Usability
Usability is one of the most important aspects of web design. Why do some ugly sites perform well? Why do some visually stunning sites do poorly? The difference in success might be how usable the sites are.
So how do you know if your site is easy to use? Here are some characteristics of a usable site:
- The designer had the site visitor in mind when he/she made the design.
- All pages on your site have the same navigation.
- You can tell if something is a link before you move your mouse over it.
- The site works in all popular browsers.
- No matter what page you're on, you know where you are in the site.
There are so many other aspects of a usable site that it would be impossible to list them all here. If you can't afford a usability consultant, but can change your site yourself, read Vincent Flanders' humorous Does My Website Suck? for some suggestions.
It is one of my highest priorities to make sure all websites I work on are easy to use.