User Misunderstands What They See

Often what designers think and what users think are quite different.

For example, one site had a link called, "Glossary" that linked to a glossary of keywords.

Few users clicked on it. Why?

Usability testing revealed why. A lot of their users weren't sure what a "glossary" was, so they were hesitant in clicking on the link. When they changed the word "Glossary" to "Dictionary", a great deal more users used the link, since nearly everyone knows what a dictionary is.

Confusion has arisen in e-commerce situations too. Several high-profile sites decided that instead of a 'shopping cart', they would have a 'basket' or a 'product trolley'. Ultimately, the conclusion was that if you stick to what users are already familiar with, even if it is wrong, you will have more success.

Page Has Too Much Noise >>>