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Does your web page cause the viewer to think?
by John SmalleyUsability: Does your web page cause the viewer to think?
This is the ultimate test. If the viewer does not "get it" the instant
he or she looks at your web page and has to think about it, the game is
over and the viewer is gone probably forever. Go next door to your
neighbor and haul your laptop with you. Assuming your neighbor is a
buddy, he will probably humor you (thinking you may be having a breakdown
of some sort) and let you plug-in and boot up your computer. Tell him
the truth. You need to know how a stranger perceives your new web page.
Tell him to describe what the page is about in five seconds or less, and then
let him view it. If he stutters, pack up your laptop and head home to do
some revising.
Most viewers spend far less time looking at our web pages than we website
owners would like to believe. For a web page to do its job effectively,
often times it must convey the sales message at a glance. Most of the time
a glance is the only chance of stopping the viewer and invoking his interest
to read our offer. This is the only opportunity we get to make a sale. This
is why it is imperative for our web pages to be self-evident and self-
explanatory.
Stop and think for a minute "How do I use the web." This will answer your
question as to how most other folks use the web. On these multi page sales
messages, do you read every word, or do you just skim the words looking for
something of interest to you? Well, if that's the way you do it, it should
come as no surprise that most other viewers do the same. Most people are in
a hurry and don't have the time or the need to read everything. With this
in mind, I believe it would safe to say that effective web page content should
be short and to the point. If viewers are going to just skim web pages, it
makes sense to design your web page to get your message across during the
scanning process.
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About John Smalley 
0 connections, 0 recommendations, 37 honor points.Joined APSense since, January 2nd, 2009, From Abilene, United States.
Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.
Mine does!! Loved your article by the way!
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Mar 27th 2009 11:48