Usability is the practice of making a website easy to use by making sure that a visitor can easily and efficiently achieve their purpose for visiting that site.

Framed as a question, Usability can be defined by asking, 'Can the user easily accomplish what they came to do on a site or get the information they were looking for?'

DON'T MAKE ME THINK!

There is a very famous book on Web Usability by Steve Krug titled 'Don't Make Me Think.' Boiled down to its essence, the book makes the point that a website should be self-explanatory. At a glance, a visitor should be able to know what a site is for, and how to use it, while expending the least amount of cognitive effort possible. 

If you always keep the phrase 'Don't Make Me Think!' at the front of your mind when working on your site, you will be serving your visitors well. 

User Experience

User Experience (UX) is a broader concept than Usability. In web design, UX describes the entire experience, from beginning to end, of a user's interaction with a website. A positive User Experience for a visitor to a University of Montana website will be one that is pleasant, productive and contains the bare minimum of frustration (ideally no frustration) in the process of achieving their goals for visiting the site.

Consistency is Key

A consistent User Experience across all sites on the University of Montana website is a top priority. It will reduce the cognitive load (Don't Make Me Think!) of the site visitor and will result in happier, more satisfied and less frustrated visitors.

Content Sets Your Site Apart

It is your site's unique content that will attract visitors and distinguish your Department or Unit.

A different layout or design pattern, compared to other UM sites, will not positively distinguish your site or help your visitors get what they came for. It will actually have the effect of frustrating your visitors by increasing their cognitive load (Don't Make Them Think!) as they have to work to understand the new layout they are encountering on your site. 

Content is King. Your unique value to the University will be reflected by the content of your site, not the layout.

Best Practices

The content in this section defines best practices for many of the scenarios a UM site owner will encounter. Sticking to these best practices will help ensure good Usability and a consistently positive User Experience for UM site visitors.