Alertbox 2 - Top 10 Mistakes in Web Design.

Top 10 Mistakes

Bad Search

• If the search engine does not support plurals and other typo variations.
• When the engine only searches for the query terms, when it should search for
  the document's importance and content.

PDF Files for Online Reading

• It is very hard to navigate.
• Since it is only good for printing, if the user wants just to browse it,
  a lot of scroling will have to be done or the letters will have to be very small.

Not Changing the Color of Visited Links

• It will get the users confused wondering if they had already visited that link or not.

Non-Scannable Text

When users go online, they want the content to be aeasy and quick to read. You should use:

• Subheads
• Bulleted Lists
• Highlighted Keywords
• Short Paragraphs
• The Inverted Pyramid Pattern
• A Simple Writing Stlye
• De-fluffed Language

Fixed Font Size

• Be respectful for the users, let them decide the size of the font.

Page Titles With Low Search Engine Visibility

• Search Engines are the most powerfull way that users will find out about web sites.
• Page title should be meaningfull and simple, reffering to the content of the web site

Anything That Looks Like an Advertisement

Make sure you use designs that will not look like an advertisement, beacuse the users have already learned how to avoid them if it gets on their way.

• Banner Blindness means that users never focus on anything that looks like a banner do.
  to the shape and position on the page.
• Animaion Blindenss this means that users ignor anything that blinks, flashes or is agressive.
• Pop-up Purges means people get rid of popups before they even come up.

Violating Design Conventions

• Make sure that you are always consistent on your design, so the users don't have to wonder if surprises will happen and
  make their experience dificult.
• Don't go away from the common idea of a web site. If the user don't fell like in control, they will spend more time in
  other web sites.

Opening New Browser Windows

• It's a fact, there is nothing worse than having tons of windows oppening when you navigate on a web site.

Not Answering User' Questions

• Make sure that you make it easy for the users to know the prices of what they are looking at.

March 5, 2008 10:40 PM