When a Web Site is Poorly Designed

By Renee Oricchio

What is the most popular button clicked by Web visitors? Answer: "skip intro." Less flash isn't the only message users are sending in study after study about usability. In fact, "less" seems to be an overwhelming theme when it comes to feedback about Web site design.

It's a message that few companies seem to be getting, however.

"Brokerage sites are a prime example," says Harley Manning, vice president and research director at Forrester Research. The goal of these sites "is to appeal to potential clients with a million dollars to invest," he says. And yet, what would-be clients are most likely to find at the sites of some of the biggest names in financial services is a maze of cluttered and confusing menu options, as well as hard-to-read blocks of tiny text.

Wall Street isn't the only sector that doesn't get it. In fact, even though financial service firms are lagging behind when it comes to understanding Web site design, that industry is still ahead of the pack, according to Manning. A recent Forrester study evaluated 204 major Web sites and failed all but five.  At the bottom of the heap: the automotive and travel industry.

The impact of poor site design leaves no corporate goal unscathed -- from the obvious problems of turning off potential customers and cutting into sales to the less tangible costs of hobbling a brand. Kara Pernice Coyne, research director from the Nielson Norman Group, doesn't mince words. "To not have a Web site today that is forthcoming, clear, and easy to use is just crazy."

So what is a CIO of an organization with a poorly designed Web site supposed to do? How does he/she convince the board or the CEO that it's time for a change?

First, base recommendations on data, analysts advise. Start with basic Web analytic tools like tracking drop-off points on the site and running A/B tests. However, nothing is more powerful than getting a user on videotape or on the other side of a two-way mirror struggling with the site.

Once the case has been made, here are some of the most important things to consider in the redesign.

• Know your users  How Web savvy are they? What's their comfort level with technology? Do you know their age, gender, education level? What do they like or dislike on a Web site? This is where the case is made to budget for usability testing. Most companies spend between $10,000 and $15,000, according to Coyne. Smaller companies on a tight budget can spend as little as $5,000 with the right consultant.
• Treat your Web site like any other business proposition Set goals, establish a way to measure those goals, and assign responsibilities and checkpoints for accountability, Manning advises.
• Make it easy to read This is especially true for middle-aged to older audiences. Manning offers this rule of thumb: "When you have small type, you're annoying the people with the most money." A poorly designed site might convince that investor with a million dollars to go elsewhere.
• Make it easy to use  Avoid confusing choices like "services" and "offerings" that sound like the same thing, experts advise. Another big pitfall in navigation is cute names for things that have no obvious meaning. Not everyone may realize the name of your newsletter is "Roundup" and therefore have no idea what that menu option means. Be direct. Just say "newsletter."
• Superior content  There's no shortage of information on the Web. What makes yours stand out? Start with well-written copy that is uniquely informative and engaging.

One of the biggest reasons so many Web sites are sub-standard is that this is still a relatively new medium finding its way.  Never-ending updates in technology do not necessarily translate to an optimal experience, as both IT departments and users balance the changes in recent years with browsers, bandwidth, and the PC itself. What works and doesn't work is fluid. Here's a look at some of the usability trends right now.

• People tend to read sites in an "F pattern" Users read longer lines of copy at the top, says Coyne, of the Nielson Norman Group. But as they scroll down the page, their eyes start dropping off after fewer and fewer words in a line.
• Text ads often beat out graphical ads There's a distrust of graphical ads. Coyne actually uses software to track the eye movements of users and describes the reactions she sees in her lab. "They won't even look at a graphical ad. The text ad is perceived as related to content, whereas there is a defensive reaction towards graphical ads, a fear that it will waste their time or lead to something harmful if they click on it."
• Less is more Keep your pages uncluttered, Manning recommends. Let the user's eyes rest and be funneled to the content that's most important. This is one of the hardest problems to avoid because it usually involves resisting pressure to put a little of everything on the homepage. Every department or vice president typically wants to put their stamp on it.
• When developing the site's search feature, think "Google"  It's what people are used to now: a simple, open field engine with clearly displayed results.
• Don't make people log-in before they order First and foremost, Manning says, it violates the cardinal rule of all catalog and online shopping: placing an order has to be easy. In the case of the Web, survey after survey shows an overwhelming response from people that they hate having to register. They have to see a value to registering to make it palatable, like storing information for their next purchase or signing up for coupon alerts.

Staying on top of such trends is as rudimentary to good business as monitoring the world outside the storefront window.  A company wouldn't ignore sidewalk construction, lack of available parking, or demographic changes in the neighborhood. A company's Web site is a storefront too, and one with greater foot traffic potential than any bricks and mortar location.

Renee Oricchio is a freelance writer in Norwalk, Conn. For the past 20 years, she has been writing and producing news segments about technology and business for CNN, MSNBC, Ziff-Davis, CNet and a variety of Silicon Valley-based local news outlets.