subject: Bite Size Website Design Helps Users Connect Better With Feature Rich Sites [print this page] It is a common misconception that going for the "Wow" factor and cramming everything into a large, complex website, with a hugely busy home page is what counts. "Bite size" chunks of information can actually increase rates of click-throughs and conversion.
"I"ve seen a lot of business websites that seem to bombard the user with tons of information as soon a user lands on the web page. Buttons, blinking things, hyperlinks, banners, and tons of text can be way over done. Doing this actually raises the anxiety levels of the user and he or she is more likely to get overwhelmed and exit the website rather than try to dig through the clutter," says user experience consultant, Timothy Kim of TM Media.
A practice called Progressive Disclosure is scientifically proven to work better to maximize the opportunity to engage visitors. Progressive Disclosure offers a way to simplify and slowly feed the user information that they only need at that moment. Its practice reduces clutter, confusion and decreases the user"s mental processing time giving them a feel good factor that floods them with endorphins thereby resulting in them staying on the site longer and being more likely to click through even more to further pages.
Using a process of continuous engagement, Progressive disclosure improves usability by presenting only the minimum amount of data needed for the task in hand. This helps the user manage the complexity of feature rich sites, moving complex and less frequently used options out of the main user interface and into secondary screens ie allowing the user time to absorb information and then clicking through to a further page of detail.
"I compare it to fishing. When you hook a fish, you don"t want to jerk the line to hard and rip the hook out of its mouth. You want to slowly reel it in while at the same time keeping tension on the line.
"The same happens when communicating with a user on your website. You want get their attention (hook them), give them small bits of information as they need it, (reel them in slowly) and keep them engaged and interested. (keep tension on the line)," adds Dallas Web Design consultants, TM Media.
Progressive Disclosure actually requires more clicks and it has been said that the less clicks the better, but studies have shown that people are willing to click more and, at times, do not even realize that they are clicking, because they are more engaged when the information is slowly feed to them in bite size portions.
About TM Media
TM Media is a Dallas branding and creative design studio that services clients from around the world.TM Media specialize in website branding, Package branding, web user experience design, and graphic design.
