I clicked on a link in the margin of an article I was reading and was brought to this website page:

I’m tired of not knowing what to do on websites. It makes me feel stupid and frustrated. What is supposed to go in that “join” box? Would you continue by pressing the arrow button? I didn’t.

This brings me to a favorite subject – the usable website.  If your website can’t be found, is located on an unstable platform, offers no visual appeal, or is hard to understand and navigate, usability goals for the website are not being met. It is unlikely that one person can design a usable website. It takes a team. The following team members can get you where you want to go.

Project Manager

This person whatever their background needs to have a holistic view of the project. They create a logical schedule of events and deliverables. He or she will identify team members and their roles in creating a usable website.

Content Writer

A good content writer knows how to write text that is easy to read, understand, and skim. Often only a third of online text is actually read. A content writer knows these reading patterns and how to trim existing text into meaningful, usable language.  The length of a sentence and word choice placement all effect readability and comprehension. Research shows that bullet points and subheads are effective ways to chunk content so it gets read.

Graphic Artist

The visual layout of a page provides a first impression. When it is appealing visitors tend to explore. If not, they leave. Good graphic artists understand the impact of color, the weight of elements to direct attention, line spacing, and the power of white space.

Web Developer

Well-trained web developers apply their skills in creating software applications that are robust. They use business logic to manipulate data and/or customize the visitor’s experience. Sometimes referred to as software engineer, webmaster or web designer they make websites usable by optimizing them for a good visitor experience.

Photographer

I include photographers on the team for their ability to create a truly customized experience.  When it’s important to show products, people, and environments a photograph can convey who or what you are. Reverting to stock photos is ineffective; people ignore them.

End User

Don’t forget those who will be using the site. Find a customer or objective trusted source to report back on what their experience was in using the site. Were they able to find what they needed? On a scale of 1 to 10 how would they rate the experience? A customer survey should be created to capture this information. At least one of the team members above, usually the content writer, should be a strong user advocate.

The priorities of individual team members cannot obscure the vision for what should be a well-integrated online presence for a business and its visitors. Creating a usable website is a collaborative undertaking. Assess the skills needed beforehand to determine if one team member without the other will get you and your website visitors where they need to go.

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