover, often letters and numbers are curved so badly that it’s barely possible to understand what’s really written on the CAPTCHA. So, if it’s possible, don’t use these elements.
9. Make a custom 404 page. This is quite an important point A customized Error 404 page will help you reduce negative emotions of the user. Also, you can include a feedback form to this page. With this form users will hint you on absent pages themselves.
10. Usable Forms with Backup. If some pages on your site contain forms for data entry, don’t forget about backup. In case of connection loss, or necessity to change some data, it will help your users feel comfortable. With their key information saved the visitors of the web site you work on will stay really pleased.

Hopefully, these tips were useful to you, and from now on the usability of websites you create will become even better! Good luck!