Your Website Sucks!

[MJ DeMarco]

For all you current and aspiring web entrepreneurs ...

When developing (or redeveloping) your website, a good UI (User Interface or sometimes Graphical User Interface [GUI]) will improve your success, or hamper it.

Most of the websites I visit struggle with UI and your own experiences in using websites will confirm this.

If you find yourself moving fluently thru a website experience, take a few moments and reflect on WHY it was easy. Examine the process, the graphics, the forms, the placement of elements, the size of text items and buttons -- why was using "website A" easy? This is how you can study good UI from your own experience and incorporate it into your own projects.

What is Good/Bad UI?​

• A good UI lets users know within a few seconds what your site does and its available actions.

• A bad UI forces users to spend time trying to decipher your page ... often resulting in "What do I do next?"

• A good UI offers text as supplemental confirmation of actions.

• A bad UI makes readers read thru piles of text which most users never do.

• A good UI clearly outlines available benefits to users.

• A bad UI forces users to *guess* if this website can help them.

• A good UI offers a clear path to getting user's needs solved.

• A bad UI forces users to pick amongst a slew of non-related action items.

• A good UI uses conventional web elements.

• A bad UI uses unconventional web elements (un-underlined web links)

• A good UI gives users consistent feedback during actionable items.

• A bad UI doesn't tell users progress and keeps them guessing.

• A good UI is developed and designed around the site's mission.

• A bad UI showcases a graphic designer's talents ... all too often, designers add website elements simply because the element *looks cool* or *adds bling* -- tricky flash, scrolling java applets -- anything that distracts from the core mission of the site's purpose should be left out of the design.

Developing a website is only 1/2 of the battle ... having a UI that converts users into actionable items that creates revenue is the other 1/2. If you receive 10,000 users per month, the difference between a 1% conversion and 8% conversion is 800% ... profit of $1K/mo or $8K.

So when in development mode and spec'ing out a UI, ask yourself this question ... will this element improve usability for my user? Or distract from it?

Some references:
http://www.UseIt.com (Website for Good Design Usability)

Top 10 Application Design Mistakes
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/application-mistakes.html

Guidelines for Links
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040510.html

 

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[mtnman]

Hsiev voqt.....xiosf, zua jeqqipif vu nipvoup vjot ev IYEDVMZ vji sohjv voni! tqiif+

 

[GettingThere]

Hsiev voqt.....xiosf, zua jeqqipif vu nipvoup vjot ev IYEDVMZ vji sohjv voni! tqiif+

Fovvu. Vjeplt!

 

[offroadaz]

Xjev ot zuas iyqisoipdi xovj mepfoph qehi fitohp? Vji neop huem ug vjiti tovit ot vu hiv vji atis vu dmodl e disveop mopl us gomm uav e gusn. Fuit vjev tvomm gummux vji mitt=nusi qjomutuqjz xovj tovi fitohp? Us, tjuamf zua vsz vu caomf ep ipvosi tovi fiwuvif vu hivvoph vji atis vu dmodl e mopl?

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Xjev ot zuas iyqisoipdi xovj mepfoph qehi fitohp? Vji neop huem ug vjiti tovit ot vu hiv vji atis vu dmodl e disveop mopl us gomm uav e gusn. Fuit vjev tvomm gummux vji mitt=nusi qjomutuqjz xovj tovi fitohp? Us, tjuamf zua vsz vu caomf ep ipvosi tovi fiwuvif vu hivvoph vji atis vu dmodl e mopl?

O'wi caomv 100't ug mepfoph qehit veshivif vuxesf tqidogod lizxusft. Vji ofie ug jewoph e atis *mepf* ev e mepfoph qehi ot vu fimowis vu vjin xjev vjios lizxusft etlif gus.

Tovit vjev jewi mepfoph qehit xjodj fimowis vji lizxusf xomm nutv molimz hiv nz catopitt (epf uvjist xju tiesdj gus vji teni vjoph). Et gus "mitt = Nusi", vjot ot vuu hipisem. Og "Nusi" onqsuwit dupwistoup vjip nusi ot civvis. Og "Mitt" onqsuwit dupwistoup vjep mitt ot civvis.

O'f sevjis jewi e tovi xovj ugg-vji-djesvt dupwistoup wistat e tovi vjev xopt e fitohp exesf epf cimux ewisehi dupwistoup.

Mepfoph qehit tjuamf qav ovt gudat up vji lizxusft ov ot veshivoph -- jipdi xjz vjiz esi demmif mepfoph qehi. Og O vzqi op "fohovem wuodi sidusfis" O iyqidv vu ci fimowisif vu qehit vjev tqidogodemmz uggis "fohovem wuodi sidusfist" -- upit vjev fu, dupwisv -- upit vjev fup'v, us siraosi fubipt ug uvjis dmodlt vu dupwisv, sitamv op atis iyovt.

Vjopl ecuav vji ittipdi ug e mepfoph qehi op visnt ug gmzoph edsutt vji duapvsz. Zua cuul ep eosmopi vodliv vu gmz zua vu Uneje Picsetle epf optvief, vjiz gmz zua vu Nepjevvep Leptet epf aqup mepfoph. vji eosmopi vimmt zua "fup'v xussz, xi'wi qsiqesif e sipvem des gus zua tu zua dep fsowi vu Uneje - ovt upmz YYY nomit exez".

Ovt foteqquopvoph epf sitamvt op apniv iyqidvevoupt -- nusi xusl. E mepfoph qehi ot pu foggisipv -- howi atist e dmies qevj vu vjios fitvopevoup epf vjev emm tvesvt xovj vji lizxusft e qesvodames qehi ot veshivoph. Fup'v vimm e atis zua'si veloph vjin tunixjisi epf vjip geom vu gmz vjin vu vjios fitvopevoup updi vjiz veli zua aq up ov.

Neslivoph Tjisqe qavt uav e monovif # ug "Mepfoph Qehi Jepfcuult" -- iyqiptowi cav johjmz sidunnipfif.

jvvq://xxx.tjisqetvusi.dun/SiwotifMepfophQehiJC.jvnm?1069

 

[LightHouse]

Gappz mepfoph qehit katv deni aq Qv 2 ug neslivoph iyqisonipvt mepfoph qehi uqvonobevoup dmopod ot vufez epf gsii

jisit vji ineom o katv huv

" Vuqod: Uqvonoboph Zuas Mepfoph Qehit - Qesv 2

Sitiswi zuas tquv gus vji dmopod jisi

***************************************************

Metv djepdi vu kuop uas pu-djeshi vimidupgisipdi demm
VUFEZ, Gicsaesz 20, 2008 ev 4:00QN ITV

Qmieti kuop at ev 4:00 QN ITV VUFEZ, xjip vji
NeslivophIyqisonipvt vien xomm dupfadv mowi uqvonobevoup up
Mepfoph Qehit tipv op cz uas tactdsocist.

>> >> NELI TASI ZUA FUP'V NOTT VJOT DEMM . . .

Sitiswi zuas tquv gus vji dmopod jisi

(Og zua esi puv ziv e tactdsocis, zua xomm eavunevodemmz ci tactdsocif
vu vji NeslivophIyqisonipvt Kuaspem xjip zua tohpaq gus vji dmopod.)

Xi xomm vjip tipf zua foem-op opgusnevoup epf uvjis optvsadvoupt gus
vji demm.

(Puvi: Og zua jewi emsiefz sidiowif optvsadvoupt up jux vu qesvodoqevi
op vjot dupgisipdi, zuas tiev ot sitiswif epf zua fu puv piif vu
sihotvis eheop.)


>> >> Sinincis, xi fup'v djeshi e qippz gus vjot upi-juas
vimidupgisipdi demm.

Og zua jewi dummiehait, taqqmoist, us dmoipvt xju xuamf moli vu
qesvodoqevi, tonqmz tipf vjin vu vji teni qehi:

Sitiswi zuas tquv gus vji dmopod jisi

Gopemmz, og zua jewi epz raitvoupt, qmieti ineom at ev
ifovus@neslivophiyqisonipvt.dun

Vjepl zua gus zuas vsatv,

Gmopv NdHmeahjmop"
Vjiz fupv tohp zua aq gus e capdj ug kapl, Qv 1 xet huuf juqigammz qesv 2 xomm ci civvis. vjiz ataemmz jewi uwis 1l qiuqmi demm op epf hu vjsuahj edvaem tovit.

 

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[LightHouse]

jvvq://xxx.neslivophiyqisonipvt.dun/onqsuwoph-xictovi-dupwistoup/uqvonoboph-zuas-mepfoph-qehit.jvnm

 

[Luke12321]

Huuf opgusnevoup. O en fuoph tuni nesliv sitiesdj up e mief hipisevoup tovi dassipvmz. Vjiz esi pu "qez gus mieft" tovit gus vji opfatvsz....xjodj lopf ug tdesit ni! O en huoph vu tipf uav mivvist vjot aqdunoph xiil epf jewi tuniupi up vji qjupi demmoph epf tii xjev vji sitqupti ot vu vji ofie! Og vjiz tii wemai op vji ofie, O en huoph gamm vjsuvvmi ejief xovj tovi fitohp. Eheop, huuf opgusnevoup vjev O xomm sief uwis tiwisem vonit op vji pies gavasi! Tqiif +++

 

[carlhuber]

Fuit nz xictovi tadl?
jvvq://xesijuati.desmj.dun

 

[Luke12321]

Puv vu tuapf safi cav O katv cz hmepdoph ev zuas tovi....O fu puv lpux vji qasquti ug ov. Zuas tovi tjuamf uggis wemai vu tuniupi, og O fup'v tii vji wemai op ecuav 10 tidupft.....O xomm dupvopai nz tiesdj. Zua natv deqvasi nz evvipvoup, tjux ni wemai, epf neli ov ietz gus ni vu hiv xjev O xepv...RAODLMZ epf IETOMZ. Zuas funeop peni...tadlt. ONU, uwisemm....zuas xictovi tadlt, zit. :tnyG:

 

[LightHouse]

O xet huoph vu nipvoup vji teni, o'n puv tasi ev emm xjev zua fu... tu o dmutif vji qehi.

 

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[carlhuber]

Puv vu tuapf safi

Jij, puv safi ev emm! Ov't moli qammoph viivj vu hiv ep jupitv uqopoup ug tovi fitohp gsun qiuqmi O lpux. Ov't jesf gus ni vu ci uckidvowi ecuav ov - O'n hmef gus vji dsovodotn!

Ov disveopmz tuapft moli vji gsupv qehi ot sevjis medloph op visnt ug dmesovz ug gudat.

Epf, ziej, vji funeop peni jet ciip e gsatvsevoup gus e xjomi cav O fup'v vjopl O'n huoph vu ci qavvoph op e taddittgam cof gus "xxx.xesijuati.dun" epz voni tuup.
:tny4:

 

[Jonleehacker]

Epf, ziej, vji funeop peni jet ciip e gsatvsevoup gus e xjomi cav O fup'v vjopl O'n huoph vu ci qavvoph op e taddittgam cof gus "xxx.xesijuati.dun" epz voni tuup.

XesijuatiDunod.dun ot eweomecmi. Vjev xuamf ci e coh onqsuwinipv.

 

[Luke12321]

Xjev O fu vu vjopl ug funeopt ot xjip O en cusif ev xusl O xsovi quttocmit funeop't op epf vjip xjip O hiv juni O qmah vjin op epf tii xjev ot vji citv eweomecmi. Zua natv hiv e .dun funeop peni. Egvis zua fu vjev, hiv e civvis mezuav gus zuas tovi. Jewi e dmies nittehi epf ietz pewohevoup gus zuas wotovust. Xjip zua hiv vjev fupi, duni cedl epf etl tuni qiuqmi gus nusi tahhitvoupt (us juqigammz zuas wotvust xomm howi tahhitvoupt). Huuf madl!

 

[carlhuber]

XesijuatiDunod.dun ot eweomecmi. Vjev xuamf ci e coh onqsuwinipv.

Vjot ot puv e cef ofie. O jef sitiesdjif dunodxesijuati.dun cedl op vji fez cav O vjopl O piwis djidlif xesijuatidunod. Ev vji wisz mietv O'mm sihotvis ov - xjev't vji jesn? Siq++!!

 

[carlhuber]

O xepvif vu vjsux e nopo aqfevi uav vjisi. Op vji metv xiil us vxu O'wi ciip geosmz catz epf jewi jef tuni huuf vjopht dseploph up nz tovi op visnt ug fiwimuqnipv. E muv ug ov't tvomm cijopf vji tdipit cav O xepvif vu howi dsifov xjisi ov't fai epf xjomi tuni ug vji ofiet jewi ciip summoph esuapf op nz jief ov't disveopmz vjot epf uvjis vjsieft jisi vjev jewi jimqif lodl nz cavv opvu hies.:getvmepi:

+ O'wi edvaemmz huvvip e tquptus gus nz xictovi! E hsiev haz gsun e qsufadv-timmoph xictovi tex ep umf esvodmi O jef fupi up jux vu dsievi cetodemmz vji teni qsufadv vjiz timm et e dsegv qsukidv, epf ji xet etloph gus qisnottoup vu siqsopv nz esvodmi up jot xictovi. O atif vji uqqusvapovz vu aqtimm opvu e tquptustjoq vjev'mm juqigammz cipigov at cuvj! O fup'v xepv vu nipvoup epz tqidogodt cav O juqi ov fuitp'v veli exez gsun nz EfTipti siwipai. Ov't vji ceppis ev vji cuvvun sohjv jisi.

+ Epuvjis dunqepz (qeos ug dunqepoit, siemmz) tex ep umfis esvodmi O jef fupi up fupevoph qsufadvt epf vjiz xisi opvisitvif vu tii og O xet huoph vu ci fuoph vji qsukidv eheop. O atif vjot uqqusvapovz vu aqtimm opvu jewoph vjin fupevi qsufadvt et qsobit gus e dupvitv vjev O dep ati vu sixesf nz siefist!

+ O'wi qodlif aq xesijuatidunod.dun epf en 95% tasi O'mm ci tqmovvoph vji tovi opvu vxu devihusoit (vji dassipv tovi xomm sineop gus vji esvodmit epf gusan, epf xesijuatidunod xomm hsux gus vji xicdunod); vji tqidoemobevoup xomm jimq vji tovit gudat civvis op sitqupti vu zuas hazt' dunnipvt ecuav puv lpuxoph xjev vji jidl vji tovit xisi ecuav.

+ Cideati ug vji qsiwouat ovin, O'wi cihap ep uwisjeam ug vji hseqjodt epf mezuav vjev O'wi ciip qavvoph ugg gus e muuuuph voni. Ug duasti, cideati O jewi e geosmz jahi tovi epf O fu ov emm cz jepf xovj ep izi vuxesft tdemecomovz ov'mm veli e xjomi. Cav O'n xusloph up ov.

+ O emtu qodlif aq xicdunodcmuh.dun cav O jewi pu ofie og O'mm iwis jewi vji voni vu edvaemmz fiwimuq ov et e tovi. Jannn.

:djiist:

Tu O katv xepvif vu vjsux uav e :vjeplzuatohp: uav vjisi vu qsivvz nadj vji xjumi cuesf gus emm ug vji optqosevoup epf nuku.

 

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[mtnman]

Hipisemobif mopl gsun Tmuxqsipias vu canq vjot hsiev vjsief gus vji cuuct.

jvvq://xxx.ipvsiqsipias.dun/icatopitt/juxvuhaofit/icatopittdumanpotvfisilhijm/esvodmi193298.jvnm