USER CENTERED WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
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User-centred website development is a process of developing websites that places the user in the centre of the development process. The development process focuses on human cognitive factors (such as perception, memory, learning style, etc.), as well as, user, task, and environment analysis. The website's content, navigation, colour, typography, multimedia, and accessibility are then designed to accommodate the user with main emphasis placed on usefulness and usability.
McCracken et al (2004) emphasised that user-centred website development starts with understanding the human capabilities in senses, perception, and memory. The developer should not focus on interaction design (that is what happens next when the user clicks) or information architecture, but focus on usability by lessening the burden on a user's memory by providing visual cues and feedback. Krug (2000) also point out that everything on the webpage should be self-evident, obvious and self explanatory. When we are using the web, every question mark adds to our cognitive workload, distracting our attention from the task at hand, thus reducing our satisfaction.
McCracken et al (2004) also pointed out that one of the most important steps in user-centred website development is the user, task and environment analysis. The analysis should provide information about the user, their generic and specific characteristics such as learning style, experience, tool preferences, and physical and cultural differences, as well as, their goals and what tasks do they perform and how they perform them to achieve those goals...