[attrition] What users hate most about Web sites

[security curmudgeon]

What users hate most about Web sites
Too many sites are low on usability and high on annoyance

http://ww6.infoworld.com/products/print_friendly.jsp?link=/article/06/06/14/79274_HNhateaboutwebsites_1.html

By Sandra Rossi, Computerworld Today (Australia)
June 14, 2006

Too many organizations unwittingly give their competitors a free kick by 
having Web sites that are low on usability and high on annoyance.

Users have a short fuse when they are browsing the Web, according to 
Theresa Cunnington, senior usability consultant with services firm iFocus.

"It doesn't matter how cool a Web site looks, if users find it impractical 
they will head to your competitor's site, which is only a click away," 
Cunnington said.

"Flash animations are an obvious, yet stellar, example of what users hate 
in a Web site; the skip intro button is the most used button on the 
Internet.

"Users hate flash because it's a barrier to the site."

Cunnington describes Flash as a classic example of "Jurassic Park Design," 
that is, designing what you 'can,' rather than what you 'should.'

She said Web sites are constantly torn between form and function and as 
technology changes, new variants on old issues stand out, and new problems 
emerge.

Head of Comunet's Web site design, Damien Coyle believes design is crucial 
for an effective Web site.

"You need to represent your corporate image, which should reflect company 
ideals," Coyle said.

"Not everyone is going to access your site so you need only address the 
target audience."

The top five Web site quirks that users hate the most, according to iFocus 
are:

1. Invasive advertising: Cunnington says users widely despise ads that 
cover content, ads that flash wildly and ads that chew broadband.

2. Re-inventing the wheel: people do not want to have to learn how to use 
a site before they can browse it, Cunnington said.

3. 'Leap of faith' links: that means disclosing information on content and 
file size.

4. Attention-deficit Web sites: "Users have a special hatred of flashing 
icons and banners, because they draw the eye away from what is important 
and hinder their progress," Cunnington said.

5. War and Peace length: "A common mistake in Web design is to just 
[convert] a brochure to the Web. But the Web is its own medium, and 
communication has to change to reach users. Users are known to read 25 
percent slower on the screen than on paper, read fewer words and don't 
like long pages which require scrolling down," she said.

Another problem is site blindness. "We are now seeing right-column 
blindness, where users do not see information and links down the right 
hand side of the screen. This occurs because the right hand column has 
become known for advertising," Cunnington said.