What does it take to make your website global? I mean technically people can already access it from anywhere if it’s a public site, so all you need is a little bit of translation from babblefish right? Wrong.

Translation
Believe it or not, there is much more to a global site than the language it is written in. Even with language there are many considerations aside from rough translation. For example think about when you talk to a new English speaker. Notice how they seem to mix up certain verbs or tense and even meaning. That’s because language is unique to its culture and does not always directly translate to an equivalent word in other languages and cultures. This is why you should use not just a method of translation, but also back translation. (more…)

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First impressions are worth a lot on the web when competition is only a click away. So what first impression are you giving people when they come to your website? Does your site seem confusing, overwhelming, without focus? One of the most common mistakes people make when creating their homepages is forgetting about their users and first impressions. Many homepages are bogged down with useless text, a mess of links and images and no clear statement of what they do, or what their users can do on their site. It’s important that you’re clear and obvious on what you have to offer and the value you can provide.

The Test

Take the 5 second test to find out how you’re doing:

Take a screen shot of your website and print it in black and white. Show it to family and friends who may not be familiar with the site, but only let them look at it for 5 seconds. Can they tell you the company the website was for? What does the company do? What would they do next on the site? If they can’t figure this out, without your prompting, then your homepage could use some work. Keep in mind, people will give your site a lot less than 5 seconds time on the web.

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I’ve posted about Agile previously, but each time it has been generalized reviews of the practice. So I decided it was time to really get into the nitty-gritty of what it means to practice user experience in an Agile environment. There are some great resources out there on the subject, some of which I have listed below in my references which I recommend.

So we have a good idea what agile is, where it came from and definitely why developers like it. So how do we fit UX into the mix? I started by listing out some of the great benefits of UX that I needed to make sure weren’t left out. Some of these items were:

• Getting in front of projects and designing before production
• User research, feedback and usability tests on the product
• Time for iterations in design, based on changing requirements and research
• A means to support multiple projects with limited resources
• Time to gather all the necessary details and look at the project as a whole

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One of the core principles of good design is clarity. Interactions on the web shouldn’t make your users guess. As Steve Krug’s first law of usability states “Don’t Make Me Think!”. Anytime a “guess” is brought into the equation you are adding unnecessary thought bubbles above the users head. The more challenging a website is for a user to use, the less likely they will use it. 

This is such a core principle, that I am always completely and utterly amazed when I come across interactions like the one I outline below. 

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This article discusses some of the generalized definitions and critiques of different types of usability design methodologies. Generally people tend to advocate one type or another (User Centric, or Task Centric). However, most designers will tell you that while they may have strong primary preferences, going too far to one end or the other of either spectrum will limit the quality of your design. A good design focuses on all aspects of design in one way or another.

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Much can be learned about usability through video games. Computer games, unlike computer programs are often chosen much more than required. Many users of large software applications use those applications out of need; many of these applications have few if any competitors. This lack of competition can cause usability to suffer as users will suffice in order to meet their need. With computer games, the industry is much more competitive. Users not only have a choice between what game they want to play, but they also don’t play out of need as much as enjoyment. Therefore if a computer game presents a hard to learn, confusing, un-enjoyable interface, the gamer will simply look elsewhere. This competitiveness has brought computer games to a higher level of usability, providing us with a great resource for inspiration.

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