The user interface for a web site is know as A GUI, Graphical User Interface . GUI design is more then just pretty graphics, the real design issues are the usability issues, or how easy it is for the user to figure out what they need to do to get the response they want.
Start looking around you and watching how people deal with a wide variety of interfaces. Notice how they use their cell phones, if they are confused by their remotes. You'll be well on your way to understanding interaction theory and how important the user is to every interface on the market.
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Usability encompasses a large range of issues with emphasis on the user interface and the user experience - which simply means that anything to do with how someone uses or views your web site is part of usability. A classic example of a user interface(UI) is the front panel of a microwave oven with it's wide variety of buttons. Have you ever seen one of those microwaves that has numbers that don't represent minutes and you need to open the door and read along the edge what these numbers stand for before starting it up? Well that's an example of a (UI) that has bad usability; using it takes more then just simple intuition.
Let's assume you're designing an internet application such as a site that let's users enter recipes and search the recipes that exist, and buy copies of just the recipes they've selected bound in a book. In order to buy anything, let's assume the user must go through some kind of registration. These become your core user base, not the users that just surf through and never return. The number of these registered users, and how often they sign up are often referred to as your adoption rate. The more registered users you have, the more you increase your chances of selling your personalized recipe books, so your adoption rate is a big thing. Studies have shown that usability directly effects your adoption rate. Without pages that are easy to navigate, searches that return detailed, relevant results and registration forms that are short and easy to get through, users will not use your site. They'll find these things elsewhere and your adoption rate will reflect it. No usability, low adoption rate, low sales, no business.
Part of usability is discovering what makes a web site usable for a particular group of users. Designing usability tests, running the tests, analysing the data that results from the tests and applying it to the design are all important parts of usability. Finishing First is experienced in all phases of usability including documenting the studies and supplying the appropriate white papers from other professional studies.
In the last few years standards for web usability and accessibility have begun to emerge. Finishing First stays current with all standards and guidelines. One of the lessons from usability research is that rules of thumb can be very vague and give very broad guidelines on how to adjust an interface to a particular group of users and their needs. It's fairly difficult to do well and takes an experienced professionals like those at Finishing First.
Finishing First meets all the Accessibility Laws (Section 508) and Guidelines (WAI) for ensuring that a web page is usable for all people. We also offer training seminars in usability and accessibility.
The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect. --
Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web
Information on the Web Accessibility Initiative can be found on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) site. Information on our accessibility features and Access Key Legends can be found on the Finishing First Accessibility page.
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