How to Evaluate the Design of a Homepage

Criteria of good homepage: 1. It has what users are expecting to have and what not2. Communicate where to start use prominent call to action 3. Establish credibility and trust

Put testimonials from credible consumers Put logos of publications that cover our business

Most important part in homepage (depends on what we are offering):1. Hierarchy2. Search feature make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for3. Teases into what’s inside the website4. Timely content every day the content changes based on what’s going on5. Deals attract visitors to click6. Shortcuts shortcut to the most important section we want to feature in the website7. Registration

Challenges of designing a homepage1. Everyone has their own demand 2. Too many cooks3. One size fits all homepage may not accommodate everyone. Make up your mind!

5 questions a homepage will need to answer1. What is this?2. What can I do?3. What do they have here? 4. Why should I be here?

Advertising is not the answer5. Where do I start?

How to get the msg across?1. Tagline helps understand the visitors in 1 line

Eg: Zocdoc Find a doctor and make your appointment onlineo Blurbo Space don’t be afraid to have blank space on your homepage as long as it is in line

with the homepage’s missiono Plain language very clear language that human will understand

Homepage research techniques1. Providing insights

3 research techniques:

1. Interception survey (or true intent study)Capture people’s experience when it happens. Tell us why you are here and what are you doing?

How to do it? Pop up Diary study Email

What to ask? What is the primary reason for visiting the website? Compare between

what you provide and whats their answer How satisfied are you with the homepage? Helps to understand the

visitors What if anything you find frustrating about this homepage? Did you find what you were looking for?

Tips on doing this survey: Expect shower answer Provide answers to choose from Don’t push your luck don’t ask more questions. You will get less

responses Service provider: Usabilla

2. First-click test Why?

What users do first tells a lot. Why? o Users who click on the right path on the first click will complete

their task succesffully complete their task 27% of the timeo Wrong 46%

What they would click on first too complete a task Can be performed on a functioning website, a prototype or a wireframe

How to do it? o Create scenarioso Don’t tell participants this is a first-click test it will affect their behavioro Track clicks

Service providers: o Chalkmark

Difference with google analytics: Tell you what do they click but don’t know why. But with chalkmark, they will tell you why.

o TreejackNot only the first click but also the entire pathUserzoom

Manually (By hand by watching)

How to do it? Time the first click Compare if you can Practice

3. Online Usability test learn what works and doesn’t work in a homepage. What to measure:

o Time on tasko User satisfaction

Result:o Things to keep opportunities for improvement o Comparative date about speed, success and satisfaction

How to prepare:o Script questions you want to asko Brief respondents so they know what to expectso Give respondents a warm upo Give them tasks (things to do with your website)o Debrief (summary question (general feedback) about their experience)

Tips:o Tasks should be the core of your website

Service provider: Usertesting.com and loop11

Should we do the test online or offline?Online more peopleOffline get to see the behavior