Important Book Reviews: Eyetracking Web Usability – Jakob Nielsen and Kara Pernice

There are plenty of books about website usability out there, but very few offer as much information and analysis as Eyetracking Web Usability. As it was written in part by Jakob Nielsen, a leading expert in web usability, this book does not fail to deliver.  Because the focus is on eyetracking, where users look, so much more information is explored and can be put into immediate application than other usability books offer.

The Importance Of Web Usability

Web usability in itself is an important concept that is too often ignored. This may be due to conflicting departmental interests or ignorance. Regardless, it absolutely needs to be addressed. When users visit a site, they expect to find exactly what they’re looking for without too much effort and in a reasonable amount of time. Web users are very impatient and won’t hang around a site if searching for what they’re looking for is too painful. And why should they? There are thousands of sites offering similar information or products. If yours can’t deliver, your potential client is gone.

Why Eyetracking Web Usability is Worth Your Time

Eyetracking Web Usability emerged after thousands of hours of testing and analysis. The research itself is factual and objective. The team took many aspects of measuring, such as meticulously timing the beginning and ending of recorded tasks, into consideration to produce the most accurate and applicable results. All the time, effort, and money put forth by the team can help your website succeed. It’s very unlikely your company can replicate a similar test. The testing that Nielsen, Pernice, and their group of experts conducted cost over $61,000! Aside from costs, learning about common usability errors will help you avoid them.

Web Usability Tips

Page organization is a common usability pitfall where many website designs fall short. Having clear page organization can be a big help in making your site easier to use and providing your users with a clear path to follow. Here are a few tips Eyetracking Web Usability discusses that can help your site now.

• Follow web standards such as putting your logo in the upper left corner, your menu on the top or left of the page with clear graphical or color delineation, and site search in the upper right
• Carefully allocate priority spaces such as the area right below the menu above the fold (the part of the page users can see without scrolling)
• Lessen the amount of on-page choices you offer to your users; having too much information can overwhelm and frustrate them

Why Eyetracking Web Usability is Relevant to You

Eyetracking Web Usability examines many sites and analyzes user behavior to a point very few companies alone can replicate. Many sites were studied, several probably very similar to your own. This book offers hundreds of takeaways that can be applicable to every site on the web. By understanding some of the principles Nielsen and Pernice put forth, you can make your site more applicable to users’ needs, make them happier, and ultimately increase conversions. Remember, a website is useless if your visitors can’t use it!

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