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Usability Problems to Fix Today

by Kristoffer Bohmann, October 22, 2000

List of common usability problems that are easy to fix on most well-organized small- and mid-sized websites.

Problem 1: Small Windows

One of the usability mistakes made by Boo.com was the use of small browser windows. Small screens were desirable to them because it enabled Boo.com to present the exact same screen to all users in a Hollywood-like manner.

Small windows often dictate a number of other highly unfortunate design choices, including:

Frames are used to make the small windows thereby creating well-known usability problems. Frames suck.
Small and fixed fonts are chosen to make sure text looks "cool". But it also makes text hard to read for users with low quality monitors and limited vision. See also problem 4.
You are here-indicators are often left out due to limited space. Should be included unless you have better ways to tell users where they are.

Sites may be able to increase window sizes simply by changing the width of tables or frames. Other sites who have chosen to integrate small browser windows in a boo-like manner probably face an expensive redesign that could have been prevented through a careful usability study.

Problem 2: Non-Standard Link Colors

Non-standard link colors deny users one of the few ways to navigate and understand content on a site. It is often unclear where to click and users visit the same pages several times by mistake. Changing link colors is easy if the site uses stylesheet.

Problem 3: Hidden Search Form

A simple search form should be directly available and visible on the homepage. Many users go directly to the search form when they look for specific information. Putting the search form on the homepage improves task time for users as search can be seen and used immediately.

Problem 4: Small and Unchangeable Text Size

Text size needs to be readable before the text can be read. Text presented with overly small fonts is a hard read making it less likely that users will read and understand product descriptions and other information. Solution:

Specify relative text size (e.g., 90 percent) as opposed to absolute text size.
Default text size needs to be readable for mainstream users as the act of changing text size is annoying - some users will not even know how to.
(I also recommend scannable text. But this is not an usability problem to fix today.)

Problem 5: Pop-up Windows

Replace pop-up and alert windows with plain HTML pages. Pop-up windows disturb users and makes them waste a few valuable seconds wondering what's going on. Pop-ups also destroy the back button thereby making it difficult to return to previous pages. Many sites would do quite good by simply removing the tag target="_blank" in the link anchor.

Problem 6: Animations and Blinking Text

Remove all animations and blinking text. Enough said.

Problem 7: Disturbing Background

Background colors needs to provide a comfortable background for reading text and interacting with content. This is made difficult if corporate logos and other graphical elements are used as page background. Graphical elements on pages are often specified in the body element. Delete the gifs and replace with a plain background color, preferably white.

Problem 8: Reset and Cancel Buttons

Reset and cancel buttons cause errors when users click the reset button instead of submit. Oops, order cancelled... Remove reset and cancel buttons from forms and dialogues. Using the back button to cancel/reset a choice is enough for most users. Exception: Provide a way to delete products from shopping carts.

Problem 9: Useless Homepages

Homepages featuring splash screens and Welcome-messages rarely provide any useful information to the user. Accordingly, they should be replaced with relevant content.

Homepages presenting corporate intentions, policies, and managers is a special kind of splash screen. As a rule of thumb, performance, products, and corporate news matters more to users than good intentions and unrealized ideas. Performance is the only thing that matters.

Problem 10: General Navigation

General navigation bars try to explain website content using 1-3 word descriptions. Most of these descriptions are insufficient and require that users learn about the site.

The ultimate homepage test is to show a printout of the homepage and ask your mother in law and 10-year old child: What can you do with this website? If the test users don't answer correctly, YOU have a problem.

Replacing general navigation with good 1-sentense descriptions makes it more likely that users will use the site.

About the Author
Kristoffer Bohmann (biography) M.Sc. thinks and writes about high-quality user experiences. His philosophy: Users first. You can contact him at kristoffer@bohmann.dk.