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As a Designer > Content is the King |  |
"Reader-Friendly" ContentFifteen years ago, "user-friendly" software was any application that had a menu or allowed a user to correct an input error. Today, usability engineering is a distinct professional discipline in its own right, where researchers and practitioners strive to develop and implement techniques for making software systems more user-friendly. In the meantime, the sustained growth of the World Wide Web has resulted in the creation of literally millions of Web sites -- only a small percentage of which are reader-friendly. Fortunately, many of the principles from usability engineering can be easily applied (or adapted) to Web development. Reader-friendliness can be summed up in a simple axiom: Always and in everything, remember your reader. Technical ConsiderationsWeb authors who want to build reader-friendly Web sites confront certain technical constraints:
Part of the beauty of hypertext documents is that they allow an author to create a virtual world composed of small pieces of information, which can then be interwoven in an endless variety of ways. It is not necessary, nor is it desirable, to try to cram everything onto a single page (or even a single site). Understand, too, that the Web is not a WYSIWYG medium. There is simply no way to build a page that looks exactly the same to every reader.
Speed is the single biggest determinant of reader satisfaction. The key to fast-loading pages is simple: Send less data Small, fast-loading pages make for more and happier visitors at your Web site. Large, slow-loading pages simply invite your visitor to browse elsewhere.
There are many techniques available for creating pages that are browser-independent and hardware-independent. A reader-friendly Web site acknowledges that, on a truly world-wide Web, Lynx is, at worst, a lesser among equals. Stylistic ConsiderationsReader-friendly Web sites share some common stylistic characteristics:
A reader-friendly Web site understands who its intended readers are, and it targets them directly. Speak to your readers using terms they find familiar. Using your readers' language, without apology nor pretense, helps them to feel "at home" at your Web site. Always remember that you are your reader's host in their virtual tour of your Webspace. Be conversational. Be polite. Use complete sentences. And don't nag them about their choice in Web browsers. Structural ConsiderationsReader-friendly Web sites also share certain structural characteristics in common:
Humans are driven to seek out structure and pattern. By implication, readers will learn the "flow" of your site -- but only if you let them. Consistency is a key element to learnability in any Web site. From predictable navigational conventions, to a consistent "look-and-feel," a reader-friendly Web site makes it easy for readers to develop reliable expectations
Hypertext systems allow readers to define and traverse their own paths through your Web site. Thus it is absolutely critical that you provide them with a means of maintaining and regaining their bearings during their virtual visit. Perhaps the most critical (and sadly, most often lacking) elements in a solid navigational infrastructure are:
Fringe BenefitsBuilding a reader-friendly Web site is a worthwhile endeavor in its own right. After all, satisfied readers are the key to a truly successful Web site. But there are also certain fringe benefits that go along with genuine reader-friendliness. Reader-friendly Web sites are also:
Maintainers of reader-friendly Web sites even receive occasional fan mail! A Final NoteIt's been said, but it bears repeating: Always and in everything, remember your reader. |