Most users spend a considerable amount of time

scanning rather than reading information on Web sites. Well-designed headings help to facilitate both scanning and reading written material. Designers should strive to use unique and descriptive headings, and to use as many headings as necessary to enable users to find what they are looking for—it is usually better to use more rather than fewer headings. Headings should be used in their appropriate HTML order, and it is generally a good idea not to skip heading levels.

Guideline: Ensure that category labels, including links, clearly reflect the information and items contained within the category.

Comments: Category titles must be understood by typical users. Users will likely have difficulty understanding vague, generalized link labels, but will find specific, detailed links, and descriptors easier to use.

Sources: Evans, 1998; Landesman and Schroeder, 2000; Mahajan and Shneiderman, 1997; Marshall, Drapeau and DiSciullo, 2001; Nall, Koyani, and Lafond, 2001; Spyridakis, 2000; Zimmerman, et al., 2002.

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Linking means that users will select and click on a hypertext link on a starting page (usually the homepage), which then causes a new page to load. Users continue toward their goal by finding and clicking on subsequent links.

There are several issues related to text

Guideline: When users are expected to rapidly read and understand prose text, use black text on a plain, high-contrast, non-patterned background.

Comments: Black text on a plain background elicited reliably faster reading performance than on a medium-textured background. When compared to reading light text on a dark background, people read black text on a white background up to thirty-two percent faster. In general, the greater the contrast between the text and background, the easier the text is to read.

Sources: Boyntoin and Bush, 1956; Bruce and Green, 1990; Cole and Jenkins, 1984; Evans, 1998; Goldsmith, 1987; Gould, et al., 1987a; Gould, et al., 1987b; Jenkins and Cole, 1982; Kosslyn, 1994; Muter and Maurutto, 1991; Muter, 1996; Scharff, Ahumada and Hill, 1999; Snyder, et al., 1990; Spencer, Reynolds and Coe, 1977a; Spencer, Reynolds and Coe, 1977b; Treisman, 1990; Williams, 2000.

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Lists are commonly found on Web sites.

Guideline: Arrange lists and tasks in an order that best facilitates efficient and successful user performance.

Comments: Designers should determine if there is an order for items that will facilitate use of the Web site. If there is, ensure that the site is formatted to support that order, and that all pages follow the same order. For example, ensure that lists of items, sets of links, and a series of tabs are in a meaningful order.

Where no obvious order applies, organize lists alphabetically or numerically. Keep in mind that it is the user’s logic that should prevail rather than the designer’s logic.

Sources: Bransford and Johnson, 1972; Detweiler and Omanson, 1996; Engel and Granda, 1975; Evans, 1998; Flower, Hayes and Swarts, 1983; Halgren and Cooke, 1993; Morkes and Nielsen, 1998; Nygren and Allard, 1996; Ozok and Salvendy, 2000; Redish, Felker and Rose, 1981; Smith and Mosier, 1986; Spyridakis, 2000.

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In order to interact with a Web site, users

Graphics are used on many, if not most, web pages. When used appropriately, graphics can facilitate learning. An important image to show on most pages of a site is the organization’s logo. When used appropriately, images, animation, video, and audio can add tremendous value to a Web site. When animation is used appropriately, it is a good idea to introduce the animation before it begins.

Guideline: Use background images sparingly and make sure they are simple, especially if they are used behind text.

Comments: Background images can make it difficult for users to read foreground text. A single, large, complex background image (including a picture) can substantially slow page download rates. If background images must be employed, use small, simple images with ’tiling,’ and/or keep the image resolution as low as possible.

Sources: Boyntoin and Bush, 1956; Cole and Jenkins, 1984; Detweiler and Omanson, 1996; Hackman and Tinker, 1957; Jenkins and Cole, 1982; Levine, 1996; Levy, et al., 1996; Spencer, Reynolds and Coe, 1977a; Spencer, Reynolds and Coe, 1977b; Tinker and Paterson, 1931; Tinker, 1963.

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“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”– William Strunk Jr., in Elements of Style

Guideline: When describing an action or task that has a natural order or sequence (assembly instructions, troubleshooting, etc.), structure the content so that the sequence is obvious and consistent.

Comments: Time-based sequences are easily understood by users.

Do not force users to perform or learn tasks in a sequence that is unusual

or awkward.

Sources: Czaja and Sharit, 1997; Farkas, 1999; Krull and Watson, 2002; Morkes and Nielsen, 1998; Nielsen, 2000; Smith and Mosier, 1986; Wright, 1977.

For more information please visit our website at: http://www.cpccci.com or http://www.cpcwebsolutions.com

International standards organizations

• 3GPP – 3rd Generation Partnership Project – Website
• 3GPP2 – 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 – Website
• Accellera – Accellera Organization – Website
• AIIM – Association for Information and Image Management – Website
• ANSI – American National Standards Institute
• ASTM International
• AUTOSAR – Automotive technology – Website
• BIPM, CGPM, and CIPM – Bureau International des Poids et Mesures and the related organizations established under the Metre Convention of 1875. Website
• CableLabs – Cable Television Laboratories – Website
• CISPR – International Special Committee on Radio Interference
• DIN – Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. Website (english version)
• DMTF – Distributed Management Task Force
• Ecma International – Ecma International (previously called ECMA)
• FAI – Fédération Aéronautique Internationale – Website
• GS1 – Global supply chain standards (identification numbers, barcodes, electronic commerce transactions, RFID) – Website
• IBTA – Infiniband Trade Association
• IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission – Website
• IAU* – International Arabic Union – Website
• IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – Website
• IETF – Internet Engineering Task Force – Website
• IFOAM – International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements – Website
• ISO – International Organization for Standardization – Website
• ITU – The International Telecommunication Union – Website
  • ITU-R – ITU Radiocommunications Sector (formerly known as CCIR)
  • ITU-T – ITU Telecommunications Sector (formerly known as CCITT)
  • ITU-D – ITU Telecom Development (formerly known as BDT)
• IUPAC – International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry – Website
• Liberty Alliance – Liberty Alliance – Website
• Media Grid – Media Grid Standards Organization – Website
• N3P – Neutral Third Party – Website
• OASIS – Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards – Website
• OGC – Open Geospatial Consortium – Website
• OHICC – Organization of Hotel Industry Classification & Certification – Website
• OMA – Open Mobile Alliance – Website
• OGF – Open Grid Forum (merger of Global Grid Forum (GGF) and Enterprise Grid Alliance (EGA)) – Website
• OpenTravel Alliance – OpenTravel Alliance (previously known as OTA – Website
• SAI – Social Accountability International – Website
• SIF – Schools Interoperability Framework – SIF Website
• TM Forum – Telemanagement Forum – TMF Website
• UPU – Universal Postal Union – Standards website
• WMO – World Meteorological Organization
• W3C – World Wide Web Consortium – Website
• WSA – Website Standards Association Website

For more information please visit our website at: http://www.cpccci.com