Website usability is the application of usability in those domains where web browsing can be considered as a general paradigm or metaphor for constructing a GU. Website usability is an important concept in web design which is overlooked in the rush to launch a website or brand. If we put it in simple terms, we came to know that website usability involves building a site which is easy, fun and logical for users, so that the users can enjoy using the site and they can utilize it to find what they need. This consideration is critically important for companies that want to build brand loyalty and attract customers, as people are turned off by websites which they have trouble using.
Web site usability is an approach to make websites easy to use for an end user without any requirement that any specialized training be undertaken. The user should be able to intuitively relate the actions he needs to perform on the web page, with other interactions he sees in the general domain of life for example, press of a button leads to some action. There are many goals of website usability. The broad goal of usability can be:
- Present the information to the user in a clear and concise way.
- To give the correct choices to the users, in a very obvious way.
- To remove any ambiguity regarding the consequences of an action for example, clicking on delete. Remove or purchase.
- Put the most important thing in the right place on a web page or a web application.
Design aesthetics are also an important aspect of website usability. If a site is well designed, it is clear, easy to understand, and easy to view. If the design is too cultured, ornate or illogical users may struggle with it, especially if they have visual impairments. A growing number of websites are thinking about visual impairments and other disabilities in the design phrase so that sites will be accessible to everyone, not just people with young healthy eyes. Another characteristic of website usability is the functionality of the site. If the websites have bugs, broken links, pictures that do not load and other issues, people will have trouble using it. Nothing frustrates a user more than clicking on the link which leads nowhere, or trying to submit a form which will not go through. If a user does encounter a bug or problem, navigational tools which help the user report the bug and then report to what he or she was doing are critical, to make sure that users know that they are valued, and that site owners find bugs just as annoying as users do.
As more results of usability research are available, this leads to the development of methodologies for enhancing web usability. In the context of eCommerce websites, the meaning of web usability is narrowed down to efficiency: triggering sales and performing other transactions valuable to the business. Web usability received renewable attention as many early eCommerce websites starting failing in 2000.