The updated 2006 Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines book is now available for order.
What has changed in the Guidelines 2006 edition?
The charts below outline the 22 new guidelines that were added and the 30 instances where existing guidelines were updated with new information and sources, or were moved to other chapters. We do not include the numerous instances of graphic updates to the "Examples" section of the Guidelines.
Twenty-two new guidelines were added.
|
Guideline
Chapter
|
Guideline
Number
|
New
Guideline
|
|
1
|
4
|
Involve users in establishing user requirements
|
|
1
|
11
|
Use personas
|
|
2
|
2
|
Increase web site credibility
|
|
2
|
9
|
Format information for reading or printing
|
|
6
|
1
|
Avoid cluttered displays
|
|
6
|
6
|
Optimize display density
|
|
6
|
8
|
Use fluid layouts
|
|
7
|
5
|
Place primary navigation menus in the left panel
|
|
7
|
12
|
Breadcrumb navigation
|
|
11
|
3
|
Use mixed case for prose text
|
|
11
|
5
|
Use bold text sparingly
|
|
11
|
9
|
Color-coding and instructions
|
|
11
|
11
|
Highlighting information
|
|
12
|
6
|
Use static menus
|
|
14
|
16
|
Using photographs of people
|
|
17
|
8
|
Include hints to improve search performance
|
|
18
|
2
|
Solicit test participants' comments
|
|
18
|
4
|
Prioritize tasks
|
|
18
|
5
|
Distinguish between frequency and severity
|
|
18
|
7
|
Use the appropriate prototyping technology
|
|
18
|
12
|
Choosing laboratory vs. remote testing
|
|
18
|
13
|
Use severity ratings cautiously
|
Some guidelines were updated, completely revised, or moved to create the new Chapter 18.
|
Old
Guideline
Chapter
|
Old
Guideline
Number
|
What
Changed
(New Chapter & Number)
|
|
1
|
2
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:1)
|
|
1
|
3
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:3)
|
|
1
|
5
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 1:3)
|
|
1
|
6
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 1:2)
|
|
1
|
11
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:6)
|
|
1
|
13
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:9)
|
|
1
|
14
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:8)
|
|
1
|
15
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:11)
|
|
1
|
16
|
Revised, and moved to Chapter 18 (see 18:10)
|
|
2
|
13
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 2:5)
|
|
5
|
7
|
Revised guideline, new text, additional sources (see 5:4)
|
|
6
|
3
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 6:5)
|
|
6
|
5
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 6:2)
|
|
6
|
9
|
Additional sources (see 6:12)
|
|
7
|
4
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 7:2)
|
|
8
|
5
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 8:2)
|
|
10
|
8
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 10:7)
|
|
11
|
2
|
Additional sources (see 11:4)
|
|
11
|
4
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 11:8)
|
|
13
|
2
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 13:6)
|
|
13
|
23
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 13:14)
|
|
14
|
4
|
Additional sources (see 14:9)
|
|
14
|
6
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 14:3)
|
|
16
|
2
|
Revised guideline, new text, additional sources (see 16:5)
|
|
16
|
3
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 16:2)
|
|
16
|
8
|
Revised guideline, new text, additional sources (see 16:6)
|
|
17
|
2
|
Additional sources (see 17:1)
|
|
17
|
3
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 17:6)
|
|
17
|
5
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 17:2)
|
|
17
|
6
|
Additional comments, additional sources (see 17:5)
|
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Why are research-based guidelines important?
Although recent findings show the public increasingly interacting with government
Web sites, a common problem is that people can’t find what they’re looking for. In
other words, the sites lack usability. The Research-Based Web Design and Usability
Guidelines aid in correcting this problem by providing the latest Web design guidance from the research and other forms of evidence.
Experts from across government, industry, and academia have reviewed and contributed to the development of the Guidelines. And, since their introduction in 2003, the Guidelines have been widely used by government, private, and academic institutions to improve Web design.
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What does a guideline provide?
Each guideline offers:
- A brief statement of the guideline.
- Comments that further explain the research/supporting information.
- Citations to relevant Web sites, technical and/or research reports supporting the guideline.
- A score indicating the “Strength of Evidence” that supports the guideline. These scores range from “Strong Research Support,” indicating that there is at least one formal, rigorous study with contextual validity and agreement among experts to “Weak Research,” indicating limited evidence and disagreement among experts.
- A score indicating the “Relative Importance” of the guideline to the overall success of a Web site. These scores range from one to five and are intended to help guide you in prioritizing the implementation of these guidelines.
- One or more graphic example of the guideline in practice.
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How do I order a copy?
Copies are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The price is $25.00 per copy if shipped in the U.S. The international price is $35.00.
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