Application of the Five-Step Search Strategy
Step 1|
Distinctive words or phrases: web usability web standards web usability guidelines |
Synonyms: human-centred web design web acessability |
Step 2
Search Engines:
Google ("web usability", web usability guidelines)
Teoma/Ask.com ("web usability", web design usability)
Step 3
Google ("human OR user centred web design")
Step 4
Subject Directories:
Open Database Project (Computers > Internet > Web_Design_and_Development > Web_Usability)
Google Directory (Computers > Internet > Web_Design_and_Development > Web_Usability)
Step 5 Google (web standards usability, web usability accessibility, web ~usability -design)
Search summary and conclusion
Overall, I would consider that each search was useful and successful in achieving the the aim. A number of what I would call "authoritative" sites on the topic of useability nearly always showed up in the results, and nearly always ranked in the top 10 of each of the searches. These sites were:
Not only were these sites useful places to start, but they were comprehensive, credible, and most often cited by other sites. Furthermore, the fact that these sites ranked high in search results, and given that the topic is web usability, demonstrates two things to me:
- The owners of these sites know about search engine optimization - which is of high importance when it comes to web usability
- These websites are obviously applying what they are preaching - web accessibility!
Detailed descriptions of each search:
Search One
Aim of search: Broad search of topic to get an overview
Search engine: Google
Search terms: "web usability"
Useful results:
#1 www.useit.com/
#4 www.usability.gov/guidelines/
#5 http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bing/oversite/webuse.html
#6 http://www.webcredible.co.uk/
#10 http://www.usability.com.au/
#11 http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web/
#16 www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Web_Usability
Comments:
Search returns a number of good sites. Jakob Nielson's site came in at #1 which was expected. However it failed to return www.w3c.org in the top 30 which was unexpected, though http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web/ contains a large number of links to w3c.
Other results include web consulting company sites offering web usability services and articles on web usability, journal with a "special" issue on web usability, and amazon results for books on web usability.
Search Two
Aim of search: To narrow search to guidelines. To eliminate a number of unwanted results from the previous search, and to return even more useful results.
Search engine: Google
Search terms: web usability guidelines
Useful results:
#1 www.usability.gov/guidelines/
#4 www.useit.com/alertbox/20020512.html
#5 http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web/
#9 www.w3.org/
Comments:
By adding the word "guidelines" to the previous search, w3c has been added to the top 10 search results (at #9). Also www.usability.gov/guidelines/ has been bumped up to #1.
At #11, the open directory project result is returned: http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Web_Usability/
Search results include a number of university pages - and includes research done by academics, as well as articles written by experts and others in industry.
Overall, this search was useful as it returned useful sites in addition to the ones already seen from search one.
Search Three
Aim of search: To try a different search engine and compare results
Search engine: Teoma/ask.com
Search terms: "web usability"
Useful results:
#1 www.useit.com/
#1 encyclopedia definition - wikipedia
#3 www.useit.com/
#5 http://www.usabilityfirst.com/
#7 www.usability.gov/
Comments:
Similar results to the previous search. Rankings differed though. Also the result ranked #1 is a wikipedia definition. This is probably a characteristic of Teoma to return defitions first.
Search Four
Aim of search: Suggested narrowing of search terms. Followed "Narror your search" link from Teoma (resulting from search three)
Search engine: Teoma/ask.com
Search terms: "web usability" --> Then clicked on "Narrow your Search" --> web design usability
Useful results:
#2 usability.gov/guidelines/
#5 www.useit.com/
#8 www.usabilityfirst.com/
#10 www.w3.org/
#11 www.w3.org/WAI/
Comments:
Returns results that are pretty similar to the previous three searches.
Search Five
Aim of search: Search using a subject directory
Search engine: Open Database Project
Search terms: guidelines (Restricting Search to Category: Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Web_Usability)
Useful results:
#1 http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html
#2 http://trace.wisc.edu/world/
Comments:
Once again pretty similar to the previous searches. Something of interest, though from the W3C website is the "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" (http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html).
Search Six
Aim of search: To search a different directory
Search engine: Google Directory
Search terms: web usability (Category: Computers > Internet > Web Design and Development > Web Usability)
Useful results:
#1 http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html
#2 Useit.com - http://www.useit.com
#4 http://trace.wisc.edu/world/
#6 http://www.usability.gov/
#18 http://www.stcsig.org/usability/
Comments:
Pretty similar. Don't think there are really any new results. But that's not surprising.
Search Seven
Aim of search: Search using synonym
Search engine: Google
Search terms: human OR user centred web design
Useful results:
#1 http://jnd.org/dn.mss/gratuitous_graphics_.html
#7 its.monash.edu.au/web/slideshows/
#15 http://www.usabilitynet.org/management/b_design.htm
#16 http://deyalexander.com/presentations/usability-ucd/
Comments:
Deyalexander is probably the best resource I have seen so far... and it's a local Australian site! Too bad the site is closing down in April.
Search Eight
Aim of search: Search for sub-topic "accessability" which should return more specific sites
Search engine: Google
Search terms: web usability accessibility
Useful results:
#1 www.w3.org/
#2 www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/benefits.html
#4 www.usability.gov/accessibility/
#9 www.usability.com.au/
#10 www.makoa.org/web-desi.htm
#11 www.w3.org/WAI/
Comments:
This search returned a nuumber of really good pages and articles on accessibility, notably www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/benefits.html which is about business benefits of accessibility.
Search Nine
Aim of search: Search using synonym
Search engine: Google
Search terms: web standards usability
Useful results:
#1 www.w3.org/
#2 www.userfocus.co.uk/articles/ISO23973.html
#3 www.456bereastreet.com/
#5 www.useit.com/jakob/webusability/
#8 http://www.tcnj.edu/~technj/2004/WebUsability.htm
#9 www.maxdesign.com.au/presentation/checklist.htm
Comments:
Some good articles and a link to a good usability forums (http://www.tcnj.edu/~technj/2004/WebUsability.htm). Also returned a
helpful checklist (www.maxdesign.com.au/presentation/checklist.htm).
Search Ten
Aim of search: To search using synonyms, excluding sites about design
Search engine: Google
Search terms: web ~usability -design
Useful results:
#1 www.usability.com.au/
#2 http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/basics.shtml
#10 www.w3.org/
#11www.w3.org/WAI/
Comments:
www.usability.com.au/ ranked first. This is a good resource from Australia.