“So what”, I hear you say. “What does usability and sustainability have to do with me?” Often in our efforts to make things more usable we end up with a finished product that is not sustainable. One that just ends up contributing to our increasingly throwaway society. It’s about designing so we don’t use resources that are not renewable. Any design process is not just about people like myself designing customer centric web sites; it’s about the business owner, the designer and the users of the site all be involved in the process together. So it follows on that we all have a role to play in making anything we design sustainable.

“What does this have to do with the web; it’s just an electronic medium?” True, but we can look at the processes of the design and how we execute it. We can also look at the computers and facilities we put our web sites on.

But it can be more than just being about the web.  Making even a little effort to change the simpler things from this day forward can help.   For instance we are now using less paper for the development process of web sites, with a finial push to make our complete design production cycle, paperless. Or even just using more libraries of code when building a web site, hence recycling the code elements of the site itself.

Around Australia and the world this day is being celebrated with a series of events.   However coming off the back of several back to back conferences, some of which I have been speaking at, I can understand why there is no real local Perth event for World Usability Day. Maybe this will change next year.

Also let’s not forget that it is about making sure that our web sites are as usable as they can be, for their budget. Sometimes it’s hard to see the usability issues if we are working closely with a web site day in day out. This is where you need a set of independent eyes to look over your web site.

Remember ensuring your customers have a better experience with your web site translates into a higher return on investment. Let’s just try and make it a little more sustainable.

So what can you do.  As you know it is a legislative requirement all over the western world ¹ to adhere to a degree of accessibility for a web site.  Sure you can go through the usual checklist of accessibility issues, work out the ones that are within your budget and leave it at that.  Yes you will have ticked that box off.  However in some cases your web site may still not be accessible despite your limited, but best intentions.

Accessibility is not Checklists

The issue with going down this route is that accessibility is not about checklists – it is about people.

People  like you and me. People with families and friends, with an sphere of marketing influence.  They have wants and needs, and money to spend.  It is sad that this to often the forgotten segment of any market.   Maybe in these lean times that’s a market that you should be focusing on.

One thing is certain you should not be ignoring any accessibility issues when you are planning for your web site to be redesigned.

Over the years I have often heard people say  - “Oh we  don’t have any disabled customers, so accessibility is not an issue for us.”  Well the thing is accessibility is more than  just getting web sites to work for people that have been registered with a disability.  The reality here is that all of a site’s audience will at one time or another  encounter some form of an accessibility issue.

Remember that could be the 65 year old retiree with eyesight issues, or the twenty-something recovering from sports injury to their hand.   Both these people could be potential customers.   And if they have a bad experience trying to access your web site then they are likely to remember that and prefer not to use your site over your competitor, be that in the next suburb or overseas.

What can you do

So what can you do about all the web accessibility issues if you have a limited budget.  First off you need to talk with an experienced web professional  to ensure that the information and functionality of your web site is accessible by anyone within your budget.

To often with a web site redesign in order to win a project the aspect of the site’s accessibility is swept under the carpet and not mentioned.  This isn’t the best outcome for the client (you),  that will assume that all these professional aspects are being taken care of.  The way around this is to just ask about the accessibility aspects of the web re-design process.

In times when every customer is never more important, this could have the potential to render your web site not as effective as it could be.   Something to think about.

Examples of Accessibility Legislation

Untied States

• Section 255 of Telecommunications Act of 1996
• Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act 1973
• Section 508 of Rehabilitation Act 1986 (amended)
• Americans with Disabilities Act 1990.

Untied Kingdom

• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Part III Access to Goods and Services,
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001,
• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Part IV Education.

Australia

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Norgifieds is an interesting project as it not generally the type of site that people think they would need an information architect for.    Norgifieds is an online classified site, that works on the principles of keeping it’s design and interface very simple. To often in this market space online classifieds become bloated unusable sites almost from the outset.  Not so with Norgifieds, it was designed from the outset to be simple and easy to use.

Client:

Norg Media

Industry:

Media

Project Focus:

Information Architecture

We were called in on this project to build and reduce the classifieds category list.   This involved researching the proposed category lists with the site’s audience and then collating, refining and finally re-evaluation of the categories by the site’s audience.  The final result was a reduced category list, from well over a 100 items down to the core 13 that you can now see. All this was supported by testing and confirmation from the site’s audience.

Best part was via using various tools and rapid design techniques we were able to achieve this within a limited budget.  The same methods and techniques could be applied to say an e-commerce site, or small government agency.

Skills Used

• User Research
• Content Audit
• Card Sort
• Tree Analysis and Testing
• Content Map
• Preliminarily Screen Design (Wireframing)

Please note radharc was not responsible for the final interactive design and look of the Norgifieds web site. We solely were commissioned to assist with information architecture aspects of the web site.

Remember when you used to go to your favourate cafe, they would remember your name, the barista would even know your coffee order, and would often make it up for you with just a nod.  The wait staff would chat away and even tell you of exclusive specials that were not on the boards or menu. You would swear the servings you got were bigger too.  Over all you’re not just visiting a cafe,  you were visiting old friends.  It’s just a pleasant experience, somewhere you would recommend to others.

Nothing really new.   In the real world retailers have known for long time that creating the best shopping experience was important for sales, well now that has been translated to the web.

Customers having a good experience, (one that is not frustrating them) with a website will:

• establish a loyality base with  your site
• recommend your site to friends
• return for repeat business, to relive the experience.

Now people currently rank a good experience  by their lack of having a bad experience.  So the reality is we have to remove all the negative aspects that cause bad experiences from a web site. After this is done the aim is to make the site a unique experience in some way,  such that the site will be remembered for it.

So how do you know if your customers are have a good user experience on your web site.  The only way is to ask them.

Sure you can look at the web statistics on what they have been doing, and how they travel through your web site, but frankly this will only tell you so much.  You have to listen to them. Don’t disregard any complaint or suggestion.   On the web people will more often pass a site by if they can’t get what they want or find it frustrating and a bad experience.  It is very rarely that they will tell you that they have an issue with a web site.

You can ask them in a number of ways, via online or offline surveys, interviews or via conducting independent testing using people that would be in the same market segment as your customer base.   Yes, it is true, this type of testing does cost; however it allows you to determine very quickly what the issues are with your web site.   Knowing the problem, puts you a good way towards the solution.

At the end of the day, it comes down to do you really know for certain if your customers aren’t getting frustrated with your site.   What proof do you have.   As with anything in business you really need to have more than just a personalised gut feeling.  If you are offered good customer experience is the real world, are you also offering a good experience in the online one as well.

Options21 are share and options trading education specialists;  they have a  unique aspect to their business in that it is totally online.  Every aspect of their business reflects a very modern viewpoint of the information age. They have embraced and have taken into account the dramatic cost savings of operating their business online from accounts, crm and service delivery.  This has allowed them to increase their  customer service delivery to a highly personalised level.

This site presented for Options21 a complete change in procedural and marketing direction,  with the introduction of specialised news delivery services based on email and subscription services.   It also presented the opportunity to build and leverage off the common knowledge base of their online community and build a resource base that places them in good stead to become market leaders.

Client:

Options21

Industry:

Education

Project Focus:

Web Design, User Experience Design, Information Architecture, Usability, SEO

The Options21 web site is based around a common open source simple content management platform. This allows their remotely distributed team to easily update, create or mange content, on the site, as required from anywhere.   Of note is the use of specialised techniques and tools to direction clients and filter their outcome into a qualified list of contacts.

Skills Used

• Information architecture development
• Navigational flow design
• Screen design (Wireframing)
• Final screen design
• Site design implementation
• Site development
• Web marketing consultation

West Coast Tafe approached us with a series of issues relating to placement of the content for their upcoming new web site, after some discussion the scope was also extended to a development of the navigational framework.   The major requirement for the site was for the relevant information on the college and its schools to be findable by current and prospect students.  All this within a limited budget and time frame.

Client:

West Coast Tafe

Industry:

Education

Project Focus:

Information Architecture

The timeline for the project was extremely tight, with no room to move at all. however  we were able to conduct preliminary design research, audit of the content, proposed content structure and a recommended navigational schema, all confirmed via testing with their respective audience. This allowed for the delivery of an base information architecture, on time, on budget.

Skills Used

• User Research
• Content Audit
• Card Sort
• Tree Analysis and Testing
• Content Map
• Navigation Flow
• Preliminarily Screen Design (Wireframing)

Please note radharc was not responsible for the final interactive design and look of the West Coast Tafe web site. We solely were commissioned to assist with information architecture aspects of the web site.

The previous Challenger Tafe web site was couched in a legacy web site. With a site structure and navigation that was making it impossible for even the incumbent staff to find any information concerned, let alone the audience.

We knew time was short, so looking into our bag of designer tricks, we decide to use a rapid design and development process.

Client:

Challenger Tafe

Industry:

Education

Project Focus:

Information Architecture

Hence  we were able to deliver design research, an audit of the content, a recommended content structure and navigational schema, all as you would expect confirmed via testing with their respective audience. We also produced an interactive prototype for the design structure and detailed design structure specifications.

As is our passion we also consulted on various issues relating to usability and accessibility in various related web services that Challenger Tafe was using at the time.

All this combined for the delivery of a complete detailed web site plan that was subsequently used by the separate but ever-talented design and implementation teams.

Skills Used

• User Research
• Content Audit
• Card Sort
• Tree Analysis and Testing
• Content Map
• Usability Testing
• Prototype Design
• Navigation Flow
• Screen Design (Wireframing)
• Design Consulting
• Usability Consulting
• Accessibility Consulting

Please note radharc was not responsible for the final interactive design and look of the Challenger Tafe web site. We solely were commissioned to assist with information architecture aspects of the web site. The design was produced by a third party.

As a business Theta Healing presented a number of unique opportunities in terms of web design and development.   The nature of this web site is appealing to a  very distinct audience with a high degree of emotional attachment.  This presented a number of issues in the visual design and presentation on the sensitive nature of the topic of supplementary healing.

This site is based around a common open source simple content management platform, that allows the staff at Theta Healing ease of update, creation and arrangement of the content on the site.

Client:

Challenger Tafe

Industry:

Health

Project Focus:

Web Design

Radharc was commissioned to design, development and consult on the marketing direction of the site within a moderate budget, of particular note is the customised plugin elements of the content management platform.  Supplementary search engine marketing was conducted via our professional partners.

As with all radharc sites that we design, the Theta Healing web site was build to the latest web guidelines and web industry best practice.

Skills Used

• Information architecture development
• Navigational flow design
• Final screen design
• Site design implementation
• Site development
• Web marketing consultation
• Search engine marketing consultation

Yes some very large banks and businesses have lost a lot of virtual money, in terms of the stock market.

However, step back for a moment and consider the effect that the global financial crisis is really having on day to day business.   If you ignore the irresponsible sensationalistic media  spinning that we are being fed, is there really a day to day problem.  It’s all about confidence, your confidence.

Here in Australia and especially in Western Australia we are very well placed to overcome this lack on confidence.  So why then are  people in a panic, slashing budgets to the bone, restricting travel, stopping all marketing.   In some cases I know of businesses restricting the sales team in an effort to save money.  Yes it is a little short sighted.

I can let you into a secret I know your competitor’s are:

• Looking towards the web for cheaper alternatives to traditional marketing.   They know a good quality web site is cheaper that an advert in a major newspaper and about the cost of Yellow pages book or online advert, but with a greater overall impact.
• Ensuring that their web site is not the cause of customers failing to find what they are looking for.
• Considering if people are looking at their web site on a mobile phone and  how accessible it is on a mobile phone.
• Making sure, that their web site is not frustrating their new and repeat customers.
• Looking at what their competitors are not doing and leveraging that to increase their market share

The real issue is where does your web site stand in all this.  Now is the time to take advantage of any shortfall in your market.