There is no mystery to usability. It simply involves creating a site which is accessible to the majority of people, is easy to use and get around and delivers on its promises. 

The guru of internet usability is Jacob Nielsen who is paid huge sums of money by major companies to improve the user experience at their sites. But who can afford him? Not the vast majority of site owners! There is however nothing to stop you applying his principles to any site.

You can have a site that meets all the most important standards of usability by planning it well and always keeping the end user in mind. Remember that Web sites should not be designed for their owners - they should be designed for their users!

12 Basics of Good Usable Design

1. Content is King
   All the rest is decoration, important but not the point of the site. Do not become bogged down in fancy design that only serves to hide your content.
   

2. Make it obvious
   You know what your site is about; I don't, so tell me! Your home page should state clearly and concisely what the site contains. Put important information at the top of each page so that it is visible right away.
   

3. Keep it short and simple
   Users do not read Web sites - they scan them. Keep your copy short, break it into paragraphs of no more than a few lines each, use lists, highlight important points in bold text.
   

4. Make it easy to get around
   Make your navigation clear and easy to use, it is the single most important element of your site's design. Name your buttons or links carefully and use drop down boxes, a site map, a site search facility or any other method that helps people find what they are looking for.
   

5. Be Predictable
   Put navigation where it is expected - on the left or the top. If you put it elsewhere it needs to be very visible and accessible. Use standard colors for links within the page. Bear in mind that if you underline text almost all users assume it is a link. Use another method, such as bold or colored text, to highlight important points.
   

6. Provide many Routes
   Have several links to each page from within your site. Rather than just having a link from the navigation bar, link to other pages from within articles or flag them in 'breakout boxes'.
   

7. Make it Legible
   Make sure the text is in a clear and widely available font and large enough for the average user to read easily.  Be especially conscious of the contrast between page and text if you use a colored background. Text on patterned backgrounds is very often hard on the eye so these need very careful consideration.
   

8. Learn to Love Space!
   White space makes a site easier to read. Avoid clutter and let your text stand out by surrounding it with space.
   

9. Break it Up
   Long pages that force the user to scroll down will often cause the user to leave (though you didn't!). Break up your content into short bites and deliver each concisely.
   

10. Tone it down
    Too many colors, clashing colors or very garish colors all distract form your site's content. Stick to a simple palette and use it consistently.
    

11. Don't get too Fancy!
    Flash, Java applets, animated graphics - all tempting to include in your site. But they are often a distraction and a barrier to accessing the content. Use them only where they genuinely help a visitor learn something or get somewhere. And splash pages? Just say NO!!
    

12. Be Available
    Overcome the impersonal nature of the Internet by placing your contact details on every page, using 'contact us' links often or even using 'Real Person' or a similar service to allow your visitors to speak with you.
    

Katherine Nolan
OutFront.net
A Microsoft FrontPage Learning Community