Functionality – think like a user!

While it might seem like a terribly obvious statement the simplest logic is often overlooked in the quest to have the most flashy (excuse the pun) website in the industry or because of a fear of technology and lack of research.

I keep reminding people that offline logic still applies online! Don’t suddenly think you should leave everything up to your web developer or agency because you are not a technical person. Take as active a role in your website functionality. After all, you understand your product and target audience far more intimately than a technically minded web team.

Firstly, think like a user. Write down all the facts, information and useful applications you would find useful when searching a website for the particular product or service you are offering. What information would be most important? What order should that information appear? And how can you make the process as smooth as possible for the user?

For example, if it’s a car rental company (or even car rental section on your travel site) you wouldn’t have payment terms and conditions as the first bit of information. First comes types or classes that car rental company offers. Then comes costs for each of those classes. Then the information is required as to which types of cars the user can choose from in each class. Booking and payment methods are next and finally insurance. In short anyway!

So think through the process that is relevant to your service or product range and organize your content and website appropriately. Some quick logical steps to assessing and implementing functionality on your website:

1) Organise content (this is also great for SEO)
2) Make sure the user has to the least amount of clicks to get to the end result (while still be supplied with all the relevant information along the way)
3) Get rid of outdated clutter on your website menu and navigation
4) Make sure the user can always return to the homepage from EVERY page (even better to have the same menu throughout the site to offer easy navigation)
5) Don’t make the page too wide
6) Offer content in bite size chunks (imagine if newspapers didn’t have columns?!)
7) Create links within content to other related sections on your website but don’t use them unnecessarily

There are many other hints and tips but mostly you just need to use logic, your knowledge of your product and design your site for usability rather than showing off your flashy design.