<< Back to Articles page

Users reject simple sites

A series of controlled experiments by usability specialists, optimum.web, has found that the long held belief among usability experts that B2C site design should be kept clean and simple is not what most appeals to users.

Overall, optimum.web found that the site design most preferred by a broad range of male and female consumers is one with a strong user focus, good use of graphics and detailed information. Of these factors, user focus was the most important.

For the study, 32 users were recruited equally split between male and female internet experts and beginners aged either 21 to 30 or 50 to 70.

The users were asked to visit a range of e-finance websites which had been assessed previously for their design in terms of style (graphics or text based), focus (on the visitor's needs or on the products for sale) and content (detailed or top-line).

The interaction between the users and the sites were closely monitored, followed by the completion of a specially constructed survey instrument to capture user attitudes, reactions and preferences.

The results generated by the methodology allowed optimum.web to draw conclusions by type of user group. For example, 'young male experts' were found to prefer a website with detailed information, strong user focus and a graphical style - although style was not statistically significant.

Contrary to expectations, graphics and animation were far less important for this group than a need for detail and user focus. In contrast, a graphical style was more important for older users and females.

Optimum.web says that these findings fall in line with other usability tests it has conducted for clients among 'middle England' Internet shoppers.

'One clear message comes out of this work' says Keith Simpson, optimum.web's managing director. 'If you want your site to excel then increase the degree of user focus. The Internet is an interactive medium, yet too few sites take advantage of this tremendous benefit.

'Secondly, this work shows that good site design requires a complex mix of user focus, graphics and detailed content. There is no quick fix for high quality site design. As a result, design work should always be tested on users or assessed by independent consultants to check that the best balance is being struck.'

Relating types of users to types of website

Whilst all users preferred sites which were user focussed, with a graphical style and delivering detailed information - these factors varied in relative importance depending on the age, sex and internet experience of the user.

It is concluded that:

• user focus is the most important factor overall
• graphical style is more important to older users and females
• detailed information is more important to younger users

<< Back to Articles page