I recently ponied up for a conference session given by Nielsen Norman Group, regarding website usability. Below are some of my notes. Most links point to articles from usability expert Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox.

1. About 75% of user visits to a website are to a page other than the site’s home page; users are frequently “deep linking” to a site through search engines. Thus, those pages need to provide orientation about where the users are.
2. Links to PDFs annoy users; they wonder if the website is “cheap” because the site’s publisher didn’t create an HTML page.
3. Search boxes should be at least 30 characters wide. Showing a Google custom search on your site will increase your site’s trustiness — users view a Google search form as a positive. The upper-right is the best location for a search box; else, upper-left.
4. Don’t separate out content by the type of technology, e.g., putting all podcasts under a podcast link. Better to integrate the various forms of technology (plug-in?) with the relevant content.
5. Writing for the Web: don’t use language telling users how good or useful something of yours is; users will determine whether what you’re offering is good or useful.
6. A summary at the top of a page of content is often helpful to users.
7. Users like sites that have a set of “learn more” links at the bottom of an article. Don’t have a dead-end at the bottom of page!
8. Users fixate on how they expect the interface to behave. They’ll do the same thing over and over even though it gives them the same result. This illustrates how important it is to use standards and accepted methods in website design. These days (2009), users have high expectations of websites.
9. All users appreciate when information has been distilled down to what’s most important and easy to digest. Websites should invest in professional writing, editing, information architecture, user testing, etc.
10. Progressive disclosure: only disclose information at the rate at which users expect it. Don’t dump too much, or dribble out too little.
11. Linked phrases should be very descriptive of what users will get (thus, “click here” is the worse possible linked phrase). Links should bear information.
12. Many (the majority of) users still have problems with fly-out (or drop-down) menus. It’s better to lead users to landing pages where they can consider their options for that section, or use “mega drop-down menus.”
13. Users don’t move the mouse around much. Don’t expect users to explore a page with their mouse looking for hidden links or info pop-ups. They focus on areas that give a strong information scent, which is strongest with linked text.
14. Fine-tune content to match user's search behavior: optimize <title> tags to benefit users scanning SERPs (search engine results pages).
15. Browser tabs are still a feature used mostly by advanced users; the majority of users don’t browse with tabs.
16. If the user needs to understand the company’ infrastructure to understand the website, then there’s a problem with the site.
17. Headings and headlines are extremely important for users scanning text (which is what they do: people scan the web, they don't necessarily read it).
18. Graphical internal promotions for the site should match the site’s style.
19. Users’ view of the web is through SEARCH, more than ever. They use search as their starting point more than anything else. They even often think of what they’ve accessed as “from Google:” They’ll say “I read it on Google” even when they really read it on a page linked to from Google.
20. Clear, contrasty and large text is very compelling to users, and is OK to use along with a photo. If the text is on the photo, make it contrast enough — easy to read.

(FWIW — ask me sometime whether I thought this day-long session was worth the $800 I paid.)

Above: the always-beautiful Mt. Wilson Towercam view, June 30, 2009, southern California.

Candlelight Vigil, Sunday, June 28th 7:00pm