Usability Redesign (Get yours started today!)

From confusion to clear communication

Nov 30
A Little Context Goes a Long Way or Bigger Isn't Always Better

“My users can′t find the ‘forgot password’ link can you make it bigger or into a button or something.” On one occasion or another you have probably heard or personally requested this of your design team. If your team had a keen ear the only part of this request they would have heard is “…my users can′t find the ‘forgot password’ link…”

Target: Design it Yourself

When someone can′t find an element on your site 90% of the time it is because it is in the wrong place. Before you start making things bigger take a look at the element in question and see if it is placed in the correct context.

When an element is placed in its correct context all its surrounding elements help to give it meaning, making it easy to locate. Take a look at the following sign in screen example.

figure 1 Figure 1 - Sign in example showing bad use of context

The designer of this screen almost got it right. All of the required elements are present and placed within the sign in context however they didn′t think about the context of each individual element and how each element is defined by the elements placed near it.

The question you need to ask in this exercise is what element or elements does “forgot password” belong to? Is it a function of the Submit? No. Is a function of the password field? Ding, ding, ding! By placing it under or next to the field your user is currently hammering with the wrong password your “forgot password” links becomes a lifeline to a potentially lost customer or even worse an expensive support call averted.

figure 2 Figure 2 - redesigned sign in example showing good use of context

Use the same logic to place the “terms agreement” and the “remember me” elements, they are both functions of the “submit action” and should be placed in that context.

You could always follow the client′s directive and make it bigger or more bottony but then you just end up in a competing elements arms race that can only end in a series of giant buttons.

Next time you start super sizing an element or run to the design team with the directive to do so take a moment to think about context and how it can improve user experience.

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