Human Factors and E-Commerce
Dennis F. Galletta · D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) · 2006
Many Web sites have been built hastily and without regard for the user. Extensive research on pre-Web user interfaces could have prevented such poor designs. It appears that both Web developers and Web users are less experienced than developers and users of other software applications. One of the most important guidelines provided by the literature is that of testing, which should be mandatory for any site to enable revision and retesting. There are several specific areas of understanding in usability that are also described, along with implications for Web designers. These areas include Fitts’ Law, site organization, difficulties of user search, ill effects of page loading delay, trade-offs between site depth and breadth, options for what is seen by the user in inputs and outputs, and problems with users’ mental models. Tools such as storyboards, checklists, and evaluation models are also described to prevent design errors. Once designers become aware of these guidelines, usability problems, and tools, Web site design quality might begin to catch up to that of systems sold in the mass market.