DigiWeb

Why are Usability and Accessibility Important? The web design and development industry has undergone a number of radical shifts over the last few years - in fact, many industry experts claim that it is the most rapidly changing industry in the world. What these changes have led to though, is increased potential - "anything is possible". The inevitable side effect of this is that software and web sites have become so feature-rich and complex that they are practically impossible to use.   This matters to individual website owners because, if they are not careful, their website project or website content management solution can easily suffer functional overkill. When launching a web design project, be sure to ask yourself and your web site vendor the following questions: How does your software meet accessibility standards? How do you implement usability best practices? Can users with disabilities use my website? How readable will my website be by visitors...

When we talk about usability in web design, we are talking about the overall ease and comfort with which site visitors can complete the tasks associated with a given website. From simply finding the information they are looking for, to completing a purchase - how easy is it for visitors to do what they need to do on the site? Various elements contribute to site usability, including: Familiarity - does the website use common, familiar navigation - will the user find the site easy to move around in? Easy to learn - is the site designed to make it as easy as possible for new visitors to figure out? Efficiency - is the site logically designed so that users can quickly complete desired/required tasks? Memorable - does the site design make it easy for a returning visitor to remember how it works? Error Frequency - how often do site users make mistakes - how much of a problem does an error create and how difficult is it for the site user to recover and get back on track after m...

Staying Competive in Changing Markets There are a lot of forces impacting the business of web design today: from do-it-yourself software packages that allow anyone to build a website, to the proliferation of Software as a Service (SaaS) models that offer template websites for a low monthly fee. In effect, what is now happening to the business of website design is the same thing that has occurred in the hosting industry over the past few years. The big players are becoming massive through consolidation, while the smaller players are being absorbed or gradually squeezed out of the marketplace entirely. And everyone is caught up in a mad dash for that last, rapidly shrinking dollar. Similar forces are being brought to bear on website design. It is no longer enough to have the best creative talent and a killer portfolio. You must offer a complete package of design and functionality...and do it faster and more economically than ever before, just to remain competitive. The...