Ten Things to Avoid when Building a Web Page

originally written by Jakob Neilsen, this list has been updated, modified, and re-opinionated by Jeffrey Cohen.

1. Using Frames
Although it's just my opinion, I hate frames. I've surfed the web for over 5 years now, and have only seen two web sites that have used frames well. One of them was L.L. Bean's, and the other was a company that is no longer around. By the way, Beans has long since stopped using frames. Splitting a page into multiple sections is very confusing for users since frames break the fundamental user model of the web page. Basics such as trying to bookmark the current page, trying to print the page, and simple predictability of user actions goes out the door. Who knows what information will appear where/when you click on a link?

2. Too Much Technology There is a time and place for everything. Unless you have a specific need to use Bleeding Edge Technology, useless over the top just for kicks techno pop is the sure kiss of death. Sure, you will attract a few nerds, but mainstream users will care more about useful content and your ability to offer good customer service. Using the latest and greatest before it is even out of beta is a sure way to keep your customers from coming back. I liken the over use of techno wizardry to the days when desktop publishing was young. The inexperienced who thought they were being creative put twenty fonts in a single page layout. Let's learn from our mistakes.

3. Animations, Scrolling text, etc. Too much a of a good thing... It's a hard thing to remember, but why did someone come to your page in the first place? Is it because of something they wanted to see. NOT because of something you wanted to show them. Page elements that move incessantly take more time to download, and are a distraction from the first rate information (you do remember why you have a web site in the first place, don't you?) you are providing to your clients. Moving images have an overpowering effect on the human peripheral vision. A web page should not emulate Times Square in New York City in its constant attack on the human senses: give your user some peace and quiet to actually read the text! Of course, BLINK is simply evil. Enough said.

4. Complex URLs Web developers are finally starting to understand that users sometimes need to type in a URL, so try to minimize the risk of typos by using short names with all lower-case characters and no special characters (many people don't know how to type a ~). Thus, a URL should contain human-readable directory and file names that reflect the nature of the information space.

5. Orphan Pages This is one of those "common sense" items to which I am constantly amazed. More often than not I find myself on pages that do not include a clear indication to what web site they belong. Because users may access pages directly without coming in through your home page, every page should have a link up to your home page as well as some indication of where they fit within the structure of your information space.

6. Long Scrolling Pages Recent studies show that users are more willing to scroll now than they were in the early years of the Web, but because people are looking for something when they go to a site, all critical content and navigation options should be on the top part of the page.

7. Lack of Navigation Support Did you ever notice when you walk into a department store like KMart you know exactly where everything is? That's because the store is laid out in a structured manner with giant banners hanging from the ceiling. Your brain understands where to go to find something specific. Don't assume that users know as much about your site as you do. Providing strong sense of structure and place resulting in easy navigation is important to the structure of your site.. Start your design with a good understanding of the structure of the information space and communicate this structure explicitly to the user. For larger sites, a site map (which has no business on a site under a few dozen pages) or a good search feature can be helpful.

8. Non-Standard Link Colors Even though web browsers are fully customizable and users can override any settings they wish, links to pages that have not been seen by the user are blue; links to previously seen pages are purple or red. Don't mess with these colors since the ability to understand what links have been followed is one of the few navigational aides that is standard in most web browsers. Consistency is key to teaching users what the link colors mean.

9. Outdated Information Another reason people visit your web site and then don't call you is outdated information. Customers are fickle enough, and many of them make the assumption that if they see old information on your web site, that you don't care about your business, or having them as a customer. Budget for maintenance. Done properly, maintenance is an inexpensive way of enhancing the content on your Web site while developing new content as well.

10. Overly Long Download Times There is no quicker way to alienate visitors to your web site than by making them wait, and wait,....and wait! Usually for something they didn't want to see in the first place. Like it or not, the web is still a text based medium and your customers are there for information. Keep your graphics optimized, and to a minimum. Ya know...the balance between form and function.