In a digital age where videos are on demand and where information is merely a Google search away, we’ve grown to expect that access to content is a quick, instantaneous one-step process. Nowadays, if it takes too many clicks to get somewhere on a website, users simply click out of your site.

In a usability guidebook called Don’t Make Me Think, author Steve Krug focuses on designing for the web with an intuitive, as-little-clicks-as-possible approach. Simply put, the more time it takes to get to content, the less time a user will want to spend on your site.

With this in mind, it’s always good to remember that the first rule of usability is: “Don’t make me think.”

The second rule? “Please. Don’t make me think.”

Sure, there are a lot of in-depth studies about web usability and designing for a better user experience. In a growing genre of usability advice, case studies, books, reports, and presentations, one common theme is apparent: users shouldn’t strain their cognitive muscles to figure things out.

It’s all about maximizing the efficiency of your website and minimizing effort on the user’s end. Ultimately, it all boils down to how much time it takes for a user to think about the actions they perform online. Some things to consider:

• How many clicks did it take you to get to a specific page?
• Are the major sections of the site apparent on the navigation?
• Do you have to “muddle” through content to find specific information?
• How often are you using the back button?
• Can you tell what page you’re on and what the site is called?
• Does the homepage easily convey what the site’s about?

A successfully designed website is one that aligns with your intuition. Small steps like designing with ample white space will amplify calls to action tenfold. Whether it’s buttons, text, navigation, content or Flash animation, all elements of your site should be logically placed where a user can expect to find them. And, most importantly, whatever it is that you design shouldn’t force users to think about how to use it. As Krug notes, websites should be “self-evident, obvious and self-explanatory.”

If all sites were designed using this principle, we’d all be one step closer to a one-click society.

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Chris Rodriguez Creative Services

Filed under: Design, Resources

Tags: Design, Interactive, interface design, usability, user experience, UX, Websites