Keep it simple
Even if a website has fantastic looks, great features and lots of information, if people don't know how to use it, they don't find what they want, and they don't return.
Problems with usability of the website are not be obvious to people who don't have to use it. Unfortunately that usually includes its owners, who have seen their website hundreds of times, have no problems understanding their business-specific terms, and don't need to find and read any of websites content. But for people who see it for the first time, it all may be confusing and illogical.
Small annoyances = big failures
Ideadesigners have a list (continuously updated) of the common pitfalls; we keep an eye on them and avoid whenever possible. Technically it's called defensive design, but in the end it's just about keeping things simple and being helpful (which ironically sometimes requires complex programming to achieve).
Flash introductions or 3D animated navigation menus, no matter how great they look when you present them to the board meeting, are usually counter-productive. These are things that in most circumstances annoy visitors.
Technically:
- K.I.S.S.
- We check all website elements against numerous usability guidelines
- Analyze use cases, navigation paths, and workflows
- Usability evaluation on number of browsers and operating systems, including mobile devices
- We can perform user-led usability testing if neccessary
