designer

410 Chapter 12 Understanding Usability and Accessibility
Tip Ideally, user testing should be carried out at all stages of production. You can test using
early paper-based prototypes and early developed prototypes, with feedback influencing
further design and development. It is much easier to rectify problems with the design early on
than after the site is well along in development.
Ten-Point Usability Checklist
It is a good idea to keep a ten-point usability checklist handy when you develop
early prototype designs. SharePoint inherently considers standard usability heuristics
such as the following, which were defined by Jakob Nielsen. However, it is also
a good idea to bear these in mind when you are customizing your development.
1. Visibility of system status On every page, inform users of what is happening
at any given point within a reasonable time. For example, include a breadcrumb
to show where a user is on the site, or show a progress bar to indicate
what action is taking place.
2. Match between system and the real world Use words, phrases, and concepts
that are familiar to users. For example, the terms home and sitemap
have a direct relationship to real-world concepts.
3. User control and freedom Allow users to change their mind or easily exit
any functionality they have accessed by mistake.
4. Consistency and standards Use master pages, layouts, and CSS correctly to
ensure that your Web site has a consistent look and feel and a consistent placement
of elements. Be sure that words and actions always mean the same thing,
and that the site conforms to accessibility and other compliance standards.
5. Error prevention Design carefully to prevent an error from occurring in the
first place. Early user testing can establish any potential errors and point to
how to prevent them.
6. Recognition rather than recall Minimize the user’s memory load by making
as many elements, actions, and options as possible visible without cluttering the
screen. Make sure that any instructions or guidelines for use are obvious.
7. Flexibility and efficiency of use Cater to both novice and experienced users.
Give experienced users the option to complete tasks more efficiently; for
example, provide them with keyboard shortcuts.
8. Aesthetic and minimalist design Keep page design clean and content uncluttered.
Users tend to scan online material, and certain users (such as people
with dyslexia) require paragraphs to be kept to a minimum length, with
plentiful space between lines and paragraphs.