Web Usability

Overseas research and practice have proved that a good website is user-centric, the presentation of its information and structure is consistent with the user's cognitive patterns and behavior, the interface is humanism and the appearance is attractive, and it’s easy to learn, easy to finish, communicate more quickly and accurately, provide user a positive feel and high satisfaction.

For example: Microsoft VS Apple

Microsoft's profits have been always come from company, but not for individual service, the Microsoft Web site aims to serve everyone.

Apple's main business is carried out for individual, the goal is for promotion, sales and after-sales service.

1.      User-friendly interface



Microsoft



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Microsoft's Web site is difficult to read and the text is too small to allow readers to read and they will lose interest to continue browsing the page. Different page navigation bar has its own different types of navigation.

The effect of Apple’s Web site ensures that the page’s blank is useable and is easy to attract Web surfers to browse. The style is consistent throughout the website and the navigation bar at the top of the page is for each individual and is consistent.

2.      Appearance is attractive

Microsoft's pages use the three images which have similar style to attract people's attention

The appearance of Apple's website is simple, not too much complicated things in order to prevent the website being blocked.

  

3.     Searching is accurate and fast

The result of Microsoft’s search is a large list, similar to Google search results.

Apple is the real-time search, the results have a big category, according to different needs will do the sub-screening.

 

Above all, only consider the availability, Apple is perfect. The design of their home page is better, fewer options to reduce the users thinking. They have a same navigation bar on each page, with a lot of blank space and sub-titles to improve readability. It maintains the simplicity of their page and there is no excessive use of word processing effects.

Apple's Web site is much smaller than the Microsoft website. Microsoft.com has many different websites and section, creating a sub-site of entire ecosystems. Each site is filled with a plenty of information and the LiveSearch core search.