A Cul-de-What?

Cul = slang for bum
De = of
Sac = bag

Therefore we can translate Cul-de-Sac to Bum of Bag (or bottom of bag). It’s a deadend. In town planning if a car drives into a cul-de-sac the only way out is to turn around. In terms of web usability you don’t want to do this, there should be a next natural step or a choice of avenues for the user to pursue.

Let’s take a look at an example on the Univesity of Oxfords lovely new website.I’m on the Computer Science Undergraduate page and after reading the text I get the typical informational cul-de-sac:

So now they’ve caught my attention with all that copy what can I do:

1. Go back to the top of page
2. Print the page
3. Recommend it to a friend

What about applying for the course!? Surely that’s a better action than returning to the top of the page.

Keep It Simple Stupid

As an information architect you need to get your user from A to the conversion point in the fewest number of steps and as easily as possible. Too many designers and IAs are focussing on the top of the page (above the fold line) and neglecting the all important foot of the page.

Next Steps

• Contact David Sealey to see how we can help you
• Read more about Quba’s online services
• Get our free report on Social Media Marketing entitled what’s in it for you! Download here.

I collected data on each site’s features and layout as well as scoring their design and use of photography. The chart below shows as a percentage the number of legal websites that have each feature:

Top Features:

1. Keyword Search – 88% of law firms have this on their website
2. Latest News – 85% like to tell you what they’re are upto
3. Publications/Features – 74% have either a featured area or publication to view
4. Logo (top left) – 74% of firms have their logo in the top left corner meaning 26% have it elsewhere
5. Introductory Text – 68% of firms have some introductory text, the quality of which was typically poor

Lowest Scoring Features:

1. Events – Only 3% of law firms feature their events on the homepage
2. Feedback Mechanism – 3% of the firms want feedback on their website
3. Contact Details – lawyers obviously enjoy keeping people at arms length as only 12% of the firms had some contact details on the homepage
4. Industry Sectors – 85% of the firms don’t bother showing you which sectors they work in
5. Text Version – Given the advent of mobile browsing it was surprising that only 15% of the surveyed firms have a text version of their website

Next Steps:

• To get hold of the full audit or to discuss the results contact David Sealey
• Follow Quba on Twitter

Consider for a moment the websites that you have visited in the past week. How many did not include a photograph or illustration? Not many I am prepared to bet.

Getting the right images for your website can be a challenge. Here are my tips for getting it right.

Does it fit with my brand? – Does the imagery you have selected reflect your brand? Your brand guidelines should be your starting point and will most likely give guidance on the type of images best suited to represent your company or organisation.

Choose a theme – when using photography and illustration on your website consider the consistency of the theme or style of images used throughout the website. By this I mean have a theme or style that links the images. This does not mean that all of the images should look the same but it does mean that linking them by say a common subject matter or photographic style will create a more coherent and professional appearance. An example of this can be seen on our own site, where the images are linked by a specific photographic style.

Using people images – introducing people imagery into the website design can be a powerful way to draw in and direct the visitor. Research has shown that when using images of faces, the models gaze can be used to direct the user towards the call to action.

Tell a story – The images used on your website are a chance to quickly reinforce the message being delivered, if possible pick images that illustrate this. When selecting images, consider the option of using metaphors, rather than literal interpretations to reinforce the message on the page.

Make space for the words – If the image is to be used as a banner in conjunction with a statement or headline, then you need to consider where the text is going to fit. If the image has a busy background then chances are the headline is not going to be legible. A better choice is an image that has an area of solid colour such as a blue sky that will enable the copy line to really stand out. A good example of how text is used within the imagery can be seen on the Casewise website: www.casewise.com

Get the dimensions right – Landscape portrait or panoramic? Consider how the image will fit within the design. It’s sometimes possible to “clone” part of a background to fit the image but generally it’s best to find an image that is the right size to start with.

Quality and size – Unlike print media, images being used for digital applications such as websites, emails and banner ads do not need to be high resolution, but they do need to be good quality. If in doubt get a larger size and allow for cropping. If the image is to be used the full width of a website then it needs to be at least 1000 pixels wide.

Don’t use snaps – unless you have some photographic skills yourself then the DIY route will almost always look just like that. Image libraries offer a huge range to suit all budgets and if you require more specific images then commissioning a photographer doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Where to source images – There are many websites that allow you to purchase royalty free images from about £1 per image and upwards depending on the size. These include:

• shutterstock.com
• stockxpert.com
• dreamstime.com
• istockphoto.com

For more exclusive imagery the following offer both royalty free and rights managed images that typically cost anything upwards of a hundred pounds.

• veer.com
• gettyimages.com
• corbis.com