Usability Guidelines
Usability measures the ease with which a user of a website can navigate the site and find information.
(Adopted shamelessly from Usability @ MIT)
These guidelines include most factors to consider during a usability evaluation of a web site. Not all factors apply to every site.
| Navigation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Current location within the site is shown clearly | |
| Link to the site's main page is clearly identified | |
| Major/important parts of the site are directly accessible from the main page | |
| Site map is provided for a large, complex site. | |
| Easy to use Search function is provided, as needed. | |
| Functionality | Rating |
| Site accommodates novice to expert users. | |
| Functions are clearly labeled | |
| Essential functions are available without leaving the site. | |
| Plug-ins are used only if they add value. | |
| User control | Rating |
| Site reflects user's workflow | |
| User can cancel any operation | |
| Clear exit point is provided on every page | |
| Per-page size is less than 50K, to accommodate slow connections | |
| All appropriate browsers are supported | |
| Language and content | Rating |
| Important information and tasks are given prominence | |
| Information of low relevance or rarely used information is not included | |
| Related information or tasks are grouped: - on the same page or menu - in the same area within a page |
|
| Language is simple, without jargon | |
| Paragraphs are brief | |
| Links are concise, expressive, and visible--not buried in text | |
| Terms are defined | |
| Online help and user guides | Rating |
| Site is designed to require minimal help and instructions | |
| Help and instructions, if needed, are easily accessible | |
| System and user feedback | Rating |
| It is always clear what is happening on the site -- visual hints, etc. | |
| Users can receive e-mail feedback if necessary | |
| Users can give feedback via e-mail or a feedback form | |
| Confirmation screen is provided for form submittal | |
| All system feedback is timely | |
| Users are informed if a plug-in or browser version is required | |
| Each page includes a "last updated" date | |
| Web accessibility Tools, checklist, and guidelines at www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT. |
Rating |
| Site follows current web standards;HTML
4.0, Cascading Style
Sheets (CSS1) Cascading Style Sheets are used for layout and style where possible. |
|
| Images and animations. The attribute ALT= is used for images, animations, and other objects. | |
| Image maps. Site uses client-side map and text for hotspots | |
| Multimedia. Site provides captioning and transcripts of audio; and descriptions of video | |
| Web versions of PDF documents are provided | |
| Link labels makes sense when read out of context; site avoids such link names as "click here". | |
| Page organization is accomplished with headings, lists, and consistent structure. | |
| Graphs and charts. Summaries are provided for graphs and charts, or the LONGDESC attribute is used. | |
| Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Alternative content is provided for scripts, applets, and plug-ins in case these active features are inaccessible or unsupported | |
| Frames. For frames pages, site includes the NOFRAMES option and meaningful titles. | |
| Tables. Line-by-line reading of tables is sensible, and summaries are included where possible. | |
| Validation. Site has been validated using the W3C's HTML Validation Service and the Bobby Accessibility Checker. | |
| Site has been tested on a variety of platforms (UNIX, Windows, Mac) and browsers (Netscape 3, 4, 6; IE 5, 6; lynx). | |
| Consistency | Rating |
| The same word or phrase is used consistently to describe an item | |
| Link reflects the title of the page to which it refers | |
| Browser page title is meaningful and reflects main page heading | |
| Error prevention and correction | Rating |
| Users can rely on recognition, not memory, for successful use of the site | |
| Site tolerates a reasonable variety of user actions | |
| Site provides concise instructions for user actions, including entry format | |
| Error messages are visible, not hidden | |
| Error messages are in plain language | |
| Error messages describe actions to remedy a problem | |
| Error messages provide a clear exit point | |
| Error messages provide contact details for assistance | |
| Architectural and visual clarity | Rating |
| Site is organized from the user's perspective | |
| Site is easily scannable for organization and meaning | |
| Site design and layout is straightforward and concise | |
| Site design and layout are redundant only when required for user productivity | |
| White space is sufficient; pages are not too dense | |
| Unnecessary animation is avoided | |
| Colors used for visited and unvisited links are easily seen and understood | |
| Bold and italic text is used sparingly |