design/usability comments

It doesn't matter if you do all the error checking in the world, or if you have the most beautiful graphics, if your site or application design isn't usable, it's not going to do well. Get input and advice on usability and user interface issues here.

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Gaia
Forum Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 9:45 am

design/usability comments

Post by Gaia »

hey,

I created a guestbook script and was wondering if i could get some comments and suggestions on the design/UI/usability.

http://unstablefears.com/projects/gbook

It's not XHTML compliant as of yet, but i will hopefully have it that way next release.

Just any else that might make it more user friendly.

Thanks!
Roja
Tutorials Group
Posts: 2692
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:30 pm

Post by Roja »

HTML/CSS compliance is definitely at the top of the list.

Using tabindex would be beneficial ( http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/#tech-tab-order ).

For the entry screen, you should look into using labels to make your form more accessible: http://www.usability.com.au/resources/forms.cfm

The color scheme is a bit too low-contrast, might want to rethink the off-white on light blue look, and the orange on light blue look. Purple and yellow is one of the most effective high-contrast color combinations, and also manages to avoid the majority of colorblind color combinations: http://colorfilter.wickline.org/

You are using tables for an incredibly simple layout, and CSS would do just as well. Granted, it does look almost identical when linearized (awesome!), CSS might be an improvement worth looking into.

The icons for email, web, etc are a bit on the small side.. might want to bump them up a bit. 16x16 is a common icon size that usability testing shows to be fairly accessible.

Other than those concepts, it looks very solid.
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