For small businesses, simply testing the real life usability of your site, newsletter or blog is a critical step many overlook:
It is easy, even exciting to get caught up in creating a site that is new, fresh, eye catching and interesting. However, basic usability should be the #1 priority. If I, as a user, arrive and cannot very quickly recognize myself or my needs or if it is even remotely a chore to to find what I may be looking for, you have failed and probably lost me.
For this week's tip, I directly quote Steve Krug's monthly tip:
"If you really want to know if your Web site works, ask your next door neighbor to try using it, while you watch. (You bring the beer.)"
Couldn't have said it better myself. I stress UAT (user acceptance testing) as a critical stage of every web project. Before a site goes live friends, colleagues, completely objective users who are not immersed in the thought process or possibly do not even know your business, should take it for a spin and see what works and what slows them down or confuses them.
For more helpful information to improve your site usability and "searchability" read more...
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