T.C. YEDİTEPE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

QUESTIONING THE RELEVANCE OF “USABILITY” CRITERIA FOR THE SUCCESS OF WEBSITES

by

Sezen ALTINDAL

Submitted to the Faculty of Communication In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Visual Communication Design

ISTANBUL, 2009

ii

APPROVAL PAGE:

QUESTIONING THE RELEVANCE OF “USABILITY” CRITERIA FOR THE

SUCCESS OF WEBSITES

by

SEZEN ALTINDAL

Approved by: Prof. Dr. Emin Doğan AYDIN ……………………………………

(Department Chair) Assist. Prof. Dr. Cüneyt BUDAK ........................................................ (Supervisor)

Assist. Prof. Dr. Neda SARAÇER ........................................................

Instructor Ruhcan AKİL ........................................................ Instructor Selçuk AŞKIN ........................................................

Date of Approval by the Administrative Council of the Faculty ……../………/2009

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages

APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................................. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. v LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... x ÖZET ................................................................................................................................... xi 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 2. USABILITY IN WEBSITES ........................................................................................ 3 2.1. General View .......................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1. Usability ...................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2. Usability in Websites .................................................................................. 5 2.2. Usability Methods ................................................................................................. 10 2.3. The Importance of Usability for Websites ............................................................ 14 2.4. Benefits of Usable Websites ................................................................................. 14 2.5. Web Usability Problems ....................................................................................... 14 2.6. Various Applications ............................................................................................ 15 2.7. Items of Usability .................................................................................................. 17 2.7.1. Functionality ............................................................................................. 17 2.7.2. Aesthetic ................................................................................................... 18 3. DESIGN FOR USABILITY IN WEBSITES ............................................................. 19 3.1. Design for Page Usability ..................................................................................... 21

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3.1.1. Components of Page Design ..................................................................... 21 3.1.2. Characteristics of Usable Web Pages ....................................................... 25 3.1.3. Principles at Design for Page Usability .................................................... 26 3.2. Design for Content Usability ................................................................................ 28 3.2.1. Components of Content Design ................................................................ 29 3.2.1.1. Writing Usage .............................................................................. 30 3.2.1.2. Color Using .................................................................................. 35 3.2.1.3. Multimedia Usage ........................................................................ 38 3.2.2. Characteristics of Usable Contents ........................................................... 40 3.3. Design for Site Usability ....................................................................................... 42 3.3.1. Components of Site Design ...................................................................... 42 3.3.2. Characteristics of Usable Site Designs ..................................................... 48 3.3.3. Principles at design for Site Usability ....................................................... 48 4. COMPARING AMAZON AND E-BAY .................................................................... 50 4.1. Amazon ................................................................................................................. 50 4.1.1. Design Features of Amazon ...................................................................... 54 4.1.1.1. Page Design of Amazon .............................................................. 54 4.1.1.2. Content Design of Amazon .......................................................... 54 4.1.1.3. Site Design of Amazon ................................................................ 55 4.1.2. Usability Degree of Amazon .................................................................... 56 4.2. E-Bay .................................................................................................................. 57 4.2.1. Design Features of E-Bay ......................................................................... 59 4.2.1.1. Page Design of E-Bay .................................................................. 59 4.2.1.2. Content Design of E-Bay ............................................................. 59 4.2.1.3. Site Design of E-Bay ................................................................... 60 4.2.2. Usability Degree of E-Bay ........................................................................ 62 4.3. Results of Analysis ............................................................................................... 63 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 65 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 67 CURRICULUM VITAE OF THE AUTHOR ................................................................. 73

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

HTML Hyper Text Markup Language WWW World Wide Web

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LIST OF FIGURES

Pages

Figure 2.1 The Usability Research Process ........................................................................ 8 Figure 2.2 Components of Usability Testing ..................................................................... 9 Figure 2.3 Disciplines that Contribute to Human-Computer Interaction ......................... 12 Figure 2.4 Homepage of Amazon.com ............................................................................ 16 Figure 2.5 A Screenshot from ebay .................................................................................. 16 Figure 2.6 Washington Mutual’s Home Page .................................................................. 17 Figure 2.7 Wells Fargo’s Home Page .............................................................................. 18 Figure 3.1 A formula to User Experience; Experience = Usability / Analytic + Design /

Creative ........................................................................................................... 21 Figure 3.2 Evolution of the Home Page Design ............................................................... 23 Figure 3.3 Content + Design = Webpage ......................................................................... 29 Figure 3.4 Examples to Today’s Most Known and Used Fonts ....................................... 30 Figure 3.5 The Color Wheel ............................................................................................. 36 Figure 3.6 Light Primary Colors and Their Complements ............................................... 37 Figure 3.7 Multimedia Use on the Web ........................................................................... 39 Figure 3.8 Amazon.com in Russian ................................................................................. 43 Figure 3.9 An Example to Clean and Simple Design ...................................................... 44 Figure 3.10 Home Page of Branded07 ............................................................................... 45 Figure 3.11 About Page of Branded07 ............................................................................... 45 Figure 3.12 Information Presentations about the Site ........................................................ 47 Figure 4.1 Amazon.co.uk ................................................................................................. 52 Figure 4.2 Amazon.de ...................................................................................................... 52

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Figure 4.3 Amazon.co.jp .................................................................................................. 53 Figure 4.4 eBay.de ........................................................................................................... 58 Figure 4.5 Homepage of eBay .......................................................................................... 60 Figure 4.6 eBay Options ................................................................................................... 61

viii

LIST OF TABLES

Pages

Table 2.1 The Main Differences in Web Design Approaches for Young Children, Teenagers, and Adults ....................................................................................... 7

Table 2.2 Informal development model, tasks and usability methods for Web sites ..... 13

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to take this space to acknowledge and thanks several people who have

contributed directly and indirectly to the completion of this thesis.

First of all I would like to thank and say my appreciation to Prof.Dr. Emin Doğan Aydın

for all his incredible supports on Visual Communication Design Department.

During this thesis work called “Questioning the Relevance of ‘Usability’ Criteria for the

Success of Websites”, by virtue of his contributions into it, I thank to my supervisors Dear

Assist. Prof. Cüneyt Budak, Assist. Prof. Dr. Neda Saraçer, Assist. Prof. Dr. Simge Esin

and Instructor And Algül for their great supports.

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ABSTRACT

With the progression of electronic commerce, besides of traditional commerce the firms

have also begun to turn making sales on the Web. Besides of those, the number of firms

increase which make only sales on the Web. This circumstance has necessitated preparing

effective web sites for firms. In progress of time the firms have understood that the way for

creating an effective web site passed from adding usability to the website. Usability is the

measure of the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a web site.

Nowadays firms gradually give more importance to have useful web sites. Because they

know that there are many benefits of having a useful web site for them. First and foremost

this is getting competitive advantage in a dense competition environment. Also having a

useful web site provides a reduced development time, reduced costs, and reduced user

errors.

For getting useful web sites, it is necessary to fit design principles. Therefore it should be

taken care to page, content and site designs of web sites. The web pages should be speedy,

and should be supported with navigations and linking. The search engines also increased

the usability – an important element.

Web sites should be far from complexity. Simple designs increase the usability. Creating

the web sites with aesthetic concerns have also influence on users, and their interactivity

time with the web sites get longer.

In this thesis has been mentioned about the importance of websites usability and explained

should be regarded components during page, content and site designs for could create

usable websites.

In a word the websites should be designed as regarding the user interests, needs and

expectations.

Keywords: Usability, Navigation, Linking, Search engine, Aesthetic concern.

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ÖZET

Elektronik ticaretin gelişmesi ile firmalar geleneksel ticaretlerinin yanısıra web ortamında

da satış yapmaya yönelmişlerdir. Bunların dışında sadece web ortamında satış yapan

firmalar da çoğalmaya başlamıştır. Bu durum firmaların etkili web siteleri hazırlamalarını

gerektirmiştir. Zamanla firmalar anlamışlardır ki, etkili bir web sitesi yaratmanın yolu o

web sitesinin kullanışlı olmasından geçmektedir. Kullanışlılık bir kullanıcının bir web

sitesi ile etkileşimi sonucunda oluşan tecrübenin kalite ölçütüdür.

Bugünlerde firmalar giderek kullanışlı web sitelerine sahip olmaya daha fazla önem

vermektedirler. Çünkü bilmektedirler ki, kullanışlı bir web sitesine sahip olmanın

kendilerine birçok faydası vardır. En başta bu yoğun rekabet ortamında rekabet avantajı

elde etmektir. Yine kullanışlı websitesine sahip olmak geliştirme için ayrılan zamanın

azalmasına, maliyetlerin düşmesine, kullanıcı hatalarının azalmasına yaramaktadır.

Kullanışlı web siteleri elde etmek için, tasarım prensiplerine uymak gerekmektedir. Bu

nedenle web sitelerinin sayfa, içerik ve site tasarımlarına özen gösterilmelidir. Web siteleri

hızlı olmalı, navigasyon ve linklerle desteklenmelidir. Arama motorları da kullanışlığı

artıran önemli bir unsurdur.

Web siteleri karmaşıklıktan uzak olmalıdır. Basit tasarımlar kullanışlılığı artırmaktadır.

Web sitelerinin estetik kaygılarla yaratılması da kullanıcılar üzerinde etkili olmakta ve

onların web siteleri ile etkileşim süreleri uzamaktadır.

Bu tezde web sitelerinin kullanışlılığının öneminden bahsedilmiş, kullanışlı web siteleri

yaratılabilmesi için sayfa, içerik ve site tasarımları sırasında göz önünde bulundurulması

gereken unsurlar açıklanmıştır.

Sözün kısası web siteleri, kullanıcı ilgileri, ihtiyaçları ve beklentileri göz önüne alınarak

tasarlanmalıdır.

Anahtar kelimeler: Kullanışlılık, Navigasyon, Bağlantı, Arama motoru, Estetik kaygı.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Our century is Internet and information technology age. The technological progresses and

especially Internet has changed our daily life, from individual manner to business

practices.

“Informatics and communication contribute largely to rapidly changes, which

expose us with a global reality appeared as new one and were not seen during

the last two decades” (Aydın, 1996).

The new technologies and Internet provide countless advantages and facilities for human

beings. Internet is a global network between worldwide computers.

While the importance of Internet increased dy-by-day, one after another arise new web

sites, which created with several aims from firms. Today there are millions of web sites on

the web. On the Internet users can find sites containing information on virtually every

branch of human knowledge and enterprise. Those information involve both serious

information and some entertainment content. By the websites, Internet offers access to

limitless information and data. On the other hand this interaction become more interactive

in our time.

Today most of firms have also a web site that the turnovers are carried out by those sites,

besides traditional marketing activities. Nowadays marketing activities begun significantly

to take part on the Internet. For this reason getting a well-designed web site becomes more

important to firms. Here well-designed corresponds to usability of web sites. Usability is

the measure of the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a web site. Web

site usability corresponds to a study of design and architecture factors that affect a user’s

ability to successfully perform tasks and solve problems on a web site.

“Most valuable advancements are that which created not only new businesses, at

the same time leaves nice impressions in terms of aesthetic” (Aydın, 1996).

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The dense competition in the markets oblige the firms to create effective websites. At this

point come front the need to usability for firms’ web pages. For this reason during creating

their web sites, nowadays firms give more importance to have effective usable web sites. It

should be said that having usable web sites, benefits of this are various for firms, for

instance a reduced development time and costs, reduced support costs, reduced user errors,

reduced training time and costs, return on investment etc.

My hypothesis is that usability factor provides success to web sites, but there are also some

exceptions that though any web site is not usable, but succesful. Examples to those

exceptions can be Hepsiburada, Facebook and Mynet. Hepsiburada

(www.hepsiburada.com) is a virtual store that sales from this web site reach high amounts.

Facebook (www.facebook.com) is other one example, with its not enough usable

interfaces, but having success. Another example is Mynet (www.mynet.com), with its

chaotic homepage. I think Mynet is very successful, despite its bad-designed homepage.

Because today so many people prefer Mynet as a mail or service provider.

In this thesis work called “Questioning the Relevance of ‘Usability’ Criteria for the

Success of Websites”, once it has been made a brief entry to the subject.

In the Second Chapter has been explained the subject of usability throughout the design

process of websites. The subtitles of this chapter are; What is usability?; Usability

Methods; Benefits of Usable Websites; and User Centric Web Sites.

In the Third Chapter have been explained what visual organization is, and some principles

of visual organization.

In the Fourth Chapter has been explained the design process. Its subtitles are; Page design;

Content design; and finally Site design.

In the Conclusion Chapter it has been made a general evaluation about the subject and

putted forth some results of the thesis work.

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2. USABILITY IN WEBSITES

In this chapter in general it has been given information on usability in websites. At this

point firstly has been made a general view to the subject, in this sense is examined what

usability is as well as usability in websites. Following has been explained some usability

methods. Then the importance of usability for websites has been putted forth. After

explaining the benefits of usable websites, has been mentioned about web usability

problems. Afterwards have been given examples to various applications. Finally has been

talked about important items of usability like functionality and aesthetic.

Our century is Internet and information technology age. The fast development and

expansion of Internet has together brought countless advantage and facilities to human

beings.

As its wordal meaning, internet means international communication, and is constituted

from abbreviation of two English words: Inter: International and Net: Network. Internet

connects more than one computers to each other with a TCP/IP protocole (İşman, 2005).

TCP/IP was developed as a common language providing health communication between

those having different features computers and networks which are on the internet (Kırçova,

2005). TCP/IP protocol uses IP addressing. Every computer connected to a network is IP

addressed automatically or manually, depending on the settings made by the network

administrator, which the IP addresses are the combinations of 12 digit numbers, separated

by dots and 32 bits in total. With the help of IP addressing method, a data package can find

its own way to reach the target (İşman, 2005) (Kamat, 2000).

Internet is an electronic network providing relation between persons, groups or institutions

through linking the computers to each other nowadays provided network services

(networking), internet, intranet (internal internet) and extranets (intercompany internet). In

fact internet is an international computer network -network of networks- (Seferoğlu, 2006).

The last stage in the development progress of internet was WWW (World Wide Web).

WWW was fulfilled as an important function that provided easy use of internet, thus it

increases the number of internet users (Mucuk, 2001).

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While the importance of Internet increased in progress of time, until now millions of

websites have also been founded. So that “On the Internet, one can find sites containing

information on virtually every branch of human knowledge and enterprise – from the most

serious scientific topics to catalogues of jokes and erotic pictures.”(Danesi, 2002). By

those websites, today Internet offers access to limitless information and data and also

unprecedented possibilities for interactivity (Herman and McChesney, 2001).

Nowadays marketing activities are also begun significantly to take part on the internet and

caused a new business function called marketing on the internet. The last point arrived the

direct marketing today is that marketing activities are performed in electronic

environments. The changes in communication technologies field has almost closely

affect all business functions and has created new concepts, dimensions and fields (Mucuk,

2001).

All these developments on the internet environment, oblige the firms to create effective

websites. During that time usability becomes an important need for such sites. By virtue of

this during creating their web sites, firms give more importance to get effective usable web

sites. The benefits of having usable web sites are various for firms, such as:

• Reduced development time and costs,

• Reduced support costs,

• Reduced user errors,

• Reduced training time and costs,

• Return on Investment (Webnauts.net, 2009).

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2.1. General View

In this section it will be explained what usability is and will be mentioned about usability

in websites.

2.1.1. Usability

In the literal sense usability is a generic term that refers to design features that enable

something to be user-friendly (Seslisozluk, 2009). But in this thesis work it is used to refer

to features that make a Web site user-friendly.

There are several usability definitions in the literature. Common points of those definitions

are that according to them usability is:

• Quick and easy to learn,

• Efficient to use,

• Allows rapid recovery from errors;

• Easy to remember (Webnauts.net, 2009).

“Usability is the measure of the quality of a user's experience when interacting

with a product or system - whether a web site, software application, mobile

technology, or any user-operated device” (Webnauts.net, 2009).

2.1.2. Usability in Websites

When said usability in programming language this means the effectiveness, efficiency, and

satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks in a particular environment of a product.

High usability means a system is: easy to learn and remember; efficient, visually pleasing

and fun to use; and quick to recover from errors.

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On the other hand web site usability corresponds to a study of design and architecture

factors that affect a user’s ability to successfully perform tasks and solve problems on a

Web site (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

The benefits of usability for visitors are the following:

• They will be satisfied, not frustrated, with the web site or product,

• They will enjoy interacting with the web site or product,

• They will achieve their goals effectively and efficiently,

• They will cultivate confidence and trust in the product or web site (Webnauts.net,

2009).

Until now made several researches indicate that usability degrees changed according to age

groups. For instance, when using websites, teenagers have a lower success rate than adults

and they’re also easily bored. For this reason, researchers argue that websites must be

simple and supply plenty of interactive features for teens (Useit.com, 2005).

Usage of websites from teenagers depend on two reasons:

“� There are many existing reports about how teens use computer-mediated communication, mobile devices, and other non-Web technologies. Such studies are not always conducted using proper usability methodology, and they tend to rely too much on surveys of self-reported behavior rather than direct observation of actual behavior. Still, this area has been well covered by other researchers.

� Non-website design is a highly restricted market: there are about three significant vendors of chat and IM software, ten big vendors of mobile phones, and a handful of important music download services. It doesn't make sense to publish a general report for so few readers. In contrast, there are 60 million websites in the world, and a big percentage of them might be interested in how to better serve teenagers” (Useit.com, 2005).

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Table 2.1: The Main Differences in Web Design Approaches for Young Children, Teenagers, and Adults.

Animation

and sound effects

Mine sweeping for links Advertising Scrolling Reading

Kids

Teens

Adults

Enjoyable, interesting, and appealing, or users can easily adjust to it. Users might appreciate it to some extent, but overuse can be problematic. Users dislike it, don't do it, or find it difficult to operate.

Note: The findings about children are from 6-12 year-old users (Jacob Nielsen’s Alertbox, 2005). (This research was conducted both in U.S. and Australia.)

“On the Web, usability is a necessary condition for survival. If a web site is

difficult to use, people leave. If the homepage fails to clearly state what a

company offers and what users can do on the site, people leave” (Webnauts.net,

2009).

Researches on usability of websites can be included both qualitative and quantitative data.

During the examinations can be appealed to one-on-one interviews as well as qualitative

follow-ups or stand-alone researches (Gongos, 2009).

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Figure 2.1: The Usability Research Process (Gongos, 2009).

“Website Usability provides rich insight into the success of a company's web-

based marketing and online service efforts. It helps companies understand how

users interact with their website and reveals common perceptions, heuristics

and problems users may encounter. Qualitative Website Usability research is

conducted using a "think out loud" methodology in which a user performs a set

of tasks critical to the success of the site, while being interviewed and observed

by a specially trained moderator. Quantitatively, Website Usability can be

conducted on “live” and/or prototype sites with large, statistically projectable

samples” (Gongos, 2009).

Usability testing frequently involves giving users well-defined tasks and evaluating how

different Web site designs enhance or hamper their ability to complete tasks effectively.

The test results are then used to improve the usability of the Web site for a specific

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audience (or audiences). As before said usability is the measure of the quality of a user's

experience with a product or system (Webnauts.net, 2009). Such analyzes could include

those subjects:

- Individual tailoring to your goals and to the questions you want answered,

- Time- and cost- efficient,

- Founded on international benchmarks,

- At the early stages of development - from screen design to a clickable dummy site to a

website which has already been placed on line (Mediah, 2009).

“The experience of a website - the user experience - contributes very directly to

the response and conversion rates obtained on the web site, and to the overall

image of your company and its products” (Mediah, 2009).

Figure 2.2: Components of Usability Testing (Mediah, 2009).

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“To understand when something is truly usable, you actually have to look at

what happens when it is not usable” (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

Nowadays usability has assumed a much greater importance in the Internet economy than

it has in the past (Nielsen, 2000).

“In traditonal physical product development, customers did not get to

experience the usability of the product until after they had already bought and

paid for it. Say, for example, you buy a VCR and discover that it’s difficult to

set the clock and that you cannot figure out how to program the taping of your

favorite shows. Though luck–the manufacturer is laughing all the way to the

bank.

… The Web reverses the picture. Now, users experience the usability of a site

before they have committed to using it and before they have spent any money on

potential purchases” (Nielsen, 2000).

2.2. Usability Methods

For getting a well-designed web site it is important to follow a method. If said method this

could involve needs analysis, user and task analysis, functional analysis, requirement

analysis, setting usability specifications, design, prototyping and evaluation.

Today the firms, which depend on a user-centered development methodology, they could

develop successful user interfaces. A user interface comprises “those aspects of the system

that a user comes in contact with” (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004). Such a methodology is

useful for creating any sort of interface, from spreadsheet programs to video games to

websites.

Needs analysis summarizes the nature and purpose of the system. What the users need, is

the main question in needs analysis. User analysis characterizes the people who will use

any web site. On the other hand task analysis looks at the type of work users will do at any

web site. It examines user goals, related with the user wants when they visited a site.

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In functional analysis is identified the functionality. Functionality is important an future to

provide usability to web sites.

Requirement analysis involves the formal specifications required to implement any

website. Requirement analysis includes:

• Determining the goals for the website from the perspective of the user and the business.

• Determining the user needs and target usability requirements.

• Evaluating existing versions of the site.

• Performing a competitive analysis.

• Performing user interviews and surveys (Usability First, 2005).

On the other hand setting usability specifications will help to determine how good is a

website.

“Usability specifications include performance measures, such as “number of

tasks completed” and “number of errors”, which are directly observable user

behaviors. Usability specifications also include preference measures, which

give insights into a user’s opinion about your site” (McCracken and Wolfe,

2004).

In the design phase, is decided on the organization and appearance of any website,

According to this decision is identified the content – it organized according to users’

expectations. During the organization of content some techniques are used, which are one

of the most critical elements for successful websites. In the design phase, it should also be

given importance to any items, such as decision on site’s look and feel, and how to set up

the navigation. Design also includes the layout of individual pages and how to use visual

organization techniques to create clarity and consistency between pages. Also sketches of

page layouts are prepared according to user wants at this stage. Furthermore the screens are

designed at earlier stages of design process. In all these processes is aimed to get attractive

web sites.

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Figure 2.3: Disciplines that Contribute to Human-Computer Interaction (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

Prototypes are interactive representations of the site (Usability First, 2005). A prototype

means an original model or a pattern. During prototyping is created a model of website.

This created model should be applicable by all manner of means. Today there is a wide

range of techniques and tools available for prototyping websites.

And finally evaluation; it is the phase of testing the prototype. This process is similar to

testing a program. Evaluation occurs at every stage of the process. At this stage is needed

to know where the problems are in prototype. The evaluation results are used for

improving the prototypes (Usability First, 2005).

Human-Computer Interaction

Graphic Design

Cognitive Psychology

Sociology Artificial Intelligence

Technical Writing

Engineering

Computer Science

Art

Social and Organizational Psychology

Ergonomics

Linguistics Anthropology

textual and visual communication

aesthetic appeal

group behavior

faster, cheaper machines

faster, better implementation

cultures

individual and group dynamics modeling

mental processes

equipment design

speech recognition natural language processing

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There are two types of evaluation; these are user-based evaluation and expert-based

evaluation.

“In a user-based evaluation, you ask actual users to perform representative

tasks with your prototype. As a user carries out each task, an observer takes

notes on where problems occurred. In an expert-based evaluation, a group of

usability experts critique the prototype” (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

Table 2.2: Informal development model, tasks and usability methods for Web sites (Cunliffe, 2000). Stage Usability method Establish the need – before the Web is adopted as a solution Information providers business objectives Whether a Web site is the right solution Define success

One-to-one meetings Brainstorming

Gather information – before any Web development takes place Competitive analysis Key users Key user characteristics Key user tasks Information objects Relevant published research Reusable content resources Appropriate guidelines and heuristics

Competitive analysis Focus groups Interviews Surveys Questionnaires Scenarios Customer pathways Review appropriate existing studies of user information-related behaviour Design team brainstorming

Develop and evaluate –before creating the complete site Design look and feel Structure and chunking Create prototypes Evaluate prototype usability Evaluate prototype accessibility Evaluate conformance to guidelines

Web design guidelines Card sorting Focus groups Prototype testing On-line feedback forms Questionnaires Scenarios Think-aloud methods Direct observation Interviews Structural analysis Inspection/ walkthrough methods

Implement – once all design decisions have been finalized Validate Check internal and external links Launch Publicise

Continuing competitive analysis On-line questionnaire Email feedback Search terms analysis Log analysis

Maintain – continuously after site has been launched Monitor site use Check external links Gather user feedback Monitor changing business objectives Monitor changes in technology Continue competitive analysis Continue to understand key users

Search terms analysis Log analysis On-line questionnaire E-mail feedback Continuing competitive analysis

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2.3. The Importance of Usability for Websites

The importance of usability for websites is big. Website usability provides various benefits

for both sides – to the firm and to the users. The importance of usable websites connected

with those benefits. In fact the benefits of usable websites are various. Some benefits of

usable websites are explained in below text.

2.4. Benefits of Usable Websites

Benefits of usable websites are various, such as gaining a competitive edge; reduced

development and maintenance costs; improved productivity; and finally lower support

costs. These benefits are to the firm.

“On the Web, your competition is not limited to the other companies in your

industry. With all the other millions of sites out there, you are in competition for

the users’ time and attention, and web users get their expectations for great

usability from the very best of all these other sites” (Nielsen, 2000).

On the other hand there are benefits to users, such as quick access to the wanted

information, products and services.

“Usability rules the Web. Simply stated, if the customer can’t find a product

then he or she will not buy it.

The Web is the ultimate customer-empowering environment. He or she who

clicks the mouse gets to decide everything. It is so easy to go elsewhere; all the

competitors in the world are but a mouseclick away” (Nielsen, 2000).

2.5. Web Usability Problems

A web site should be designed with high usability. If followed such a way then the users

prefer such websites. Otherwise they don’t prefer those sites.

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A web site should be usable, functional as well as aesthetic. If a website is functional then

that site will be usable. For this reason functionality is important to provide usability for

websites.

The websites should be designed as simple not complex; the functionality should be on the

forefront. Most of web usability problems result from complex designs.

“A web site's usability can make or break the site. In today's increasingly

complex web environment with hybrid sites + applications, technology

demands and limitations, and competing interests, it is even more critical and

challenging to keep your eye on the usability ball” (WebGuild, 2009).

2.6. Various Applications

Nowadays there are various applications of usable websites. One and most famous of them

are amazon.com. Today millions of people make their purchasing via amazon.com. From

amazon.com people could buy various products and services, such as books, videos,

movies, music, dresses, shoes, etc. (http://www.amazon.com/). Another famous online

selling portal is ebay. From ebay’s web site people can buy various products and services

too.

On the other hand there are exceptions for web sites, which have not usable web sites, but

selling their products or services unexpected amount. Examples to these sites from Turkey

are hepsiburada.com and mynet.com. Hepsiburada is a virtual store that sales from this

web site reach high amounts (www.hepsiburada.com). On the other hand despite its bad-

designed and chaotic homepage, Mynet is very successful. Also an example from the

world is facebook.com. In fact Facebook has not usable interfaces, but it is successful in

this particular. Today so many people prefer these websites.

16

Figure 2.4: Homepage of Amazon.com (Spool, 2006).

Figure 2.5: A Screenshot from ebay (WordPress.com, 2007).

17

2.7. Items of Usability

Main items of usability are functionality and aesthetic. In below text are explained these

components.

2.7.1. Functionality

Functionality is important one component of usability. Functionality factor should be

regarded in design phase. There are various functionality concerns. For instance on the

web sites, the search boxes should be located to the right. This will provide a functional

use. Users prefer such web sites more than the sites in which located the search boxes to

the left.

Recently made a study has showed that users expect Search to be in the upper right on the

page, such as on Washington Mutual’s Home Page.

Figure 2.6: Washington Mutual’s Home Page (Spool, 2006).

Functionality generally used in a comparative sense. For instance it is said that the

functionality of Washington Mutual’s Home page is high than Wells Fargo’s Home page.

Because the search box on Washington Mutual’s homage is located to the right, but on

Wells Fargo’s homepage that search box is located on the left (Spool, 2006).

18

In normal conditions eye’s perception is following a road from left to right and from top to

down. The reason why the search box located to the right of the page is that in such a way

the information could be brought to forefront (Defot, 2009).

Figure 2.7: Wells Fargo’s Home Page (Spool, 2006).

2.7.2. Aesthetic

Aesthetic is another important functionality component. A web site should be designed

with aesthetic concerns. Aesthetic provides sense-perception to the user-website

interaction. Users who are in interaction with aesthetic websites, they don’t leave those

sites. The interaction between users and such websites are long-termed. Aesthetic provides

the continuity in this interaction.

In fact aesthetic is the appreciation of beautiful things – products or services – from people.

Products or services could be chosen for their aesthetic appeal. Shortly aesthetic connected

with the beauties.

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3. DESIGN FOR USABILITY IN WEBSITES

In this chapter in general it has been mentioned about the subject of design for usability in

websites. At this point it is given information on design for both page, content and site

usability. Also in entire topics it has been given components, characteristics and principles

of all design types. Moreover under components of content design it is given information

about writing, color and multimedia usages.

The importance of web sites gradually increased day after day for all sides. Creating a

website is a demanding job. Some steps of Web design are the following:

• 1st Step: Preparation and recognizing the programmes,

• 2nd Step: Preparing the site template and the scene,

• 3rd Step: Preparing the menu, homepage and page transition animation,

• 4th Step: Preparing the homepage and information page, XML usage,

• 5th Step: Preparing the photo gallery page,

• 6th Step: Preparing the MP4 video player page,

• 7th Step: Preparing the communication page and the communication form, use of PHP

programme,

• 8th Step: Adding sound effects and preparing MP3 sound player controls,

• 9th Step: Preparing the boot loader and opening animation, adding the homepage

button,

• 10th Step: Publishing the site, indexing, and opening the site to Internet (Gelişken,

2009).

Design phase is important to get usable websites. If wanted to get usable websites then

users should be considered throughout the website design process.

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“Users should be considered throughout the website design process. Usability

should not be an afterthought. Testing and fixing a website after it has been

built is inefficient and unlikely to produce good results. The best approach to

take is to incorporate a model of "pervasive usability" into your design and

production process” (Usability First, 2005).

The usability factor should be regarded in the design phase. The benefits of planning

usability are:

• Increased end-user satisfaction

• Increased end-user productivity, success, and completion

• Reduced long-term development costs (costs incurred from fixing poorly designed

products)

• Reduced training and support costs

• Return business to improve competitiveness (Usability First, 2005).

When usability factor regarded in the design phase, then end-user’ satisfaction,

productivity, success and completion increase, on the other hand long-term development

costs besides training and support costs reduced. Also firms which have usable websites,

their competition abilities in the markets increase.

Human brain perceives the usability with its left-brain functions. Usability corresponds to

left-brain functions. Our left-brain is more analytic. On the other hand right-brain is

connected with design/creative. This side of brain is in relation with holistic thoughts,

intuition, creativity, and art and music. That is to say our right-brain associated with

aesthetic concerns.

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Figure 3.1: A formula to User Experience; Experience = Usability / Analytic + Design /

Creative (WebGuild, 2009).

Usable websites means that which sites designed more functional, they are simple i.e. not

complex, any user can easily reached what he or she looking for or wanted on the site.

3.1. Design for Page Usability

Design for page usability requires many things. In below text there are explanations on

components, characteristics and principles of design for page usability.

3.1.1. Components of Page Design

Web pages should be dominated by content of interest to the user. During design phase it

should be given more importance to information content than navigations. Navigation is

necessary but should be minimized in the web pages for page usability.

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“Page design is the most immediately visible part of web design. With current

browser technology, users are looking at a single page at a time (or, at most,

two or three pages if they have a large screen with multiple windows open)”

(Nielsen, 2000).

During page designing whitespace is not necessarily useless, and it would be a mistake to

design overly compact pages. Whitespace can guide the eye and help users understand the

grouping of information.

Some amount of wasted space is inevitable in most designs because it is almost impossible

to make a page that will be shown as a perfect rectangle within the user’s browser under all

circumstances. Some holes will usually be left over.

“As a rule of thumb, content should account for at least half of a page’s design,

and preferably closer to 80 percent. Navigation should be kept below 20

percent of the space for destination pages, although navigation options may

account for much higher proportions of home pages and intermediate

navigation pages. From a usability perspective, it would be best to eliminate

advertising; if you do need to run ads, you should consider them part of the

page overhead together with the navigation options, meaning that the

navigation design will have to be reduced in weight” (Nielsen, 2000).

A general principle for all user interface design is to go through all of design elements and

remove them one at a time. In time a certain design element should be selected.

Web pages should be far from complexity. Because simplicity is important for getting page

usability. Simple web pages are usually advantageous versus complex one. But again there

are exceptions in this respect.

Web pages should be designed as far from confusing and overwhelming. That is to say

they should less stressful for users. For instance when used excessive writing on the page,

there should be an order between writings or writing groupings.

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Putting a logo (linked to the home page) on every page, this will provide context and

navigation for users who have gone straight to an internal page.

To use several images on the page like photos, paintings, graphics and some components

like sounds, video, multimedia, in this way the visual attractiveness of webpage will be

increased.

Figure 3.2: Evolution of the Home Page Design (Useit.com, 1995).

24

In any case the page background should be white. Hypertext links should also be white.

Using white color for the page background, this will highlight the images on the page. If

not than seeing the images will get difficult, and their effects reduced on the page.

Response times should be as fast as possible, but it should be not forgotten that a limit for

this is oneself human being capacity. Over response times is unnecessary, because human

being can not keep up them. On the other hand low variability is also important for

response time usability. The satisfaction of users depends on their expectations as well as

the actual response time performance. If the same action sometimes happens fast and

sometimes is slow, users won’t know what to expect and, therefore, cannot adjust their

behavior to optimize their use of the system. If people assume that an action will be fast,

they will be disappointed if it is slow; on the other hand, if they expect it to be slow, they

will be more tolerant of exactly the same delay. This phenomenon is one of the reasons

response time variability should be kept to a minimum. Response times should be

stabilized, by this way response time usability can be increased.

“Research on a wide variety of hypertext systems has shown that users need

response times of less than one second when moving from one page to another

if they are to navigate freely through an information space. Traditional human

factors research into response times also shows the need for response times

faster than one second” (Nielsen, 2000).

On the other hand speed is also important for web sites. Speed must be the overriding

design criterion in design phase. Speedy downloads and connections are needed

requirements for the web pages.

Linking is another important component of page design. Links are the most important part

of hypertext; they connect the pages and allow users to go to new and exciting places on

the Web. To get webpage usability, it should be allowed for links. There are three main

forms of links, as below have been pointed out:

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• Structural navigation links: These links outline the structure of the information space

and allow users to go to other parts of the space. Typical examples are home page

buttons and links to a set of pages that are subordinate to the current page.

• Associative links within the content of the page: These links are usually underlined

words (although they can also be imagemaps) and point to pages with more

information about the anchor text.

• See Also lists of additional references: These links are provided to help users find

what they want if the current page isn’t the right one (Nielsen, 2000).

Also implementing a single style sheet for all the pages on the site this will increase the

webpage usability. One of the main benefits of style sheets is to ensure visual continuity as

the user navigates the site. Instead of embedded styles it should be used always linked style

sheets. For each site, all the style sheets should be designed by a single, central design

group. There are two reasons for this. First, centralized design is the only way to ensure a

consistent style and reap one of the main benefits of style sheets. Second, the majority of

web content creators will not be capable of designing or writing good style sheets.

3.1.2. Characteristics of Usable Web Pages

Characteristics of usable web pages are several. These are the primary ones: focus on user

interests, well formed page layouts, well organized page content, simplicity, functionality,

creativity, and finally aesthetic. These are common features of usable web pages. But there

can be also exceptions in this respect.

Today, as a rule the web pages are created as more focused on users needs. Today’s web

sites are formed also as to be given more importance to increase the interactivity between

web pages-and-users. Well formed and more organized pages increase the usability of web

pages.

26

Nowadays web pages also are created simpler, usually functionality accompanies to this

feature. Moreover it should be said that today is given more importance to add creative

elements as well as aesthetic to web pages.

Today, during creating the web pages it is given more importance to increase the response

time usability, for this purpose response times are well determined.

3.1.3. Principles at Design for Page Usability

Simplicity should be the goal of page design. It is also important to ensure that page

designs work across a wide range of platforms and that they can be accessed by people

who use old technology.

Principles at design for page usability, the main ones are these:

- User focused design: The content of pages should be full with interesting information

for the user.

- Less navigation use than information use: The navigations should be enough

amounts, not excessive. The amount of information should be dominant on the pages.

Because of this navigation should be minimized in the web pages.

- Simplicity: Simplicity is the major necessity to get page usability. The design of pages

should be not complex. As a general rule simple web pages have advantages against

complex web pages.

- Functionality: Functionality should be considered since the design phase. Benefiting

from browser technologies, for instance a search engine will be very beneficial for

users.

- Creativity: Creative pages will provide more user attraction. The web pages should

contain creative applications – here creativity means both different and usable

applications, not unnecessary one.

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- Aesthetic: Getting aesthetic to the web pages is important for providing a longtime

user-and-web site interaction. The web pages which have designed with aesthetic

manners, they attract more people than simple one, the span of interactivity also

increase.

- A well content organization: Organization is very important for getting usable web

pages. The content of web pages (including writings, pictures, graphics etc.) should be

well organized, arranged, adjusted and aligned on the pages. A well organization

between components, this will provide attractiveness to the page. Symmetric

applications will be useful at that moment. Similar components should also be grouped

on the page. Users should understand the grouping of information on the page. On the

other hand overly compact pages will not acceptable. To overcome this problem, it can

be used whitespaces on the page.

- Giving importance to visual organization: Visual organization based on four

principles, these are; proximity, alignment, consistency and contrast concerns.

Applying proximity can add clarity to a page by organizing related items. Alignment

corresponds to positioning the things along a virtual or invisible line. Consistency

means a high degree of uniformity in layout within a page and uniformity in layout

across pages. And finally contrast can draw attention to items on the page and reinforce

the content hierarchy by creating a visual hierarchy (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

- Arriving to the aim with least certain design elements: Selection of design elements

is important for getting usable web pages. It is not accepted applying lots of design

principles together in the design phase. Here come front the importance of selection of

will be used design elements. Designers should not forget that best of all choices will

be selecting a certain one between those design elements.

- Giving importance to speed: Web pages must be speedy. Speed must be the

overriding design criterion. For the web pages speedy downloads and speedy

connections will be acceptable.

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- Providing fast response times: Response times should be as fast as possible, but not

over the human being capability.

- Forming linking facilities: For getting webpage usability the links are very important

tools. While allowed for links in it, the usability of any webpage increases (Nielsen,

2000).

3.2. Design for Content Usability

Design for content usability is another important endeavor in web design. Content is

information that is organized in a structured manner. The presentation of content is

determined by the design of a site. While content refers to structured data, design refers to

the way the data is visually presented (eZ, 2009).

“Ultimately, users visit your website for its content. Everything else is just the

backdrop. The design is there to allow people access to the content” (Nielsen,

2000).

Content is the focus of the web users’s attention. Quality content is one of the two most

important determinants of web usability, the other being whether users can find the page

they want.

“On the web, “quality content” means something different than in traditional

media. Production qualities are relatively less important; well-crafted writing

and beautiful pictures are certainly appreciated, but they are no longer the

defining characteristics of quality. Instead, the main questions asked by the

user when judging content include “What’s in it for me?” and “How does this

help me solve my problem?”” (Nielsen, 2000).

The content needs to be much more oriented toward providing fast answers and being

useful to the users. Because web users are goal-driven and impatient on the web.

There are several components of content design, which explained in below text.

29

Figure 3.3: Content + Design = Webpage (eZ, 2009).

3.2.1. Components of Content Design

Components of content design are several. If said content design, this involves providing

harmony between texts, images (photos, paintings or objects) or other things (videos,

multimedia tools etc.) on the page. The images on the web pages should be both not

excessive big nor smallest. During designing the content it is important to provide

harmonization between images, writings, and colors on the page (Nielsen, 2000).

The content of webpage should be designed as presenting visual beauties. At this point

coming front the importance of the harmony at content.

The images on the page should be used required amount – not excessive. For instance

graphics should be kept to a minimum, and multimedia effects should be used only when

they required.

“When it’s necessary to use graphics, however, try using multiple occurrences

of the same image instead of using different images; subsequent instances of the

same image file will render quickly because the image will be in the user’s local

cache. Within a single page, image reuse will typically be relevant for smaller,

decorative images such as buttons, arrows, and icons” (Nielsen, 2000).

CONTENT

Headline

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

+

DESIGN WEBPAGE

=

Headline

Xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

30

3.2.1.1. Writing Usage

Fonts are important component of writing in websites. Using specific fonts on the Web is

extremely dangerous. Fonts which used in the design, they should available for user usage,

i.e. those should be available on the user’s machine. For this reason it will best to accept a

default font. Because the text on the page should be displayed correctly (Nielsen, 2000).

Today there are thousands of fonts which known and used with different purposes in

various fields (Uçar, 2004). However best of all is the use of most known and used one-or-

ones for the web pages. Examples to most known and used fonts are Times new roman,

Arial (its Machintosh version called Helvetica), Garamond, etc. (İstek, 2005).

Font Name

Letters – Numbers – Styles

Times New Roman

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p r s t u v w y z x q A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z X Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Times New Roman - Italic

Times New Roman - Bold

Arial

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p r s t u v w y z x q A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z X Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Times New Roman - Italic

Times New Roman - Bold

Garamond

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p r s t u v w y z x q A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z X Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Times New Roman - Italic

Times New Roman - Bold

Tahoma

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p r s t u v w y z x q A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z X Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Times New Roman - Italic

Times New Roman - Bold

Figure 3.4: Examples to Today’s Most Known and Used Fonts (Figure created from us).

31

Writing is used in most parts of a website including headings, texts as well as buttons or

link titles.

Writing principles in web content design is similar to the typography principles. In web

content design the writing principles such as spacing, arrangement of letter spaces, word

spaces and line spaces, arrangement of gaps between line spaces in the text, and

arrangement of gaps between paragraphs and columns are like in typography (İstek, 2005).

Selected font or fonts for content design should be most appropriate one or ones. However,

selecting the most appropriate font or fonts for content design is very difficult job (Uçar,

2004).

Text arrangements are important efforts in web content design. There are various text

arrangement configurations that benefited from web designers. In web texts in general are

used artless fonts, rather than ornamented as well as calligraphic fonts (İstek, 2005).

The main efforts in writing design for content are the arrangement of gaps between letters,

words, paragraphs, lines or columns, and providing harmony between texts and other

objects (images, graphics, tables etc.) found on the page (Uçar, 2004).

Texts are necessary elements of visual communication. In web content design those

elements are essential too. In fact a well designed page layout will increase the usability of

content. Here come front the importance of composition on the page. All texts, images and

other items should be well placed on the page. The composition should be creative in any

case. When this to be realized, then the effects of composition increased. The white spaces,

their uses, and their amounts on the page are important in getting content usability. The

most important thing in visual design is white space. The white spaces should be

watchfully used on the page. Because in this way the elements on the page will be good

seen. It is required to good using those white spaces. When those used correctly then the

quality and functionality of page will be increase. It should be not forgotten that like other

composition elements an excessive writing use will decrease the quality of page and the

design will begin to be boring (İstek, 2005).

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On the page, users look at the text and the headlines first. The texts should be

grammatically correct on the page. Also the texts should be arranged as attract one’s

attention to page.

The three main guidelines for writing for the Web include the following:

• Be succinct. Write no more than 50 percent of the text you would have used to cover

the same material in a print publication.

• Write for scannability. Don’t require users to read long continuous blocks of text;

instead, use short paragraphs, subheadings, and bulleted lists.

• Use hypertext to split up long information into multiple pages (Nielsen, 2000).

It’ll best if the texts on the page are short. Because, people don’t want to read a lot of text

from computer screens. On the other hand web texts should not be without personality.

“Usability studies show that users appreciate some amount of humor and

attitude in web pages. … The correct amount of attitude in a web page is: Not

too much, not too little” (Nielsen, 2000).

All web pages should be run through a spelling checker. Because misspelled words are an

embarrassment and may slow down users or be confusing. The texts on the page should be

already controlled for grammatical mistakes.

One of the other necessities for texts is scannability. Scannability levels of texts should be

high. Because on the web users tend not to read streams of text fully. Instead, users scan

text and pick out keywords, sentences, and paragraphs of interest.

Also because of web users don’t take the time to read through a lot of material, it is

important to start each page with a conclusion. Primary elements or messages should be

principally indicated on the page. On the other hand on the pages should be used a plain

language. Moreover humor should be used with great caution on the web.

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The texts on the page should be short without sacrificing depth of content by splitting the

information into multiple nodes connected by hypertext links. Brief information is

advisable for content usability. Long and detailed background information can be placed to

secondary pages. On the other hand hypertext should not be used to segment a long linear

story into multiple pages.

Page titles are other important things in writing. In HTML, every page has a title that is

specified in the header section of the page (Gelişken, 2009). Different pages need different

titles. It is important to specify good page titles. Because of the titles are often used as the

main reference to the pages. It is important that the title have enough words to stand on its

own and be meaningful when read in a menu or a search listing. In fact overly long titles

slow down users, so it is best to aim at titles between two to six words. Also page titles

should be created as having clarity. Moreover page titles should be designed as giving

attention to quick scanning (Nielsen, 2000).

Writing headlines is also important in content design. The requirements for online

headlines are different from printed headlines because they are used differently. The

headline text has to stand on its own and make sense when the rest of the content is

unavailable. The main guidelines for writing headlines for the Web are:

• Clearly explaining what the article is about in terms that relate to the user.

Microcontent should be an ultra-short abstract of its associated macrocontent.

• Writing in plain language: no puns, and no “cute” or “clever” headlines.

• Avoiding teasers that try to entice people to click to find out what the story is about.

Users have been burned too often to wait for a page to download unless they have clear

expectations of what they will get. In print, curiosity can get people to turn the page or

start reading an article. Online, it’s simply too painful for people to do so.

• Skipping leading articles such as A, An, and The in email subjects and page titles. Also

shorter microcontent is more scannable.

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• Making the first word an important, information-carrying one, which will result in

better positioning in alphabetized lists and facilitate scanning.

• Do not starting all page titles with the same word. They will be hard to differentiate

when scanning a list. Moving common markers toward the end of the line (Nielsen,

2000).

Also the texts should be legible on the page. Legibility is important in content design.

There are a few basic rules that should be followed by all websites to ensure legibility, as

following:

• Using colors with high contrast between the text and the background. Optimal

legibility requires black text on a white background (so-called positive text). White text

on a black background (negative text) is almost as good. Although the contrast ratio is

the same as for positive text, the inverted color scheme throws people off a little and

slows their reading slightly. Legibility suffers much more for color schemes that make

the text any lighter than pure black, especially if the background is made any darker

than pure white. The worst are color schemes like pink text on green background: too

little contrast to begin with and impossible to read for red-green colorblind users.

• Using either plain-color backgrounds or extremely subtle background patterns.

Background graphics interfere with the eye’s capability to resolve the lines in the

characters ad recognize word shapes.

• Using big enough fonts that people can read the text, even if they don’t have perfect

vision. Tiny font sizes should be relegated to footnotes and legal disclaimers that few

people are expected to read.

• Making the text stand still. Moving, blinking, or zooming text is much harder to read

than static words (Nielsen, 2000).

It is always preferable to design user interfaces that are so easy to learn. User interfaces

should be designed as easy to learn.

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Texts can also be used with different purposes on the page. One example to this is the link

titles. The goal of the link title is to help users predict what will happen if they follow a

link. Appropriate information to include in a link title can be:

• Name of the site the link will lead to (if different from the current site)

• Name of the subsite the link will lead to (if staying within the current site but moving

to a different part of the site)

• Added details about the kind of information to be found on the destination page, as

well as how it relates to the anchor text and to the context of the current page (Nielsen,

2000).

Link titles should be less than 80 characters, and rarely should they ever exceed 60

characters. It is accepted that shorter link titles are better than longer link titles (Nielsen,

2000).

3.2.1.2. Color Using

Using the appropriate colors with appropriate amounts is important during content design.

Because if this materialized as desired then the usability of content increase. The harmony

between colors on the page is important for increasing the content usability. While

designers fitted to color use principles during the design phase, then they would get more

successful results in this particular. A well fit between colors also increase the user interest

to content.

It is known that all colors constituted from three main colors; yellow, blue and red. These

colors are called primary colors. With the mix of these main colors constitute secondary

colors including orange(yellow+red), green(blue+yellow) and violet(red+blue) (Teachnet,

2009).

36

Figure 3.5: The Color Wheel (Teachnet, 2009).

Tertiary colors created by mixing equal portions of one primary and one secondary colors

(Clairol Professional, 2009).

On the page it should be used complementary colors to increase the usability of content.

Colors that are directly opposite each other on the color spectrum called complementary

colors (Clairol Professional, 2009). Using contrast colors on the page increase the effect of

page in human brain.

On the pages, there should be high contrast between text and background. When used

black color for the texts, then it will best to decide white color for background. If selected

the background color as yellow, then the text colors can be for instance red or blue. By this

way the content will be brought much usable for users.

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Figure 3.6: Light Primary Colors and Their Complements (NCSU, 2009).

Also during the design phase it should be not forgotten that different colors have different

effects on human being. By itself color can give message, can direct the behaviors, and has

an effect on human body. In the same time color is an attraction element (Uçar, 2004).

Different effects of some colors are listed below:

• White: Positiveness, adaptation, comfort, cleanness, calmness.

• Black: Mysteriousness, nobility, efficiency, chaos, ambiguity, disfigure.

• Red: Activity, dynamism, passion, love, attractiveness, stimulation.

• Yellow: Worthiness, status, attention, familiarity, positiveness, happiness,

cheerfulness, valuableness, everlasting.

• Blue: Endlessness, peace, conciliation, self-confidence, deepness, immensity,

transparency, purity, freedom, escapism, expectations.

38

• Green: Conciliation, peace, rest, liveliness, naturality, healthiness (Uçar, 2004).

Colors also can be used in different parts of page. One example is web browsers. On the

web browsers are used mostly two different colors to display links; these are blue, and

purple or red. When non-standard link colors are used, users lose the ability to clearly see

which parts of the site they have already visited and which parts remain to be explored.

“Most web browsers use two different colors to display links. Links to pages

that the user has not seen before are typically displayed in blue, whereas links

to pages that the user did see earlier are displayed in purple or red. It is

critical for web usability to retain this color coding in your link colors.

Although it is unnecessary to use exactly the same shade of blue as the browser

default, unvisited links must unmistakably be blue and visited links must

unmistakably be reddish or purple” (Nielsen, 2000).

3.2.1.3. Multimedia Usage

Multimedia use increased in web pages. Multimedia is the incorporation of more than one

medium in a presentation. If said multimedia this include for instance animations, videos,

audios, graphics, pictures, films etc. Multimedia use requires design discipline. In fact

unconstrained use of multimedia confuses users and makes it harder for them to understand

the information.

“Multimedia is simply multiple forms of media integrated together. Media can

be text, graphics, audio, animation, video, data, etc. An example of multimedia is

a web page on the topic of Mozart that has text regarding the composer along

with an audio file of some of his music and can even include a video of his music

being played in a hall” (Tech-FAQ, 2009).

Usage of multimedia on the page must be required amount. It will not acceptable to use

over multimedia effects, because excessive use of multimedia effects break users’

concentration and they could not concentrate to information. That is to say here

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multimedia effects come to front of the information, though information is important than

the other elements of page.

As for small amount and appropriate multimedia use, it will support the content.

Furthermore there are various advantages of multimedia use. Multimedia use presents

various advantages to users. For instance the Flash usage provides several advantages to

users. Such applications also are very successful in attract user’s attention.

Figure 3.7: Multimedia Use on the Web (Plastic Past, 2009).

The amount of graphics on web pages should be minimized. Because they require long

download times. Gratuitous graphics should be not used on the pages. Also the bigness of

all images should be appropriate amount on the page. Image reduction will be beneficial

for getting content usability. Sometimes, a full-size image is too large to be included in the

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primary web page. The two traditional approaches to making images smaller are cropping

and scaling. Unfortunately, cropping leads to loss of context, especially as the images get

cropped very tightly, and scaling leads to loss of detail, making it hard to see what the

image depicts. At this point it is advised to use relevance-enhanced image reduction.

Relevance-enhanced image reduction results in images that preserve both context and

detail, even at very small sizes (Nielsen, 2000).

Animations are moving images. Appropriate amount use of animations can increase the

user interest to content. Their uses usually increase the visual attractiveness. Together they

provide attention to the content.

Finally use of video should be also minimized on the Web. Videos should be used in the

content if they serve as a supplement to text and images more than to provide the main

content of a website. On the other hand because of the poor quality of streaming video, it is

often best to digitize a higher-quality version of the video on the page.

3.2.2. Characteristics of Usable Contents

There are some characteristics of usable contents, these are the primary ones:

- Giving importance to proportion basics: The images should be not excessive big nor

smallest on the pages. Their bigness should be well proportioned on the page. The

bigness of any image should be relevant with its importance on the page. A less

important image must not big than an important one on the page.

- Using required amount images: Image use on the page should be required amount

not excessive nor never. For instance the page should not be overwhelmed with

excessive graphic use. Used images on the page should increase-and-support the

understandability of information in the mind of users. It is acceptable to use minimal

image on the page. This will increase the content usability.

- Fitting to writing principles: It should be fitted to writing principles on the Web. For

instance it should be getting out from specific font use. When selected a font for use

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between all alternatives, that font should be available on the user’s machine. It will be

best to choice most known one or ones from many font families for content design.

Arrangement of gaps between the letters, words, paragraphs, lines, and columns should

be most appropriately in the text. The harmony between texts and other images

(photos, graphics, paintings, shapes etc.) on the page is also important. When fitted to

these principles, then the usability of content will increase in all respects. On the other

hand web texts should be short. Some amount of humor and attitude on the page is

advisable. The correct amount of attitude in a web page is: Not too much, not too little.

The texts on the page grammatically should be correct written. Misspelled words will

slow down users or be confusing. Consequently the texts should be already controlled

for grammatical mistakes. Proofreading is important for creating healthy texts. Also

scannability of pages should be high. Because web users don’t enjoy reading streams of

text fully, instead of this they scan texts and pick out keywords, sentences, and

paragraphs of interest. Skimming instead of reading is a fact of the Web. Because

reading from computer screens is more tiring than reading from paper. It’ll useful to

start each page with a conclusion. In this way it will be easy to focus of users to

explaining subjects and would given messages. Namely primary elements or messages

should be principally indicated on the page. Also it is very important to use a plain

language on the pages. Appropriate amount humor is advisable for content usability,

but those should be used with great caution on the pages. Furthermore page titles

should be good specified. The titles should have enough words not excessive. Overly

long titles are not acceptable in content design. It is advisable for page titles to use

between two or six words. Also page titles should be including clarity in its forms.

Headlines should be also including clarity. Writing in plain language is advisable for

headlines too. Also in email subjects and page titles it should be not used leading

articles like A, An, and The. Moreover page titles should not be started with the same

word. One of the important issues in writing is to provide legibility. Legibility is

important in content design. There should be high contrast between text and

background on the pages. If used big fonts for the texts, then the legibility increase. On

the other hand static word use is acceptable than moving, blinking, or zooming text

usage.

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- Fitting to color use principles: During content design to provide harmony between

used colors and to give importance to color use principles increase the usability of

content. Also a well fit between colors increase the user interest to content. On the page

it should be used complementary colors. Using contrast colors on the page will increase

the effect of page. For instance there should be high contrast between text and

background of page.

- Using appropriate amount multimedia effects: Multimedia effects should be used

only when they required on the page. Namely they should be used minimal amount.

Because unconstrained use of multimedia confuses users and makes it harder for them

to understand the information. On the other hand small amount use of multimedia

effects will provide user interest. Also some multimedia applications provide various

advantages to users. The amount of graphics should be also minimized on web pages.

Only if required it should be given place to graphics on the page. Also the sizes of

images should be well scaled as neither over big nor very small. Image reduction will

be beneficial for getting content usability. At this point it is advisable to use relevance-

enhanced image reduction. Because through relevance-enhanced image reduction both

context and details of an image can be preserved. Some other components of

multimedia such as animations and videos should be also minimized on the web. Those

should be used appropriate amount on the page. This means animation or video use

should support the content. When those used appropriate amount on the page, then the

content usability increase, otherwise decreased.

3.3. Design for Site Usability

Design for site usability also includes several components. Those are explained in below

text.

3.3.1. Components of Site Design

The user’s needs are important in site design (Galitz, 2007). For getting website usability

the pages should be well described in such a way that users can find pages they look for.

However the biggest issues in website usability still require manual intervention. A website

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should feel like a unified whole. Because of this, for getting website usability it is required

to think or regard user expectations or needs from website (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

Also in web pages it should be given place to information so that user get they are looking

for. In web pages it should be not given place to unnecessary information (Galitz, 2007).

The site design should be created as giving opportunity to easy navigation for users. Easy

navigation is important for getting site usability. Because of users don’t want to idle away

time in websites.

Some things make the site usability better. The site usability factor should be considered

during creating a website. For instance a great natural-language search engine that will

allow users to find the exact page they want in a single attempt.

Figure 3.8: Amazon.com in Russian (Smashing Editorial, 2008).

On the other hand a perfect document management system will enforce design standards so

that all pages have a unified look and feel (Nielsen, 2000).

For users before anything else it is important to find the correct page that they look for. At

this point coming front the importance of good homepage design. A well designed

homepage means that users will easily find what they look for on a website (Galitz, 2007).

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The site design should be far from complexity. Site design must be aimed at simplicity

above all else. At this point clear information architecture and matching navigation tools

will help to this.

Figure 3.9: An Example to Clean and Simple Design (Smashing Editorial, 2008).

“The Web was designed as an environment for reading papers, and its usability

has not improved in step with the ever-higher levels of complexity users are

asked to cope with. Therefore, site design must be aimed at simplicity above all

else, with as few distractions as possible and with a very clear information

architecture and matching navigation tools” (Nielsen, 2000).

The home page is the flagship of the site and should therefore be designed differently from

the remaining pages.

“The home page doesn’t have to share the same layout as the rest of the site. In

fact, you will probably have to change the layout anyway because the home

page serves a different purpose” (Bolduc, 2009).

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Figure 3.10: Home Page of Branded07 (Bolduc, 2009).

Figure 3.11: About Page of Branded07 (Bolduc, 2009).

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As could be seen from the upper figures, the two pages change but the overall look and feel

remain the same. That is to say there is a consistency between pages in this particular.

Home pages and interior pages should share the same style. The home page should not

have a Home button that links right back to the current page. Also the home page should

typically have a larger logo and a more prominent placement of the company name or site

name. Above all, from the design the mission and purposes of the site should be obvious

for users especially for the first-time users.

Top ten guidelines for homepage usability are listed below:

- Make the site’s purpose clear: Explain who you are and what you do

1. Include a one-sentence tagline

2. Write a window title with good visibility in search engines and bookmark lists

3. Group all corporate information in one distinct area

- Help users find what they need

4. Emphasize the site’s top high-priority tasks

5. Include a search input box

- Reveal site content

6. Show examples of real site content

7. Begin link names with the most important keyword

8. Offer easy access to recent homepage features

- Use visual design to enhance, not define, interaction design

9. Don’t over-format critical content, such as navigation areas

10. Use meaningful graphics (Nielsen, 2002).

There should be a hierarchy on the site – both in homepage and interior pages. This will

increase the usability levels of the site. Also site design should be as to be attracted the

user attention. Here come front the importance of visual organization. Both home pages

and interior pages should be well organized; this will make sense to the site.

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“…, a home page should offer three features: a directory of the site’s main

content areas (navigation), a summary of the most important news and

promotions, and a search feature” (Nielsen, 2000).

Figure 3.12: Information Presentations about the Site (Smashing Editorial, 2008).

The information about the site should be clearly presented as Finch currently made it (see

upper figure). Finch clearly presents the information about the site and gives visitors a

choice of options without overcrowding them with unnecessary content (Smashing

Editorial, 2008).

Splash screens are mostly unnecessary. Because splash screens are annoying and users

click off them as fast as they can. For this reason it will much better to design a single

home page that unifies the situational identity message with a display of some useful news

and directory information.

Metaphor use should be appropriate amount. In fact metaphor is sometimes over-used in

web design. Benefits of metaphor are that it can provide a unifying framework for the

design and can facilitate learning by allowing users to draw upon the knowledge.

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Navigational support is important for getting usable sites. Because navigation is difficult in

websites. Navigation will help users to understand where they are, where they have been

and where they can go.

3.3.2. Characteristics of Usable Site Designs

Characteristics of usable site designs are well designed home pages, well described pages,

very clear information architecture, wanted information providing, easy navigation, a great

natural-language search engine, a perfect document management system etc.

Essentially usable site design corresponds to thinking or regarding the user expectations or

needs from a website (McCracken and Wolfe, 2004).

3.3.3. Principles at design for Site Usability

- Designing the web sites with regarding users’ needs: For getting site usability,

customers should be considered as primary focus during the site design. Users’ needs and

their expectations from site should be regarded during the design phase. If it is carried out,

then the site usability increases.

- Creating simple site designs: Simplicity in site design is important for getting site

usability. Above all else site design should be far from complexity. Clear information

architecture and matching navigation tools will help to get simplicity.

- Well describing the pages: For getting website usability the pages should be well

described, so that users can find what they are looking for.

- Giving place to information that users wanted: On the pages it should be given place

to necessary or wanted information from users, instead of unnecessary or unwanted one. In

web pages it should be not given place to unnecessary information. Of information

architecture of websites should be based on the users’ needs instead of the company’s own

internal thinking. Also information architecture should be clear. Clear information

architecture will increase the site usability.

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- Getting harmony for the website: A website should feel like a unified whole.

- Creating well designed homepages: During the design phase it should be given very

importance to homepage design. A well designed homepage will direct the users ideally,

they will easily access to correct pages, and will find what they looking for in the site. On

the homepages it should not allow to be a Home button on the page that links right back to

the current page. Also the home page should have a larger logo and company name or site

name. The home page should put forth its missions and purposes. A home page should

offer three features: a directory of the site’s main content areas (navigation), a summary of

the most important news or promotions, and a search feature.

- Providing easy navigation: The best sites provide easy navigation for users.

- Creating hierarchy on the site: Both in homepage and interior pages of the site there

should be a hierarchy. A hierarchical order and well organization will increase the site

usability.

- Designing the site with aesthetic concerns: This will make sense to the site. The sites

which designed with aesthetic concerns are high interactive, the interactivity duration

between them and users are long.

- Using the technology to solve problems: For instance a great natural-language search

engine will allow users to find the exact page they want.

- Using perfect document management systems: A perfect document management

system will enforce design standards, by this way all pages would have unified look and

feel.

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4. COMPARING AMAZON AND E-BAY

In this chapter it will be made a comparison between Amazon and E-bay websites for their

usability degrees both as its page and content, and site designs. In this framework first will

be given short information about the sites, then will be explained their usability features.

Finally it will be made a comparison between them for their usability degrees.

4.1. Amazon

Amazon.com is the biggest online shopping point on the Web. Nowadays millions of

people make their purchasing via amazon.com. From amazon.com people can buy various

products and services. Amazon.com is very successful in this respect.

“Amazon.com is known as a premier site for creating customer loyalty and for

driving sales through its execution of CRM(=Customer Relationship

Management) with efficient back-office order fulfillment systems” (Turban,

King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

At Amazon.com it has been largely complied with the design principles. This situation has

constituted important one factor to get such a success for Amazon.com. Because of the site

designed as usable for users, sales from this site increased.

Amazon.com is the first founded and biggest online sopping site. Its name comes from the

Amazon River. Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos in Seattle city, USA in 1994.

Amacon.com opened its virtual doors for business in July 1995 (METU Industrial

Engineering Department, 2000). In the beginning was been sold only books on the site.

Amazon.com is a leader in its field. Today on Amazon are sold various type goods and

services like DVDs, music CDs, computer software, computer games, electronic

appliances, accessories, furnishings etc. (http://www.amazon.com/).

“The Amazon.com Web site has a number of features that make the online

shopping experience more enjoyable. Its “Gift Ideas” section features

seasonally appropriate gift ideas and services. Its “Community” section

provides product information and recommendations shared by customers.

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Through its “E-Cards” section, customers can send free animated electronic

greeting cards to friends and family. And the site offers consumers much, much

more.

Amazon.com also offers various marketplace services. Amazon Auctions hosts

and operates auctions on behalf of individuals and small businesses throughout

the world” (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

Under the “Shop All Departments” menu on Amazon.com homepage are found several categories, such as books (books, kindle books, textbooks, magazines), movies, music and games (movies & TV, blu-ray, video on demand, music, mp3 downloads, musical instruments, video games, game downloads), digital downloads (kindle store, video on demand, MP3 downloads, Amazon shorts, game downloads), kindle (kindle, kindle DX, accessories, books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, kindle store), computers & office (computers & accessories, computer components, software, PC games, office products & supplies), electronics (TV & video, home audio & theater, camera & photo, cell phones & service, video games, MP3 & media players, car electronics & GPS, home appliances, musical instruments), home & garden (kitchen & dining, furniture & Décor, bedding & bath, home appliances, vacuums & storage, home improvement, patio, lawn & garden, pet supplies, sewing, craft & hobby), grocery, health & beauty (grocery, natural & organic, gourmet food, health & personal care, beauty), toys, kids & baby (toys & games, baby, apparel (kids & baby, books, movies, music, video games, software), apparel, shoes & jewelry (apparel & accessories, shoes, jewelry, watches), sports & outdoors (exercise & fitness, outdoor recreation, action sports, team sports, cycling, golf, fan gear, all sports & outdoors), tools, auto & industrial (power & hand tools, home improvement, outdoor power equipment, automotive, motorcycle & ATV, industrial & scientific) (http://www.amazon.com/).

Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in USA and it operates various retail Web

sites, including amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.de, amazon.co.jp (Oscura Press,

2009).

“In September 2004, Amazon.com introduced A9 (a9com), a “search engine

with memory.” A9 allows users to store and edit bookmarks, revisit links

clicked on previous visits, and make personal notes on Web pages for later

viewing” (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

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Figure 4.1: Amazon.co.uk (Oscura Press, 2009).

Figure 4.2: Amazon.de (Oscura Press, 2009).

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Figure 4.3: Amazon.co.jp (Oscura Press, 2009).

Amazon.com offers a special search tool known as A9.com. A9.com is a powerful search

engine. It uses Web search and image search results enhanced by Google, Search Inside the

Book results from Amazon.com, reference results from GuruNet, movie results from

IMDb, and more (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

A9.com remembers information so the user doesn’t have to. A user can make

notes about any Web page and search them. It offers a new way to store and

organize bookmarks. It even recommends new sites and favorite old sites

specifically for the user to visit. With the A9 Toolbar installed, the user’s Web

browsing history will be saved, allowing the user to search his or her whole

history” (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

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4.1.1. Design Features of Amazon

Under this title it will be examined several design features of Amazon.com including page,

content and site designs.

4.1.1.1. Page Design of Amazon

Amazon’s page design created with regarding user interests. Navigations provide easy

access to other pages. Navigations are necessary amount. On the homepage there are white

spaces, those spaces support the coherence of page. There is relative complexity on the

pages, but this does not disturb users, because all items are well grouped in their sections.

The logo is not big but attractive. Photos are used necessary amount on the pages – only

one photo for each good. Multimedia use is little on Amazon website. In some greeting

cards it could be seen animation effects. And in any case background is white on the pages.

Response times are necessary amount on Amazon website. Amazon.com provides speedy

response for users. Linking is well organized on Amazon website. Linking happened also

speedily.

A single style sheet is dominant on Amazon.com website. For all pages are implemented a

single style sheet. This increase the usability levels of pages.

Also content is well organized. On the pages it has been given importance to visual

organization principles.

Finally functionality is above on Amazon.com website. A very developed search engine

supports the functionality.

4.1.1.2. Content Design of Amazon

Content design of Amazon.com has been created with focus on user’s attention. There is

necessary amount information on the pages, neither excessive nor less. The texts are

always short. There are great harmony between texts and images on the pages. Scales of

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images are commonly similar to each other. When wanted highlight some images, then the

scales of images are increased.

There is harmony between texts and images on the pages. But it should be said that visual

beauty is not sufficient amount.

Multimedia use is too few in content. This is because, there are many images on the pages,

and when used also multimedia components, then the content will be more complex. Under

this circumstances in the content are used minimum multimedia. Only when it required

multimedia is utilized.

For content it has been used a simple font. This font provides legibility. The texts are

always short. Texts are legible on the pages. Scanability has regarded during the design

phase.

Color use is agreeable. For the content it has been selected two colors: blue and magenta.

Blue is a color refers to conciliation, expectations, etc. And magenta gives energy and

positiveness to users. The background is always white on the pages. This provides high

contrast between texts and background, thus content usability increases. On the pages there

is harmony between colors. Complementary colors are used on the pages.

Each page does not start with a conclusion; in fact there is no need to conclusions on

pages. Because Amazon website makes simply good and service presentation. The page

titles are emphasized with using big scale fonts and magenta color. For different pages are

used different titles. This increases the usability.

Finally Amazon.com’s interface has designed as learnable – it is easy to learn.

4.1.1.3. Site Design of Amazon

During site design of Amazon user needs has regarded. Users easily find which page they

look for in Amazon.com. On the other hand Amazon’s website feel like a unified whole.

This increases the usability level of website.

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Amazon.com provides easy navigation possibilities. Navigation is speedy in Amazon’s

website.

Most important superiority of Amazon.com is their very developed search engines. Of

Amazon.com search engines have memory abilities. Thus users who seek anything on the

website find easily. Also Amazon.com gives possibility to search information with natural-

language. That increases the usability.

It should be said that homepage of Amazon has not perfect designed, but functionality is

well regarded for the homepage. There is an order between texts and images on the

homepage. The homepage are designed different from remaining pages. For instance there

are white spaces on the homepage. There is not a Home button on the homepage, in any

case that is unnecessary. Over the page on the left side is found Amazon’s logo. Amazon’s

logo is not big, but effective and remarkable.

Amazon.com implements a perfect document management system, thus usability level of

website increases.

4.1.2. Usability Degree of Amazon

Usability degree of Amazon website is high. Users who look anything for they easily find

on Amazon.com. Functionality is well regarded in Amazon website. In any case

functionality states it on the pages. Amazon website has created with regarding user needs

and expectations, thus usability degree of this site increased. Navigation is easy in Amazon

website. The site is a little complex at first sight, but because of well grouped sections the

usability degree of Amazon could be increased. Amazon’s search engine is its competitive

superiority, that engine give possibility to search anything with virtual memory. It is

helpful for users. The background of website is white, and texts are blue or magenta. This

makes a contrast effect and increases the usability. On the other hand Amazon.com is very

speedy, response times is fast on the site. In all pages are used a single style sheet this is

also increases the usability. On the pages there is only necessary information. There are

harmony between texts and images. Scales of images are appropriate amount. Texts are

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always short. Scanability is high. Different pages have different titles. In conclusion all

these features increase the usability degree of Amazon.

4.2. E-Bay

E-bay is one of the other important online shopping points on the Web. Like Amazon.com,

eBay is also famous. The main difference of eBay website from amazon.com is that eBay

mediates between sellers and buyers by publishing the goods on its site. Today from

eBay’s web site people can buy various products and services too. eBay is the world’s

largest auction site on the Web.

“In 1995, the Omidyars created a company called AuctionWeb. The company

was renamed eBay and has since become the premier online auction house,

with millions of unique auctions in progress and over 500,000 new items added

each day. Almost 120 million potential buyers use eBay. Today, eBay is much

more than an auction house, but its initial success was in electronic auctions”

(Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

Of eBay headquarter is in San Jose, USA. Besides of USA, eBay operate in Argentina,

Australia, Austria, Belgian, Brasilia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India,

Ireland, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherland, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Turkey.

On eBay website each good’s seller is different. Because of this all presented goods’

descriptions and forms of payment are different. Most of problems appear with this

situation. Most popular rate of payment is PayPal. Besides, customers can make payment

with credit cards (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

“eBay products and companies include eBay Marketplace, Media Marketplace,

Skype, PayPal, half.com, MicroPlace, Shopping.com, Rent.com, Stubhub and

various online classifieds” (CrunchBase, 2009).

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Figure 4.4: eBay.de (Onlinemarktplatz, 2009).

On eBay website, after every purchasing, sellers and buyers give scores to each other

(positive, neutral, negative), and there is possibility to note writings. This provides a

common comment to people who take actions. The aim of scoring system is reducing the

risk of purchasing. It is not obligatory, but recommended.

On eBay, people can buy and sell just about anything. Under “Shop your Favorite

Categories” menu on this website are found several categories like antiques, art, baby,

books, business & industrial, cameras & photo, cars, boats, vehicles & parts, cell phones &

PDAs, clothing, shoes & accessories, coins & paper money, collectibles, computers &

networking, crafts, dolls & bears, DVDs & movies, electronics, entertainment

memorabilia, gift certificates, health & beauty, home & garden, jewelry & watches, music,

musical instruments, pet supplies, pottery & glass, real estate, specialty services, sporting

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goods, sports mem, cards & fan shop, stamps, tickets, toys & hobbies, travel, video games,

everything else, giving works, world of good (http://www.ebay.com/?_js=OFF).

“eBay is an online auction site where people buy and sell goods worldwide. Any

item can be sold online as long as it is not illegal or it does not violate eBay’s

Prohibited and Restricted Items policy.

eBay items can be sold either via a silent auction, in which users input the

maximum price they are willing to pay and for which the site will automatically

increase bids as necessary up to that maximum, or via “Buy it now,” with

which they purchase items at a set price” (CrunchBase, 2009).

4.2.1. Design Features of E-Bay

Under this title it will be examined several design features of E-bay including page,

content and site designs.

4.2.1.1. Page Design of E-Bay

When compared with Amazon’s page design, eBay’s design is a little complex. Also

navigation is slower than Amazon. Response times are not speedy. White spaces are used

both in homepage and remaining pages. On the remaining pages, white spaces are not

acceptable. eBay’s logo is attention getting and bigger than Amazon’s logo. The scales of

images are sufficient amount. Similar to Amazon’s page design, eBay’s background is also

white. Again similar to Amazon’s page design, on eBay there is used a single style sheet

for all pages. On the other hand linking is not easy on Ebay’s website. Linking takes much

time in eBay.

4.2.1.2. Content Design of E-Bay

When compared with Amazon’s content design, eBay’s design does not grin. Similar to

Amazon.com, the background is white, and text colors are commonly blue and magenta.

Only on the homepage are used different colors. This is because to get attention to some

things. Again similar to Amazon, there is necessary information on the pages. Scales of

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images are appropriate amount. Texts are also short. Used font is simple and legible. Also

color use is acceptable; there is a harmony between used colors. Complementary colors

support that harmony.

Similar to Amazon, page titles are also different on eBay. For titles are used bars with

magenta color, in fact this increases the visual attractiveness.

4.2.1.3. Site Design of E-Bay

When compared with Amazon’s site design, eBay’s design also offers many possibilities to

users. But eBay’s search engine is less usable if confronted with Amazon’s search engine.

Amazon’s search engine is more developed than eBay’s search engine. Similar to Amazon,

eBay also gives opportunity to searching things with natural-language in some countries.

On the other hand response times are a bit more in eBay, and navigation is slower than

Amazon.

Figure 4.5: Homepage of eBay (WordPress, 2007).

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When compared Amazon and eBay websites as their site designs, then can be seen that

Amazon.com’s site design is better designed than eBay’s design. For users Amazon’s site

design is more usable than eBay’s design. Because functionality is above in Amazon’s site

design.

Similar to Amazon’s website, eBay’s website feels like a unified whole. The homepage has

designed different from remaining pages. However, remaining pages have designed similar

to each other. That is acceptable for getting usability.

Figure 4.6: eBay Options (WordPress, 2007).

“What if a person wants to sell on eBay but is not familiar with computers?

What if an escrow service is needed? What if items need to be picked up? eBay

provides a complete solution called Trading Assistants that helps people sell

their items on eBay. To execute this service, eBay has trading assistants (or

advisors) in many cities (and even countries).

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… A trading assistant will pick up the items to be sold. … The trading assistant

will store the items, and the items are insured. The trading assistant will

prepare photos and offer the seller suggestions on how to advertise the items.

The assistant will list the items on eBay’s auction site. Auctions last 7 to 10

days. If an item does not sell, it is relisted, and it is auctioned again (twice). If

the item does not sell after the second auction listing, the seller can lower the

minimum acceptable price or pick up the item” (Turban, King, Viehland and

Lee, 2006).

On eBay functionality has regarded during the design phase. But functionality is lower

than Amazon website. For this reason eBay provides solutions for users to increase the

website functionality. For instance a complete solution called Trading Assistants helps

people to sell their items on eBay (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

eBay’s homepage is a little complex than Amazon’s homepage. But used bars on the

homepage reduce this complexity. Also those bars add a visual beauty to the homepage.

Finally eBay’s logo is remarkable. The logo includes four colors; red, blue, yellow and

green. For logo used font is simple, scales of its letters are different and there is crossings

between letters.

4.2.2. Usability Degree of E-Bay

Usability degree of eBay is good. But when compared with Amazon website, usability

degree of Amazon is higher than eBay. First Amazon’s search engine is more developed

than eBay’s engine. Amazon’s developed search engine provides competitive superiority

to its website.

Also functionality in eBay website is lower than Amazon. For this reason to increase the

functionality, eBay provides some solutions for users. The goal is to increase the

functionality level of its website.

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One of the important reasons why the usability degree of eBay is less than Amazon is that

eBay website’s speed is lower than Amazon. Other one factor is that navigation on eBay is

slower than Amazon. Also response times in Amazon website are better than eBay

website.

Some other design features are commonly similar to Amazon. Here the aim of all these

efforts is getting usability to eBay’s website.

4.3. Results of Analysis

Amazon.com superstore is the biggest and most successful online purchasing site on the

Web. Today thousands of goods with a great variety are sold on Amazon.com website.

Product variety is affluent in Amazon.com.

Key features of the Amazon.com superstore are easy browsing, searching, and ordering;

useful product information, reviews, recommendations, and personalization; broad

selection; low prices; secure payment systems; and efficient order fulfillment.

“Commentators describe Amazon.com’s competitive advantage as follows:

“The ability to search through your own history of Web searches is insanely

powerful” and “It’s not just about search, it’s about managing your

information” (Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2006).

Amazon.com also offers various services to users. Customers can personalize their

accounts and manage orders online with the patented “1-Click” order feature. This

personalized service includes an electronic wallet, which enables shoppers to place an

order in a secure manner without the need to enter their address, credit card number, and

other information each time they shop. 1-Click also allows customers to view their order

status, cancel or combine orders.

The main difference between eBay.com and Amazon.com is that Amazon.com sells its

own products and services, but eBay website mediates between sellers and customers. In

fact eBay is world’s largest auction site on the web. The product ranges of eBay are

64

broader than Amazon.com. However, by reason of each good’s seller is different on eBay

website, all presented goods’ descriptions and forms of payment differentiated, this

situation together bring some problems. Most of problems appear with these circumstances

on the site.

A criticism to Amazon.com website is that in different countries the goods are presented

differently and this cause to increase or decrease in sales due to different country

presentations (Oscura Press, 2009).

65

CONCLUSION

Together with the progression of electronic commerce, for firms creating effective

websites has begun gradually to be important. In time the firms have understood that

preparing effective websites are passed from creating useful websites. Since that time, it

has been given importance to create usable websites. Usability is the measure of the quality

of a user’s experience when interacting with a web site.

The advantages of having useful websites are various for firms. Before anything else

having an useful website provides competitive superiority for the firms. A firm which has

useful website, it sell its goods more than the rival firms on the market. Therefore firms

gradually give more importance to create useful websites.

In today’s dense competition environment, firms which has useful websites they gain

advantage in competition. Some other advantages of having a useful website are as

followings: a reduced development time and costs, reduced support costs, reduced user

errors, reduced traing time and costs, return on investment etc.

Today most of firms have usable websites. Useful websites increase their sales, so those

firms become more successful. That is to say usability provides success to websites. But

there could be seen exceptions in this particular. Some examples to those exceptions are:

Hepsiburada, Facebook and Mynet. Hepsiburada is an online shopping store; it reaches

important sales amounts on the Web. No one can say that the website of Hepsiburada is

enough useful, but this website succeed. Other one example is Facebook; it is not good in

terms of usability, but is successful too. Though Facebook’s interface is not useful, this site

is successful. The last example is Mynet’s website. Though Mynet has a complicate

homepage, they could get success and increased their users numbers. Today many users

have a mail account on Mynet, they benefited from Mynet’s mail services and service

providers.

For adding usability to websites, it should be given importance to some design principles.

At this point, giving importance to visual organization principles becomes important. The

visual organization principles consist of proximity, alignment, consistency and contrast. In

66

any website on the pages should be a hierarchy. There should be a harmony between texts

and images as well as used colors. The background should be in light color; it will best if

used white color for background. On the websites it should be used complementary colors.

The texts should be short on the pages. Also the scales of images should be appropriate

amount.

For getting usability for websites, speed is very important. Websites should be speedy.

Navigation and linking are also important for getting usable websites. Navigations and

linking should also be speedy in websites. Also response times should be appropriate

amount.

Websites should be far from complexity. Simple websites will be preferable, for getting

usable websites. Also in websites it should be implemented a single style sheet for all

pages. In this way creating a whole sense for website might be possible. A website should

feel like a unified whole. Moreover on the pages should be necessary information,

unnecessary information should be eliminated.

On the other hand for adding usability to websites, the role of search engines is very

important. A great natural-language search engine will increase the usability of website.

Homepages are flagships of websites. For this reason they should be well designed. The

homepage should be designed differently from remaining pages. On the homepage it

should be not located a Home button that links right back to current page. Also on the

homepage the company or site name should be located.

Visual beauty is also important for getting useful websites. Those web sites which created

with aesthetic and artistic concerns, the interaction time between them and users will

lengthen.

In a word during designing the websites, user interests, needs and expectations should be

regarded. If this carried out, then it will appear useful websites.

67

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CURRICULUM VITAE

Sezen ALTINDAL

Kişisel Bilgiler :

Doğum Tarihi 09.02.1983 Doğum Yeri İstanbul Eğitim : Lise 1998-2000 Özel Cent Koleji 2000-2002 Beşiktaş Lisesi Lisans 2004-2009 Yeditepe Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Görsel İletişim ve Tasarımı Bölümü