When we encounter an application or website that does not respond well to our actions, frustration can be evident and affect our perception of the product or service. Similarly, by evaluating the ease of finding relevant information and navigating a website such as the Yale School of Art’s website, we can understand the importance of usability in user satisfaction and the effectiveness of digital communication.ç
Usability refers to the ease with which users can interact with a system, product or service to achieve their goals effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily. It is important because good usability improves the user experience.
Jakob Nielsen’s “10 Heuristic Rules” provide a valuable framework for improving usability and ultimately optimising the customer experience in the digital environment. Let’s explore these principles:
1. Visibility of system status
- It tells us that we must always keep the user informed of what is happening on our website and offer them a response in the shortest possible time.
2. Relation between the system and the real world
- The system has to “speak” the user’s language with words or phrases that are familiar to the user and easily recognised.
- The information has to be displayed in a logical order and the images or icons used have to be clear, without giving the user the possibility to make a mistake.
- With this, we ensure that interaction with the reader is natural and does not make it difficult for them to move around the website.
- The clearest example is the use of the bin as a symbol for erasure.
3. User control and freedom
- Sometimes a user makes mistakes, it is normal, it is human nature to make mistakes.
- We have to give the user the possibility to rectify the error and not feel frustrated because he/she cannot do something.
- Have you ever added a product to a shopping cart and then regretted it?
- The button to delete the item from the shopping list is a clear example of this usability principle for websites or online shops.
4. Consistency and standards
- Users should not be constrained if different words, situations or actions mean the same thing. Established platform and industry conventions should be followed.
- People already have experience with other products, not just ours. Changing certain established elements will force users to learn something new. This should be avoided.
5. Error prevention
- “Prevention is better than cure”, I’m sure that rings a bell.
- We have, as far as possible, to prevent any mistakes that the user might make.
- And in the event that he or she commits one, we have to provide him or her with all possible options to correct it.
- Google’s autocomplete option is a good example of usability.
- The search engine gives you the option to complete your text, which helps you to narrow down your search on the one hand, and on the other hand, because it makes sure that you write the text correctly.
6. Recognition before recollection
- It is always better to recognise than to force the user to memorise actions or objects in order to achieve the objective.
- Helps the user not to memorise!
- Interfaces should promote recognition and prevent users from memorising their actions or elements as they move through the system.
7. Flexibility and efficiency of use
- We must have a website prepared for all types of users, from the most novice to the most experienced.
- If we make it possible for anyone to browse our website, we achieve flexibility.
- And if we have options for the more experienced, we get efficiency.
- The system should provide the user with different ways to reach the content, accelerators and personalised actions.
- More experienced users must have shortcuts and accelerators to be able to perform their most common operations. In this way, you have alternatives to customise your frequent actions.
8. Aesthetic and minimalist design
- Web pages should not contain unnecessary information, as it distracts the user and can become a nuisance when browsing.
- If you don’t have to, don’t put it.
- Don’t overload the design of your website.
- Users are looking for clean, fast-loading sites.
- Remove anything that you think is unnecessary and does not contribute to what you want to say.
- The best way to remember this basic principle of web usability is with the acronym KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid.
9. Assist users in recognising, diagnosing and correcting errors.
- We have to try to ensure that any errors that may occur on the website are expressed in a language that can be understood by everyone, not by codes.
- Most of us know what a 404 error is, but some people don’t know what it is. We need to change it so that instead of a 404 error, it says something more friendly.
- In this simple way, we are telling the user what is happening at that moment and what he has to do to get out of there.
- Error messages should be delivered in clear and simple language, precisely stating the problem and suggesting a constructive solution to the problem.
10. Help and documentation
- The interface should always provide help and documentation for the user. It should be easy to find, be task and step-focused and not too extensive.
What did you think of these rules? To further explore the application of these principles and evaluate the usability of your own projects, we invite you to conduct your own test – may this resource inspire you to continue to raise the standards of usability and build extraordinary digital experiences for your users!
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