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Streamline your web site for visitor satisfaction

In his firstarticle on this topic, Tim Monck-Mason likened his online shopping experience totrying to buy a book in a "real" bookshop.  It was a frustrating incident.In this article, he looks at how web site owners and developers can help visitorsenjoy coming to their sites.
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What can you do about design?
Design the navigation of your site so it is obvious and easy to learn
Remember that I have no idea how big your site is, or how long it will take to read. I have no rule that tells me to expect an index at the end. I am in a new world of unfamiliar strange things. You need to help me out here.

Don\'t confuse me with things chucked all over the page like a mad scientist\'s exercise book
If you don\'t want to spend ages trying something new (and testing it) stick to conventions. (If you\'d like to know

more about conventions let me know, or go surfing and note the most common placement of stuff on pages.)

Make it obvious with instructions, buttons, and links, that I can find and understand
Don\'t use \'click here\' use \'find out more about flying bananas\'. Make sure I know, without thinking, that it\'s a link and where it will take me. Have a look at (http://www.alienbeings.com  and http://alphashock.net  ). And please make sure I can read it - I\'m half blind and forgot my glasses! ( http://www.innovatorweb.co.nz )

Kill everything that moves
Period. That\'s for nature not the Web.

Help me quickly find my way to where I want to go
Make sure it will it be easier to use the 2nd time. The Web is a time sensitive environment; please don\'t waste my time. And please put all the navigation stuff in one place (http://www.mead.co.nz).

Let me scan
I read bits quickly looking for clues. So make sure the site is efficient in telling me what is what, and what I need to do. The Web is an active medium - I can chose where I go and what I see next. Don\'t lose me so soon.

What can you do about content?
Reassure me
Give me the information I need to feel safe and confident. Tell me why you want my name, tell me what happens when I press the \'buy now\' button. Can I go back if I make a mistake? Tell me if you\'re going to confirm my order. Remember I can\'t ask you any questions as I go. And please tell me who you are. And for goodness sake answer emails - even if it is just confirmation you got it.

Put the subjects at the beginning of chunks of text
Make it easy for me to find out what the bits are about and where the stuff is that I want.

Split up the information into small manageable pieces and then group them with other similar pieces
Use the magic number 5. Put 5 things in a list, 5 items to a heading, 5 headings to a big sucker heading etc.The architecture of the Web is about linking together pieces of content.

Give me small pages
I don\'t want to scroll much, sometimes I might not scroll at all. If you have 3 things give me 3 pages not a huge long one. And do not make me scroll sideways - ever.

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