Tools and techniques to support site migration

We are currently living in an era of Digital Darwinism , a time where evolving technologies - from mobile, real-time, to social media and the Internet of Things - are disrupting traditional business models and markets. In order to adapt effectively many larger businesses are creating digital transformation programmes to ensure that businesses look beyond the here and now and focus on how disruptive technologies are affecting customer behaviour and the impact this has on their business in the future.

The continuous evolution of the website to support digital transformation

For most, a company’s website is at the centre of their digital ecosystem, and with the explosive growth in mobile and tablet usage , the form and nature of the website is changing to keep pace with the changes in…

Or... why we have a love/hate relationship with Rubik’s Cubes?

OK, we don’t hate them, in fact we should probably be grateful to this 80s icon since we’ve won a lot of business recently because of it. However, when it comes to developing websites (or any type of software) we have to bury the Rubik’s Cubes. Let me explain…. Technical agencies, such as ourselves are often too quickly regarded as not creative. This can feel unfair and too hasty because we have seen some fantastic creative work from technical agencies over the years.  It’s just that the strength of this type of agency is more in technical creativity, this blends all of these factors: The elegance of the solution... The interaction design of the page (helping bring it to life from a static comp produced by a creative team). The integration of the solution into CRM systems and complex legacy IT platforms to create beautiful digital…

When businesses use eye tracking data to help them design their website they could be missing vital information about their web visitors

Eye tracking studies are undoubtedly useful. Let’s get that fact out-of-the-way first. These specialist studies show exactly where people look on web pages and as a result web designers can ensure that specific elements are positioned for maximum visibility. But are these studies as valuable as they might seem? In this article I shall explain why eye tracking studies have limitations which companies should consider when they are building their websites. What you’ll discover in this article is: How eye tracking works What eye tracking tells you What eye tracking does not tell you The major flaw with eye tracking Filling in the gaps of eye tracking The place of eye tracking in marketing

How eye tracking works

Eye tracking can be performed in various ways, but generally small cameras track the movement of the pupils as…

Better usability testing for websites and apps: the top 10 mistakes to avoid

Done well, usability testing enables organisations to validate ideas and designs for websites and applications with real-world users, helping increase engagement, satisfaction and conversions. But executing a successful user testing strategy brings with it numerous challenges and potential hazards. Think about your redesign and conversion optimisation projects. Are you at risk of committing any common testing mistakes?

Introduction to the value of usability testing

Research from the IEEE has found that fixing problems with software once development’s already begun is twice as expensive as resolving them before development commences. Conducting lab-based usability testing that provides valuable insight into how users perceive and interact with your site or application before your project goes live can, therefore, deliver significant returns; in fact, it’s been found that for every dollar a company invests to increase usability it receives $10-$100 in benefits, and wins customer satisfaction…

Harnessing the 4 key drivers of customer control

The overwhelming choice of apps, websites and other digital platforms that customers have at their finger tips through multiple devices creates a swirling galaxy for brand owners to navigate and understand when looking to build customer relationships. Brands need to take advantage of and be part of this technological 'galaxy of delights', as more and more time is spent by customers on electronic devices and the penetration and usage of tablets and smart phones continues apace. Since customers will interact with brands across this range of platforms, it's important to remember the context within a wider customer journey and develop integrated propositions.

But how do you make sense of all of this as a marketer? In this post I will explain a framework on how to approach different technology platforms to create advantage and deliver better customer…

New research: The SimpleUsability Online Experience Index for UK Fashion E-commerce sites

This article summarises our review of the clothing retail websites for Marks & Spencer, Hobbs, Karen Millen, French Connection, Boden, Oasis and Fat Face. Reviews were performed in the week of 10 March 2014. The aim is to highlight best practices and areas for improvement that can be applied by retailers. You will see from the Radar charts for the retailers that there are substantial differences in experience of each of the customer journey and overall.

Understanding, measuring and improving the customer experience is a pretty fundamental part of everything we do at SimpleUsability.

Whether we’re working on competitor or comparator testing at the start of a project, multi-platform testing across a number of devices, or an expert review, our research and the resulting recommendations help our clients to improve their customer experience and benefit from the associated commercial gains around…

Creative approaches to say sorry more positively

Having worked on a number of web projects over the years, I still receive great examples of 404 page designs sent to me by my former team members. Why? A well designed 404 page can be an opportunity to build your brand when something goes wrong for your user and I attempt to bring them in all web projects I work on. If you're not a webmaster, you may not know what a 404 is, although you will certainly have seen them! Technically speaking Wikipedia describe it as 'The 404 or Not Found error message is a HTTP standard response code indicating that the client was able to communicate with the server, but the server could not find what was requested.' Your users will describe it, to quote a great TED talk by Renny Gleeson  as 'a slap in…

Getting the website design style balance right

There’s often a preconception that designers and digital strategists do battle on a daily basis, but in our experience, this is simply not the case. Great websites require both sides to debate their points to reach the best conclusion – a healthy balance between design, functionality and persuasion. There are many different page types which make up a great website, each requiring a different strategic and design approach. In this blog post, we will look at a sample of pages from both perspectives with a view to finding that sweet spot where both are balanced and both combatants are happy.

The Homepage

Creative-led design example

This is where you grab the viewer’s attention. This may be your only chance to keep the new visitor on your site / side, so you need to be direct and achieve an…

Examples and the Pros and Cons of Parallax Web Design

We are all more aware than ever that web design styles are shifting  towards user experience as opposed user tasks and usability. Users demand to be engaged, entertained, educated and enticed into absorbing content online. Parallax web design, used in the right context, has the ability to deliver a really strong connection to an online brand experience, based on the interactivity of the website, the journey and the focus, realism and context given to the content or product. Often, examples of Parallax web design focus on product examples, such as Google's Nexus 7 page, but I hope to show in this post that there are opportunities for other types of organisations such as B2B businesses or charities to use Parallax design for deeper engagement. The examples show that Parallax design can offer a more interactive version of infographics, better suited to…

A primer on Information Architecture (IA) approaches for cross-channel design

We can no longer think of a computer as something that just sits on our desk at work or at home. There are computers all around us, literally. In fact, in most situations where there are groups of people there are likely to be more computers than people and this is only 2013. Imagine the situation in 2018 and beyond... We are now living with computers in a much more intimate way since the inception of Apple’s first generation smartphone back in 2007. In turn, such close and constant proximity has resulted in many interesting changes. Firstly, how we use computers. Secondly, the information we use them for.   Source:  Amit Burstein / Flickr This article is a primer for people that want to gain an overview of cross-channel design. It will also address…