patterns of behaviour and user experience

WEBSITES & SHOPPING CARTS

People recognise patterns
Patterns are the brain’s way of grouping liked things together. This is exampled in the order of content displayed on your website pages, or the way you present content and include a call-to-action each time. Patterns also connect the content on your website pages, and content that you choose to group together.
Website navigation

The structure and navigation of your pages can be inspired by patterns too – patterns of behaviour. For example, on a desktop computer, people are used to the navigation bar running across the top of your page, with the ‘home’ button being the first item (or hyperlinked to your logo). It’s ok to change this, but you must be wary as it’s a pre-existing method that people are used to.

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Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.
- Charles Eames

In 2006, Jakob Nielsen’s research team recorded the results of how 232 people looked at thousands of website pages. A pattern of behaviour for where their eyes looked at something on a page and for how long, and it was evident in the results that the more popular parts of a web page formed the shape of a capital letter “F”. This knowledge is useful as it can be translated to help your potential customers, and present your most important information and messages in these places.

Navigation is quite different on smartphones and tables, where people (majority being right handed) are using their thumbs to scroll down your website pages. The most common place for eyes to examine your pages is right down the middle. And the most common place for your navigational menu is to sit in the top-right spot of your pages. This is another helpful pattern to consider, as it will be an expectation of your potential customers.

preparation is key
6 essential steps to consider when planning your website

1. What is it you want your website to do for you? What is your strategy?

2. Do you have the ability to create it yourself, or is it better to contact a professional (like us) who knows what they are doing.

3. What do you need your website to do? Is it resource of information, or do you wish to sell products online.

4. Do you need help with writing content for your site? The right content and key words are essential for a good Google ranking.

5. Set goals to measure the performance of your website. Your SEO will be an important consideration here.

6. What if something catastrophic happens? How do you save your website?

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Our work
View some of our recent case studies which include website design
Intuitive design is how we give the user new superpowers.
Jared Spool, Web Site Usability: A Designer’s Guide