MAKE IT or BREAK IT: The Power of the Website

In week 6 of class, I have been looking at websites and how they are designed. I have been learning about what makes a really good website such as it needs to be usable and have good utilities (the features needed to do what the user wants). 

There are five components of a good website:

1. Learnability - it must be easy for users to navigate and accomplish the basic tasks the first time they use the site.
2. Efficiency - Once the user knows how to use the website, they must be able to easily perform tasks on it.
3. Memorability - If the user leaves off using the website for some time, they must be able to return to it and continue to use it as if they never stopped using it. They must be able to easily use the website with each attempt
4. Error - IF they make an error while using the website, they need to be able to easily recover from it, and
5. Satisfaction - it must be a pleasant experience using the website. (Nielsen, 2012)

Considering these components listed, I looked at a website that I spend a lot of time on, and that I have studied closely for this class - Pinkzebrahome.com/ESSENCEdePinkbyJodiLynn.

Here is a picture of the home page 

It is definitely appealing to the eye. But as far as usability how does it measure up?

1. Learnability: It is definitely straight to the point. It is clear that this is a Pink Zebra website. The Logo stands out, and if I needed to reach out to the company it is very clear where I can click to do so with the Contact Us button to the far right of the navigation bar. 

2. Efficiency: Most people come to the website to learn more about the product. There are four products that many visit the website to get: fragrances, simming lights, shades and the soaks products. The customer does not have to go looking for links to what they are interested in. The links are placed up front on the navigation bar so that it is easily accessible. Even the sale items are easily accessible by clicking on the outlet store button.  

3. Errors: If the customer was to hit the wrong button they can easily hit another button and go to the product listing that they are interested in or they can hit the back button to back out of the page that was accessed by accident making it easy to recover from errors. 

4. Satisfaction: the set up of the page and the bright colors are visually satisfying along with the easy to use design.

5. Memorability: Even if the website is not used everyday, it is very easy to remember what to do when returning to it. 

The homepage does clearly state what is offered, and there is no way to get lost using this website because the navigation bar is static.

Overall, Pink Zebra Home did a very good job setting up their website to be user friendly. Because of the ease of use of this website, I give them a rating of MAKE IT. 

Now looking at the mobile website

The Mobile app follows the same format as the website which is good for branding. It has the same ease of usability as the website. What is different is that you don't see the navigation bar as on the website. But what you do see is the three dashes at the top that opens up the navigation bar when it is clicked on...

Clicking the three highlighted bars at the top will give you the same navigation options as on the website. So the mobile website is just as functional and also gets a MAKE IT rating for usability. 

 Now the true test of website usability is what the customer thinks when they use it. So I invite you to check out the Pink Zebra Website by clicking this link

Pink Zebra Website

Then comment below to let me know what you think about this site. I would love to hear your comments. 

Reference:

Nielsen, J. (2012, January 4). Usability 101: Introduction to Usability. Retrieved February 11, 2018, from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-101-introduction-to-usability/