Menu
homeExcel

Usability - general concepts. Main principles of Usability and basic rules

About usability" url="http://marketnotes.ru/about-usability/usability-principls/">

Reading about heuristic methods for assessing design and usability, I noticed that everyone refers to some generally accepted usability principles, however, no one writes which ones. There are two options: either they are so clear and natural that they are not even worth talking about, or no one really knows what these principles are. Having analyzed the articles that link to them, and simply thinking about both search engines, I came to a disappointing conclusion: no one really knows anything, and all the articles are inaccurate copies of one of Jacob Nelson’s articles. Some even left a link to these most generally accepted principles.

Alas, I did not find a single article in Russian (or Ukrainian) where they were revealed. Therefore, I decided that it was worth translating and deciphering these same principles a little.

So, 10 generally accepted usability principles. Let's look at them in more detail.

1. Visibility of system status.

This principle means that the user should ALWAYS know what is happening and where along the path he stopped. If this complicated registration, indicate that this is step 2 out of 3. If something is being downloaded or some script is running, display the % processed. Etc.

A simple example - I’m sure everyone has encountered a situation where you clicked on some icon, but nothing happened. Judging by how actively the screw is spinning and the monitor is blinking, something is still happening, and after a few minutes a program window opens, for example (I still open IE this way). What to do on the Internet when everything is loaded not on your computer, but on a server in another country. Most users simply click the “send” button several times, upload the same files several times, etc. And all because there is no connection between the user and the system.

Care should be taken to ensure that the system always clearly and unambiguously responds to user actions. There is such a moment - a maximum of 1 second should pass between action and reaction - this is not a quirk of usability experts. It has been scientifically found that this is precisely the time that our brain maintains a cause-and-effect relationship, such as done-received. If the reaction to your action occurs later than a second later, the brain perceives it as a separate action, only distantly related to the previous one.

And one more limit figure - 10 seconds. The user must get what he wants within 10 seconds after his action (for example, while viewing the search results, the user opened window 5. Then he quickly looks through each of them. If after he opened the window within 10 seconds he did not return there - consider it lost to you).

(I didn’t check the numbers myself or make them up, they were taken from a book).

(this is an example from Contact. When uploading photos, you see the process and estimate how much time is left to wait).

The next principle tells us that your site should be made for a specific audience and you should communicate with them in their language, using their designations and level of preparedness.

Just a couple of days ago I looked at two sites computer topics with a fairly similar structure and design. BUT! One was dedicated to configuration features operating system, and second - computer courses for beginners.
As you understand, these are two completely different audiences, and the phrase “click line 35 in the registry” will be more than understandable to the audience of the first site, but will shock 99% of users of the second site.

Therefore, always take into account your audience and always make a website for them. This applies not only to texts, but also to structure, help, design, visual perception of information, etc.

(it’s clear at first glance who the information on this site is aimed at. A beginner won’t even read what’s there. Just by the design it’s clear that it’s for programmers).

3. User control (freedom of choice)

The user should always be in control of the situation, so to speak, keep his finger on the pulse (or at least he should have such an impression). What does this mean in practice? For example, when filling out a form, there must be a “clear form” button. If the form contains several steps, the user must return to the previous step, or vice versa, if possible, skip some in order to return to it later.

This situation will give the user the impression that he is the one “in charge”; no one is trying to deceive or confuse him. And the complication at first glance of the interface when the right approach will become a simplification. After all, it’s much easier for people to do 2-3 simple steps than one complex one (the thing here is that while the user is filling out the second step, he still thinks that he can cancel the first, but is already thinking about the third).

(when creating a project in Seolib, you see what stage you are at, how much is left. You can also return to previous step, or go ahead and skip this one).

4. Consistency and standards.

Another principle that seems obvious, but, alas, is so rarely used in practice. Tell me, you can easily use any interface Office program Microsoft can create new document? Save it? Center text? But these are not always such simple operations...

The thing is that the Microsoft campaign adheres to this principle in its products (although it often violates many others). In all their products, the same icons are in the same places and look the same.

The Internet already has certain established designations and standards (for example, the type of cart, contacts in top corner etc.). However, if you look at how many different types baskets (using Yandex or Google images), you will understand that inexperienced user can seriously get lost among all these carts, electronic baskets, ultra-fashionable bags, etc.).
As for consistency, having chosen a specific style, follow it everywhere. This applies to fonts, pictures, text and layout.

I have seen many times how the product layout and page layout differed in different sections. The site's creators consider this a “creative feature.” If they are doing it for themselves, then you can leave it that way, but if you are doing it for the user, then how do you explain to him why the design of the page when choosing a printer should be so different from the design of the selection page random access memory(within the same store)?

(as you can see in this example, all the icons are exactly the same in Word, Excel and PP. Mastering any New Product Microsoft company, at least half of the functions will be immediately clear to you).

5. Prevention of errors.

This principle states that it is easier to prevent an error than to correct it. Wherever you can simplify the choice and remove unnecessary, random actions, you should remove them.
In practice, this could be: a hint when entering anything from the keyboard (city/country, for example).

This also applies to buttons. For example, ACCEPT is usually made larger and brighter than Clear Form. If you know something about the information being entered, prompt it to the user (phone format or region code), etc.

(V in this case, the user cannot go further until he understands these settings and selects at least one option for analyzing the site. This is much more convenient than then telling the user something like “select at least one option, or the parameters are set incorrectly.)

Simplify the user’s life as much as possible, give him hints, remember the information he previously entered (not only on previous page, but also from his past visits to the site).
For example, if you again have a multi-step registration form, show him the fields already filled in if they may be needed in the future.

Also, try to minimize the number of text fields where the user must enter something themselves. Give him options (hints) so that he can choose from the already available options.

(a region hint pops up when you enter at least one letter. And if the user does not know how to spell the city correctly, he simply clicks on one of the proposed options).

7. Flexibility and efficiency of use.

One of the most big problems– how to combine the simplicity of the interface and its functionality? How to make the same interface clear and convenient for both a professional user and a beginner?

This principle states that the interface should be flexible, customizable and tailored to the audience that prevails. Focus on simplicity with a view to simple user. Elements for advanced users can be made much smaller and placed in less noticeable parts of the screen, because he will find them everywhere.

A striking example is the Site Map. Agree that a beginner will not go there at all, but an experienced user will find this “site map” in small print at the bottom of the screen, or a small icon somewhere on the side.
Another example is clickers/typers. Those. Each page can be accessed either from the menu by clicking on navigation, or by searching the site. Both options should be supported and ultimately lead to the same result.

(we see a simple search for most users, as well as an advanced one for advanced ones. At the same time, the advanced search functions are hidden quite far and only an experienced user can find them, i.e., in fact, only the one who needs it).

8. Aesthetic and minimalist design

This principle states that the interface should not contain information that the user does not need or that he may need in rare cases. Similarly in forms: you should not ask the user for information that you do not need or need in some exceptional cases.

Unfortunately, almost no one uses this principle. In 90% of cases when registering you are asked and home phone, and mobile, and address and e-mail, and even date of birth. And all in order to congratulate you on the new year and birthday.

You can clarify all additional information later, if necessary. And initially, when registering, for example, or when placing an order, ask only for the information that you really need.

In the same way, on a website (or in a program, these principles are universal), you should not display to the user information that he may someday need. For example, let’s take the same Microsoft Word. Tell me, how often do you use the “navigator” function or the Date-Time insert? And yet, these buttons are always visible in the toolbar (depending on the version, the buttons may be different, but I’m sure that if you look at them, you will find at least 40% of the icons that you have NEVER used, and don’t even know what they make).

(Here typical example. When registering, Ozone asked me for both my First and Last Name. At the same time, the only place where my name is used is the title of the letter. I have never seen the last name used at all. And the question arises: why do they need this data? After all, there is a nickname. Those. the shape can be halved easily...).

9. Help the user understand and correct the error.

Tell me what the database error on line 433 means? Or long terrible errors in memory line LXR-XXX-5438645?
All these system messages must be stored in logs for the site/system administrator. Write to the user in normal language what exactly the error is. Moreover, the user is essentially only interested in one thing: is he or the system to blame? And is there anything that can be done?

I’m sure you’ve encountered the situation where you fill out a form, click submit, and in response you get some kind of database error. And you sit and suffer from two main questions: who is to blame and what to do? Has the form gone? If yes, is this all the information? Or try sending again?

However, such serious errors are becoming less and less common. But the other option is even more infuriating - you fill out a rather long form, click send and see a red inscription (or pop-up window) - carefully fill out all the fields marked with an asterisk.
And again you sit and think - what fields? What asterisk? It seems that I filled out everything, looked through it carefully... and then it turns out that the phone number should be written there with spaces, not a hyphen.

May 12, 2011 at 5:03 pm

Usability Psychology: Impact custom settings on the perception of the interface

  • ALEE Software Blog

The debate between rationalists and empiricists about the source of human knowledge is one of the most interesting pages in the history of philosophy and psychology. Nowadays, discoveries in the field of special sciences (neurophysiology, cognitive psychology, linguistics, research artificial intelligence etc.) force us to revisit these discussions and look at traditional problems from an unexpected angle.
Empiricism refers to the position that the key source of human knowledge is sensory experience. As the 18th century English philosopher John Locke, one of the most famous proponents of empiricism in philosophy and psychology, put it, human consciousness is a “blank slate” (tabula rasa) on which the marks of sensory impressions are applied. The intellect has no influence on sense perception; its functions are reduced only to the generalization of data obtained in sensory experience.
In contrast to empiricism rationalism Reason is considered the main source of knowledge. Philosophers and psychologists who take the position of rationalism believe that the human mind is not a “blank slate” at all: our perception of things can be influenced by both innate components and previous experience. Experimental psychology of the twentieth century has shown that our sensory cognition is always in a certain way oriented. When we perceive new things, we always interpret them based on the whole system prejudices and preconceptions. To illustrate the points made, you can, for example, compare how the same event is covered in news releases on different TV channels: superimposed on the same visual various texts, creating in the audience an attitude on the basis of which the interpretation of what is visible is carried out.

Prejudices and preconceptions play a huge role in the process of human-machine interaction. To create the most user-friendly interface possible, it is necessary to take into account all user settings and expectations - otherwise the application or website may turn out to be unergonomic or, in other words, modern language, unusable.
Often developers, designers and usability experts themselves forget that they, too, develop a system of prejudices and preconceptions that influence their work. As a result, it often happens that the finished product receives high praise from programmers and designers, but not end users. Of course, based on numerous studies, you can get a more or less clear idea of ​​user needs. But this is how man is designed, that in his daily activities he will take into account the opinion of representatives of the group in which he is constantly located, rather than the opinion of some abstract users. Based on the SixRevisions blog, let's look at some typical user settings.

"I know where it should be"

Internet users have developed a system of ideas about where certain website elements should be located. For example, many users automatically start looking for the field for entering a login and password in the upper right corner of the screen.

The field for entering your login and password is in the upper right corner on the Mint.Com website.

"I know what it should look like"

Users have a system of biases and preconceptions associated with appearance sites. For example, a graphic element with beveled edges is almost always perceived by them as a button.

"I know how it's supposed to work"

In the course of everyday interaction with things (both online and offline), the user develops prejudices that subsequently influence his perception of interfaces. For example, when clicking on a link, most people expect new content to appear on the screen in the same place and in the same format. If the user clicks on the link and sees not the expected text in html format, but a message about the start of downloading a pdf file, this can be confusing. Therefore, it is highly desirable that the site contains warnings about possible deviations from user expectations.

Recommendation: When developing applications and websites, you should carefully consider everything possible actions users. Unfortunately, it often happens that much more attention is paid to design issues than to building an adequate logic for presenting information. Possible user behavior strategies can be explored by conducting usability testing based on interactive prototypes.

"I know what it should be called"

It is known that users do not read texts posted on web pages carefully, but only scan them with their eyes in search of necessary information. Therefore, texts published on websites must contain keywords, through which visitors can easily find what they need. For example, when clicking on a “contacts” or “contact us” link, the user expects to see a page with addresses, phone numbers and other contact information.


On the Techi.Com website, publishing world news high technology, the Contact us link is present at the bottom of each page.

Recommendation: Address users in a language they understand. The interface should be clear and transparent for the site's audience. Avoid originality for originality's sake and don't give pretentious names typical elements interface.

From the above, we can draw the following conclusion: when creating an application or website, you need to be able to see “the thing at work” through the eyes of the user. When creating favorable conditions for users to work, you need to accept them for who they really are. And strive to created product was as clear as possible for everyone - both for specialists and for those who are just starting to use a computer in their daily activities.

Usability (English usability - literally “possibility of use”, “ability to be used”, “usefulness”) is a concept in microergonomics that denotes the final level of convenience of an object for use for the stated purposes. The term has a connection with the concept of “ergonomics”, but unlike the latter, it is less associated with technical aesthetics, with appearance and is more tied to the utilitarianism of a “usable” object.
Official definition
The international standard ISO 9241-11 defines usability as “the degree to which a product can be used certain users“the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use”) . Moreover, the relative importance of all three aspects is determined by this very context. Usability is a measure of the quality of the user experience gained when interacting with a product or system, such as a website, software application and so on. Usability is a combination of factors that influence user experience. The factors are:

Why is usability so important?

Research by User Interface Engineering, Inc shows that 60% of the time, people can't find the information they need on the web. This leads to wasted time, decreased productivity, and the fact that users will not return to the site. Other sources say: Forrester Research has obtained some numbers that show how much companies are losing due to poor website usability. Online stores lose about 50% of customers who cannot find the product they need. About 40% of users do not return to a site with which they had a negative experience. Jakob Nielsen says: “Studies of user behavior on the web show that they do not respond well to slow sites and sites with complex designs. People don't want to wait. They also don't want to learn how to use home page. There is no such thing as website training or website instruction. People want to grasp the functionality of a site immediately after a quick scan of the page, that is, in a few seconds.”

Usability development

Usability development is a methodological approach to creating a website or any other user interface. This practical way to getting a product that works for the user. Usability development includes several methods that are sequentially applied in the process: requirements gathering, prototype development and testing, evaluation alternative options design, analyzing user problems, proposing solutions and testing the site (or any other interface).

Usability testing

Usability testing is part of the usability development process. In a typical test, a user performs a number of tasks using a prototype (or other system) while an observer records what the user does and says. Typically the test is carried out with one user or two working together. Testing may involve collecting data such as the sequence of actions users take to achieve a task, the mistakes users make, when and where users have difficulty, how quickly users complete tasks, and how much they enjoy using the product. The purpose of most tests is to detect any problems that the user may be having so that they can be resolved later.

Usability Steps

  • Getting started - planning a website
    • First you need to understand:
      • Why are you developing a website?
      • Who should visit your site
      • When and why these people can visit the site.

By answering these questions, you will determine the goals of the site. Specific goals depend on your organization and the site's audience.

    • Additionally, you should think about the site's usability goals. General goals say that the site should be:
      • Easy to learn
      • Efficient to use
      • Easy to remember on subsequent visits
      • Satisfying the user

All usability goals are important for most websites, but you may want to consider others for various situations and audiences.

  • Collecting data from users

Since design is based on user needs, you need to collect data from those needs and how the existing website (if any) meets those needs. There are several ways to collect data, including feedback forms, server logs, and usability testing of an existing site.

  • We are developing a prototype

It is easier for the user to interact with a real existing example than to reason about what will work best. Useful results can be achieved with a website prototype that has minimal content and no graphics at all. This simple prototype is suitable for the first round of tests. The prototype can be used to solicit comments from users and determine the prototype's ability to perform the required tasks. Prototypes can be made on paper, in HTML, or using special means, such as MSVisio.

  • We collect, write and edit content

You must post the content that site users need. If you have a mountain of information, look at what might be useful and understandable to users. Reading from a computer screen is slower than reading from paper; many people want to quickly scan information and only read some small pieces. If your information is divided into long paragraphs, you need to break it down into small pieces with subheadings. Eliminate unnecessary words from the text, use lists and tables so that users can quickly find the information they need.

Usability rules and principles

Rule 7±2

The brain's information processing capabilities are not limitless; according to the results of George Miller's research, short-term memory can simultaneously contain from 5 to 9 entities. This fact is often used to justify the need to reduce the number of elements in navigation menus to 7, which is hotly debated because it is not entirely clear how this rule should be applied on the web.

2 second rule

The point is that the user should not wait more than 2 seconds for any system reaction, for example, launching or switching an application. The value of 2 seconds is arbitrary, but seems appropriate enough. IN general case, the less the user waits, the better.

3-click rule

A user won't be happy using a site if he can't find the information he needs in three clicks. In other words, this rule emphasizes the importance of clear and simple navigation. In many cases, it is not so much the number of required clicks that is important, but the overall understandability of the system; even 10 clicks is not a problem if at each stage the user clearly understands where he is and where he should move next.

80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle)

The idea is that 80% of the effect comes from 20% of actions. In business, this rule is often applied in the form: “80% of sales come from 20% of customers.” In web design and usability, this rule works no less effectively. For example, you can significantly improve the impact of a website by identifying 20% ​​of users, customers, actions, products or processes that generate 80% of the profit and paying special attention to them during development.

Eight golden rules for front-end developers

As a result of his research into human-computer interaction, Ben Shneiderman compiled a set of rules that can be used to design many types of interfaces. These principles are relevant for both interface developers and web designers.

  • Strive for logic
  • For experienced users it should be quick way(abbreviations, hotkeys, macros)
  • There should be informative feedback
  • The dialogue must be completed
  • Error handling should be simple
  • There must be an easy way to undo actions
  • The user should feel that everything is under his control
  • Keep your short-term memory as low as possible

Fitts rule

A model of human movement published by Paul Fitts in 1954 determines the time required to fast travel into the target area as a function of distance to target and target size. Typically this rule is used when considering mouse movement from point A to point B. This can be important when placing elements that you want to increase the number of clicks on.

Inverted pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a writing style in which the main idea is presented at the beginning of the article. The article begins with a conclusion, followed by key points, and ends with the least important information. Users want information as quickly as possible, so the inverted pyramid is perfect for the web, as usability guru Jakob Nielsen shares.

Satisfaction

Users do not choose the best path to find the information they need. They do not need the best and most reliable solution; on the contrary, they are often ready to be satisfied with the quick and not the most the best solution, which will be “quite acceptable.” In relation to the web, satisfaction is described precisely by this case: the user received a “completely acceptable” solution to the problem - even if alternative solutions more fully cover its long-term requirements.

Psychology in usability

Baby-Duck-Syndrome

Typically, users become attached to the first design they learn and judge others based on how similar they are to it. As a result, users prefer systems that are similar to those they know and are not very fond of others. This problem often occurs during redesign, users who are accustomed to previous version design, they don’t feel comfortable in the new site structure.

Banner blindness

Users ignore anything that looks like advertising, and interestingly, they do so quite effectively. Even though advertisements are noticed, they are still always ignored. Users have developed fairly clear patterns that they follow when performing various actions on the web: in search of the necessary information, they focus on those parts of the page where this information can be located - on the main text and hyperlinks. Large, colorful, animated banners are completely ignored in this case.

The uncertainty effect (Zeigarnik effect)

Humans cannot tolerate uncertainty - we try to find answers to emerging questions as quickly as possible. The uncertainty effect is based precisely on this feature of human behavior. Videos, articles and stories that use the effect of uncertainty usually end abruptly, without resolving a difficult situation or answering questions that arise. This effect is often used in advertising: asking visitors interesting and provocative questions, advertisers often force you to read material or click on a link. Discovered by Bluma Zeigarnik in 1927, the effect helps establish an emotional connection with the reader and is incredibly effective in marketing. Readers will better remember what the advertisement was about, and even small parts will be remembered more clearly and accurately. The Zeigarnik effect is also used when writing texts for the web to attract and interest visitors.

Gestalt principles of form perception

These are fundamental rules of human psychology in the context of human-computer interface design. The Law of Proximity states that when we see a collection of objects, we recognize the objects that are closer to each other as a group.

The law of similarity states that a person subconsciously groups similar objects.

The Law of Prägnanz states that the same object can play an important role in one visual field and be part of the background in another.

In the Macintosh logo you can see both a normal happy face and a happy face in profile.
The Law of Symmetry states that we tend to perceive symmetrical objects as a single object.
The law of closure states that people tend to combine objects that are not actually united.

In the IBM logo we see the letters I, B, M, although in reality there are only lines of varying lengths. This effect is especially important when creating texts for the web, as it can significantly improve the connection between the author and the reader. Things related to our own experience, we remember better than those who are not associated with us. For example, after reading an article, people better remember characters, stories or facts with which they were somehow connected.

Terms and concepts

Eye-Tracking

By tracking eye movements, you can determine where the user is looking. There are methods that allow, by observing every movement of the eye, to determine the areas that attract its greatest attention. Research in this area allows us to draw conclusions about how comfortable users feel on a site and how quickly they can understand its structure. Some Interesting Facts, identified during the research process, can be found on Eyetrack07.

Fold

The fold is a line running at the level lower limit browser window, all page elements located below it are not visible without scrolling. The level of this line depends on the resolution of the visitor's monitor. Elements located above the fold usually receive more clicks and user attention, and as a result, more profit, but there are also opposing opinions.

Hints (Gloss)

Graceful Degradation, Fault-tolerance

The property of a site to display content and retain basic functionality, even if some of its components cannot be displayed or used. In practice, this means that the content of the website must be accessible at any time. possible errors, in any browser and operating system.

Granularity

The degree to which large volumes of complex data are divided into small modules.

Hotspot

A clickable area of ​​the site that changes its design after you click on it. This is typical for: focus effects after clicking on a link or other site element.

Legibility

Visual legibility of text.

Minesweeping

Invisibility of links on a site may result in the user having to move the cursor over the page to detect links that change its appearance. In most cases, this is a clear signal of usability problems.

Mystery-Meat Navigation (MMN)

This term is used to describe navigation in which the user has difficulty understanding the purpose of hyperlinks or finding them at all.

Physical consistency

Logicality of the external design of the site - logo position, navigation, use graphic elements and typography. Logic greatly influences the ease of navigation around the site.

Progressive Enhancement (PE)

A development strategy in which the basic functionality of the site is accessible from all browsers, and for users modern browsers provided additional features. The main advantage of this approach is that it allows you to create sites that are convenient for users with slow connections or older browsers, while providing additional functionality for users with high-speed connections and modern browsers.

Readability

Indicates the level of clarity of the meaning of the text, depending on the complexity of the sentences and terms used. Usually measured by the level of education required by the reader to understand the text. Readability and legibility are different concepts.

User-centered design (UCD)

A design strategy in which users, their needs, interests and behavior are the basis for developing a site's structure, navigation and presentation of information. This approach has become the standard for modern web applications, especially with the dawn of applications that use user-generated content. In Web 2.0, users need to be motivated to create content and other activities, while working with the service should cause a minimum of difficulties and be as convenient as possible.

Vigilance, sustained attention

Ability to remain attentive when performing long, monotonous tasks, such as checking text for errors, remembering appointments and agreements, storing documents while working. IN modern web applications such tasks are performed automatically, thereby increasing the convenience of services.

Walk-Up-And-Use Design

Intuitively clear design, which visitors using it for the first time or who will only need it once could

use it effectively without prior training or instructions.

Wireframe

The skeleton of the site, which reflects the concept ideas and structure of the future site. Can be presented in the form of a presentation demonstrating to customers the features of the site’s layout and functionality, as well as possible scenarios users perform their tasks. Usually the skeleton does not contain visual elements or ready-made site layout, but perhaps drafts or sketches will be included. Example.

Three click rule
The user will be completely delighted with the site if he manages to find all necessary information in just three mouse clicks. This rule emphasizes the importance of simple and clear navigation. Although, in most cases, it is not the number of clicks that matters, but the overall understandability of the system; even ten clicks is not a problem if at each stage a person clearly understands where he is and what to do next.

Rule 7+/-2
Our short-term memory can contain from 5 to 9 concepts at a time, because the brain’s information processing capabilities are not unlimited. This fact is the result of research by George Miller and is used to justify the need to reduce the number of menu navigation objects to 7.

The 80/20 rule. Pareto principle
This principle is that 80% of the effect comes from 20% of the effort. In business, this rule sounds like this: “80% of sales come from 20% of customers.” With usability, the rule works no less effectively. For example, you can significantly improve the impact of a resource by identifying 20% ​​of users, actions, customers, processes or products that generate 80% of the profit and pay special attention to them during development.

Two Second Rule
This rule is that the user should not wait more than two seconds for an application to launch or switch. That is, the less time the user waits, the better. The value of two seconds was chosen completely arbitrarily.

Eight main rules for interface developers
Ben Shneiderman has spent many years researching human-computer interaction and has compiled a set of rules that should be followed when developing many types of interfaces. These principles are also relevant for web designers.

1. It is necessary to strive for logic.
2. For advanced users, a quick way should be developed, for example, hot keys, macros, shortcuts.
3. Feedback should be informative.
4. Always end the dialogue, that is, it should be brought to its logical conclusion.
5. Enable the user to correct all errors easily.
6. Develop a simple way to undo actions.
7. The user should always feel that everything is under control.
8. Short-term memory should be loaded as little as possible.

Inverted pyramid
An inverted pyramid is a specific writing style in which the main idea, a conclusion, is presented at the beginning of the article, and then this conclusion is proven based on key points. At the end comes the least important information. This style writing, is suitable for the Internet, because users want to get the necessary information as soon as possible.

Fitts rule
In 1954, Paul Fitts published a paper that described a model of human movement that determined the time required to move quickly to a target as a function of distance to the target and size of the target. This rule often used when considering mouse movement from one point to another. This is important when moving elements on a page, with an increased number of clicks. That is, the network, frequently used page elements should be located not far from each other.

Psychology and usability

Zeigarnik effect or uncertainty effect

A person does not like uncertainty and reticence. People try to find answers to their questions as quickly as possible. It is on this feature that the uncertainty effect is based. In 1927, psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik conducted an interesting experiment: gathering people in one room, they were given problems to solve. Citing lack of time, the unfinished work was taken away. After the survey, it turned out that people remembered the unfinished tasks.

Many videos, stories and articles using the Zeigarnik effect usually end abruptly, without answering questions or resolving a difficult situation. This effect used in advertising, asking people provocative and interesting questions, marketers force people to click on a link or read additional materials.

Duckling syndrome
Typically, users become attached to the original design they've studied well, and judge others by how similar they are to it. That is, users prefer old systems that are similar to those they already know, and extremely dislike others. This problem often arises in web design, users who are accustomed to the old interface feel very uncomfortable in the new site structure.

Banner blindness
Users ignore everything that more or less resembles advertising, and they do it very effectively. Advertising is noticed, of course, but everyone ignores it early. All users have clearly developed patterns that they tirelessly follow when performing various actions on the network. In search of the necessary information, they focus their attention precisely on those parts of the page where this information can be located, for example, text content. And colorful, animated banners are completely ignored.

Gestalt principles of form perception
These fundamental rules of human psychology apply even when a person interacts with a computer.

The Law of Proximity says that when we see a set of elements located in close proximity to each other, we recognize them as a group.

The law of similarity states that a person subconsciously groups similar objects.

The Law of Symmetry says that we tend to perceive symmetrical objects as one element.

Mirror effect
The mirror effect is especially important when creating text content, as it can greatly improve the connection between the author and the reader. We remember things that are related to our own experience much better than those that have nothing to do with us. For example, after reading an article, people remember facts and characters with which they are somehow connected.

To summarize all of the above: a lot depends on how competently you implemented all the described key points on your website. After all, competent usability means a lot of new and returning visitors. And, as a result, excellent sales, high website performance and many other advantages. The main secrets of the resource you visit are exciting design, proper usability, functionality and quality content.

And today we will touch on the psychological aspects that affect the user’s ease of use of the site.

Ugly Duckling Syndrome

As practice shows, the vast majority of users are strongly attached to the first version of the design of a particular project. This design by them maximum degree studied. Accordingly, they perceive subsequent versions of the site (or local elements), after the redesign, through the prism of how a new version similar to the previous one. This is why visitors feel out of place at first.

Banner blindness

The essence of banner blindness is that visitors ignore everything that reminds them of advertising. At the same time, they have developed a clear algorithm for surfing the site, thanks to which users focus on those blocks where the information most useful to them is located. Therefore, huge banners with colorful content in this aspect are completely ignored.

The uncertainty effect (Bluma Zeigarnik effect)

By nature, humans are intolerant of uncertainty. Thanks to her, we try to find answers to all the questions that arise in our heads. At the same time, as quickly as possible.

The uncertainty effect is based precisely on this feature of human behavior. Discovered back in 1927, the effect establishes some kind of emotional connection with the user, reader or observer of the product.

Based on this, videos, various articles, other materials using this principle, as a rule, have some understatement and tend to ask the user questions rather than answer them. As a result, people who see the material are encouraged to look for answers and are forced to take some action (for example, click on a link or read additional material).

Gestalt principles

They represent the basic, fundamental rules of psychology in the context of design and human perception through a computer.

Law of Proximity states that a set of objects located at a closer distance to each other than other objects is classified by the user as a group.

There is also law of similarity, which can be formulated as follows: a person subconsciously groups similar objects.

Law of pragmatism says - one and the same element can play a very important role in one visual representation, so become part background picture in a different.

A very clear example of this rule is the Macintosh logo, which contains several visual fields. One thing in common with a smiling face, as well as a happy face presented in profile.

Generally speaking, the symmetrical arrangement of elements, indentations, etc. make your site more neat. At the same time, a violation of symmetry can cause a reaction in a person - “something is wrong here.”

Law of closure indicates that a person is prone to combining objects that in reality are not a single whole.

An example is the IBM logo, where in reality there are only horizontal lines, which differ in their length. However, man interprets them into letters.

Effect personal experience . It is most widespread in the field of creating text content due to the fact that it is able to establish some kind of relationship between the reader and the author.