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Intro to Design and Usability

Revision of Week 3: User behavior week from Fri, 2011-02-04 01:07

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B. Maura Townsend's picture
Fri, 2011-02-04 01:02
Overview:
We will cover typical user behavior, we'll talk about eyetracking and what it means, and we will start to look at information presentation.  This will be another reading and user's point of view task week. This is a good place to leave questions you'd like covered by the reading and discussion next week. 
  • May include a short presentation on eyetracking and typical user behavior

User Behavior

Resources:

  1. Eyetracking and Web Site Design  at Usability.gov 
  2. Impact of Aesthetics on Attitudes Towards Websites at Usability.gov 
  3. User Behavior and the "globalness" of Internet 
    http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol7/issue2/taiwan.html - dry, scholarly, but informative regarding languange and culture's impact on usability

Information Presentation 

Resources:

  1. http://www.experiencedynamics.com/science-usability/ui-style-guides  Especially notable for mobile and tablet UI style guides (will also be in week 4 resources)
  2. Organizing Content on Websites at Usability.gov http://usability.gov/articles/082009news.html
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Sure thing!

Ms.Receptionitis's picture
Ms.Receptionitis
Wed, 2011-02-09 21:02

Sure thing!

Can you post this to the

B. Maura Townsend's picture
B. Maura Townsend
Wed, 2011-02-09 20:54

Can you post this to the google group as well? The threaded discussion isn't really user-friendly here. Thanks!

My average user indeed comes

Ms.Receptionitis's picture
Ms.Receptionitis
Wed, 2011-02-09 20:51

My average user indeed comes to me for help in various computer tasks such as navigating sites or retrieving pictures taken and stored in a digital camera. A new anything can be daunting and I, too, was once new to this, so I don't mind. Though my average user knows how to operate a digital camera, they always succomb to Walgreens or Wal-Mart to retrieve the photos. One reason I know they do this is because it's easier than having to learn how to fully operate something they already have growing doubts and opinions about. This is expected and, in regards to User Advocacy, should be acknowledged. However, their experiences are a bit different when it comes to interacting with a website - they are not intimidated, but rather excited. I remember the first time I attempted my best at explaining how to search for a vehicle on Craigslist. Though my average user had trouble reading the smaller fonts, they performed searches in steps and stuck with it until it became something familiar. Ultimately what I think helped them in getting adjusted was memory of where each link was, no matter what city or state, and the colors associated with them. If I were to build them a site, I think I would incorporate something of the same sort, (links and accompanying colors) but also, perhaps a constant reference/ help menu when they hovered over a new area with their mouse, and a translator, in case their browser didn't have that support.