Usability testing and implementation - Essay Example

Determining the usability of websites: http www.useit.com/jakob This site provides extremely useful information about Dr. Jakob Nielsen. His complete biography is presented in this site. The site clearly identifies the number and names of his books and publications, his demographic information, academic background and professional experience. His popularity can be estimated from the highly respectable comments various renowned magazines have passed on him and his work as mentioned in the website.

In the end, the site has provided his complete address and contact information that facilitates readers in accessing Dr. Jakob Nielsen. The site also provides links to various other sites which present the parodies made on Dr. Jakob Nielsen. After reading just one page about him on the website, a totally strange reader gets to know him as if he/she knew him for years. The features are extremely usable for people who want to access Dr. Jakob Nielsen in any way, be it through mail, telephone or email.

Even if the website does not offer downloadable books written by Dr. Jakob Nielsen, it does provide links to other websites that do. However, the usability is limited by the need to subscribe in order to access complete versions of books. Therefore, it provides a nice starting point to any sort of information about Dr. Jakob Nielsen. But readers looking for free access to online published material may not find this website very useful. In order to improve its usability, it should provide readers either with completely free access to books online, or else charge them with a fee significantly lesser than such other websites.

http://www.transparencynow.com/index.html As the name implies, the website claims to provide sufficient information so as to make things quite transparent and easy to conceive. The website interprets the meanings of such artwork as paintings, movies and various other forms of art. The site is particularly useful for students who are given tasks to demonstrate their understanding of a relatively abstract or complex idea presented in a movie, painting or artwork. It throws light upon various matters of daily occurrence.

However, the usability of this website is limited as it offers information in English only. There is no mechanism to get the text translated in languages other than English. Accordingly, people who don’t speak or understand English see little usability in the website. In order to improve usability, the website should purchase such software that would translate the text for non-English speakers. http://www.usability.gov/ The site presents comprehensive information about ways to make websites more usable.

One very good factor is that the website provides a downloadable reader which is helpful for vision deprived net surfers. Its usability can also be improved by providing the users with facility to translate and understand it in their respective languages. Compliments: Complimenting upon the usability of these websites was nice experience as it made me think about many potential ways in which websites can become more useful and hence, increase the volume of their users and customers. We usually do not pay heed to such factors.

Such exercises are though provoking and generate a constructive impulse. References: Nielsen, J. (2009). About Jakob Nielsen. Retrieved from http://www.useit.com/jakob/. Sanes, K. (2008). Welcome to Transparency: A website that tries to make things clear. Retrieved from http://www.transparencynow.com/index.html.