Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Defining design, usability, and accessibility on the web

When it comes to using the web there are three important terms that stand out. Those terms include design, usability, and accessibility. When referring to the web, design can be defined as the creation of digital environments that facilitate and encourage human activity; reflect or adapt to individual voices and content; and change gracefully over time while always retaining their identity. The design of a website creates an environment for someone else’s expression and creates planes and grids that aid the dynamic behavior of people. It relinquishes control, and the people who use the design bring out and add to the meaning of the website’s design. When talking about usability on the web, one of the main things this term is pointing to is the navigation of a website. If your website is about selling things or convincing a user to come back, navigation is a key factor visitors use to decide if you’re trustworthy or not. And trustworthiness is critical. If you want the viewer to have a good time, make sure they can get where they want to go and know where they are when they’re there. If you show them a good time, they just might come to visit again. But if you leave them lost and confused they’re likely not to come back. The last term, accessibility, refers to how well people are able to get on the web, especially if they are disabled. Most of us can easily access the internet. That is, if we don’t have disabilities. But what about the people who do have disabilities such as being blind or being paralyzed? With today’s technology advancing every day there are certain materials that enhance the accessibility of the web for people with disabilities. These include voice recognition software, eye-gaze software, headsets, and voice activation when items are scrolled over. Over all, the three terms previously mentioned are all things to consider when using the web, and a good web designer will incorporate all three when creating a website.

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