When complete, a site-wide usability evaluation covers the following areas:
This section deals primarily with first impressions and overall feel. The home page is key, but we also take a "quick look around" like a visitor might do.
Will a visitor, on a first visit, quickly get an idea of what the website offers? Does the website promote a positive company image? Does it reinforce your brand and reputation, or erode it?
Does the website foster trust and make a visitor want to shop there? (Or call, or fill out a form?) And when a visitor looks around further, will his confidence steadily build? Or will it gradually diminish?
This section deals with whether the information on your site categorized and presented properly.
Is information categorized in a logical, user-centric fashion? Or is it categorized in a way that makes sense for your company's internal purposes, but makes little sense to your customers?
If secondary navigation is used, does it follow a logical hierarchy from general to specific?
Is the navigation presented properly, to ensure users can find what they're looking for? Does the navigation help both kinds of users: those who browse, and those who search? Are navigational items placed where users would expect to find them? Is it at all times obvious what section of the website a user is in, where he should go next, and how he can return to other sections of the site?
Is your website easy to use? Is it missing features that would have been helpful to customers? Are there unnecessary features that hinder rather than help? Are all functions intuitive?
Many of the items in this section overlap other sections (particularly Architecture and Navigation, and Technical/Functional). But as User Friendliness is such a critical aspect of usability – and as many problems in this area do not fit squarely into other categories – it demands its own section.
Does the site appear to recognize the psychographics and demographics of its typical users? Does it appeal emotionally to his or her needs, and utilize effective persuasion scenarios? (Persuasion scenarios are carefully placed "scent trails" which entice the user further into the site.)
Does the website lead the visitor down a seamless path to conversion? Are appropriate promotions and other marketing efforts made? Are reassurances made regarding security, privacy, etc? And if so, are they made in the right places?
As web users tend to scan rather than read, copy must be carefully crafted and laid out so as to provide essential information at a glance. It is okay to provide large quantities of information, so long as it is placed and presented properly.
Is the site's copy appropriate for the web? Is it appropriate for the target audience? Is it free of spelling and grammatical errors? Does it grab the visitor's attention and provide the right of information in the right place?
There are special requirements for ecommerce sites. Are shopping cart and checkout areas free of errors, distractions and unnecessary steps? Are forms easy to complete, or are they unnecessarily complicated? Is confidence being built where it's most needed?
Do technical glitches get in the way of functionality? Are there any dead links or other errors? Are page sizes kept small and fast-loading? Can the website easily be used by visitors with older computers or less common operating systems and browsers?
Though not generally considered an aspect of usability, we include a brief snapshot of the website's search engine appeal for the following reasons:
First, to ensure that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts have not compromised the website's usability. Often, there is a delicate balance between being friendly to the search engines, and being friendly to users.
Second, there are some aspects of SEO that actually help a website's usability. Examples include the appropriate use of page title tags and meta descriptions.
We will make the report available to you as a PDF file, so you may view it online and print as many additional copies as you like.
The following are included in the report:
1. Usability Score and Executive Summary
Your website will be assigned an overall score, as a letter grade. Each of the nine sections (discussed above) will also be given a letter grade.
The Executive Summary will include descriptions of the major problems found, as well as feedback on what your website does well. (It's important to know what your site is doing well, so you don't inadvertently change these aspects when repairing your site.)
2. Section-by-Section Usability Evaluation
The performance of your website in each of the nine categories will be described in detail. In preparing the report, we consolidate the findings of the usability experts, as well as the results of the usability tests on actual users. A typical report will also contain dozens of screen shots to illustrate any problems found.
3. Detailed Action Plan
The report will conclude with an action plan, explaining the changes we recommend you make.
To ensure the plan is actionable, it is organized by priority of importance, and further divided between "easy fixes" and other repairs.
