If you read a lot on the web you often ‘bump’ into good articles and posts. One of them I found at the weblog off Renata Verloop. She writes (in Dutch) about usabilitytests, what are they and what do you have to look at in such a test.

The importance of a usabilitytest is large. Not only do you help your visitors find quickly what they are looking for and therefore make them feel well about your website, it also helps with search. How? Well it’s pretty simple actually: if your website follows the usability-rules and the visitor will find what they want fast and easy, they will easier make a link to your site as a source. Just as I’m doing to Renata’s website right now. And those links help in increasing your websites ranking in search engines.

Renata’s article covers a number of different items:

- What is a usabilitytest?
- For what do you use a usabilitytest?
- What do you need to do yourself?
- Who can do a usabilitytest and what are the costs?
- What are the do’s and don’ts?

The last part I want to give away here, just because they are good ‘tips’. For the others parts, read the article yourself .

The do’s en don’ts according to Renata:

Don’ts

• Start testing the website when its completely finished
• Having usabilitytests done by the designer or webbuilder (they are checking their own work)
• Doing the tests on your websites at your aunties
• Saying the testers are doing it wrong

Do’s

• Reserve a budget for usabilitytests
• Test a prototype
• Formulate what you want to learn from a test
• Have projectmembers attent tests
• Have the tests done by a specialized usability agency
• Test again after big changes

Through Dutch Cowboys I ran into another great describing picture from Elliance. You often hear that SEO (search engine optimization) is very expensive. And I too notice that clients are somewhat reluctant when it comes to starting with SEO. In the end is does pay out however. Especcially compared to advertising. Elliance shows that in this picture

This posting in Dutch

Again proof of what a good source the Cowboys and Cowgirls are. Two postings (you can’t call them articles ) with reference to these sites. Now its the Dutch Cowgirls‘ turn. Through that site I found this picture. This map is based on a subway-map and gives a great view of the curren internet Web Trends. And then especially all the different companies that play a big role. Very nice to look at and to get the big picture

Click here for the big picture

Click here to download the pdf-version

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