Don’t Make Me ThinkSteve Krug

Dean SteuerMFC 215

Key Points

•Don’t Make Me Think•How People Use the Web•Scanning, not Reading•Navigation•Usability

Don’t Make Me Think

• The brain has a limit to what it can take in• Clarity is imperative• A user should always know what they’re

doing• Everything should be self-evident• If it cannot be self-evident, make it self-

explanatory

How People Use the Web

• People don’t read an entire webpage• People have a goal when they come to a

page• People satisfice – they find the option

most likely to lead to what they’re looking for•Make it clear what the page is about

Scanning, Not Reading

• People scan pages for relevant information:• Create a clear visual hierarchy• Stick to conventions, people know them• Clearly define portions of the page• Avoid noise•Make choices easy for the user

Navigation• Clearly tell the user where they are and where they can go• Good navigation tells the user how to use the site without

words• Persistent navigation includes:• Site ID• Sections• Link to main page• Search box

• Design for browsers and searchers• Browser – people who look through a page for information• Searchers – people who use a search bar to find information

Usability• Do• Make information accessible and easy to find• Accommodate user errors• Make a concise and respectable design• Anticipate what users will do next i.e. print page

• Don’t• Ask for more information than is necessary• Get in the user’s way with features• Be excessive with site design, it can be distracting• Make users search excessively for what they want