Improving Web Site Usability and Appeal Introduction

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This document describes research findings that can provide designers and producers with ideas to increase the usability and appeal of Web sites.

Although most of the tips will not surprise experienced designers or producers, this document should be helpful as a reference, checklist, reminder, or brainstorming tool. Each section gives a broad overview of an appeal concept, a site review checklist, and a list of concrete design tips. Some ideas may work as described, but designers will usually need to creatively adapt an idea to their particular site.

For the purposes of this paper, appeal refers to whether people enjoy and become engaged in an experience. Appeal should translate directly into repeat Web-site visits. We theorize that there are five main attributes of appeal that increase site use. You can:

1. Provide relevant, high-quality content.
2. Make it easy to use.
3. Promote effectively, both on the site and in other media.
4. Make the experience unique to the medium.
5. Evoke emotion.

This document is primarily based on more than a year's worth of usability and marketing research on the Microsoft Network (MSN) Shows. Ideas have also come from MSN producers, the MSN LinkFinder's best-of-the-Web criteria, Microsoft cross-product usability research, advanced technology research, and publications of the broader software-research community.

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Topics:

• Content Quality
• Ease of Use
• Promoting Content
• Made-for-the-Medium Content
• Emotional Response

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