user interface design strategies

Running head : user interface design strategies

User interface design strategies Amazon 's user interface design strategies

Homepage

Amazon 's homepage provides the user with an overview of their whole site , which is vitally important as (Nielsen , 2007 ) explains "The homepage is your company 's face to the world " As recommended by Nielsen (2007 ) Amazon has used a tagline to capture and communicate the essence of the company making the sites purpose immediately clear Amazon .com Online shopping for electronics , apparel , music , books , DVDs more Their logo is also apparent , boosting brand awareness

, differentiating identity from competitors and providing familiarity to users . It can be found in the top left hand corner of the homepage , showing standard HTML conventions have been adopted

Amazon use standard blue hyperlinks , tab navigation , browse box graphics and a search input box to help users interactively navigate the site , in a simple , easy to use fashion . Key worded category hyperlinks emphasise product variety and the sites most important sections . Amazon is a path-based homepage we recommend duplicating this approach to split the audience immediately into interest groups and to offer them specific , more relevant information in menu pages deeper within the site (Lynch and Horton , 2005

Amazon reveals real site content (Nielsen , 2007 ) offering easy access to recent homepage features . Homepages are updated regularly visual graphics are kept meaningful and often represent new releases and recommendations , adding to the informal site personality . Text and graphic design is simple , increasing loading time . Colour is basic mainly white . We recommend the use of a white background it makes the content easier to read White in its nothingness acts as a wonderful balance between colours (Singh , 2003 ) Amazon 's homepage is space efficient

Usability

Usability on the web is crucial to achieving loyal and frequent customers hence we recommend investment in this area . Amazon has strong link affordances . Links are accurate and intuitive . Users are aided in their search and purchases , demonstrating good usability . An animated demo is available for new users and a help section , as recommended by (Nielsen , 2007 ) Amazon 's usability is inter-related to content navigation and page layout , which reveals consistency throughout the site

Amazon 's one-click ing system considerably increases purchasing efficiency . An A9 searching organises bookmarks and saves browsing history , helping flexibility and efficiency of use (Nielsen , 2006 and Instone , 2005

Amazon has personalised features with areas "New for you " and "Your store " tailored to user interests and a "Wish list " to track items These features enhance interaction , user experience and promote "Recognition rather than recall (Nielsen , 2007

Amazon positions their website as a virtual store . It strengthens this association with visual symbols such as shopping carts ' and instructions to proceed to check-out ' which are reminders of physical store environments "providing familiarity to customers (Weick , 2001 These would be approved by Nielsen (2006 ) as (Appendix 1 shows ) they provide a "Match between system and the real world " Amazon avoids technical language and speaks user language , as recommended by Nielsen (2006

Amazon makes assumptions...