Take our survey!
We’ve created a survey to find out why people use the current research webpages and what they like and dislike about that experience. Anyone who enters could win a £30 Amazon voucher for taking part!...
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Online search usability testing findings
Over the summer, usability testing was conducted on the University’s search tool. The main purpose of the test was to set a benchmark and find out how users interacted with the current search system,...
View ArticleWhy to avoid marketese on the web
Marketese is a writing style which favours promotional, self-congratulatory and boastful language over technical and objective wording. At the University of St Andrews, we aim to avoid using marketese...
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New School websites usability findings
Two weeks ago I conducted usability testing on the design for the new School websites on behalf of the Business Transformation Board who are running the Academic School Websites project. This project...
View ArticlePlain English for the web
When writing for the web, use plain English to make your content easy to read and understand by all users. Plain English will also help your page rank higher in search engine results. Plain English is...
View ArticleClicks don’t really matter
Over the last few months I’ve received several requests to track the number of clicks it takes a user to complete a task to determine the “improved” usability of a website. This type of request is in...
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Scrolling and the Illusion of Completeness
How can web designers and developers encourage users to scroll? In 2018, the Nielsen Norman Group reported that 57% of user’s viewing time was spent above the fold (the first visible area of a webpage...
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Prioritising search results to maximise user engagement
The importance of having the correct web page listed in the top few search results has long been known. However, in some cases only a single result gets the attention of users. This has an impact for...
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How to indicate required and optional fields in forms
Online forms can be complicated to complete. How can we make it easy for users to know which fields have to be filled in and which ones are optional? An article by the Nielson Norman Group recommends...
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Using cues.ai to inform decision making
We have been using software called cues.ai from a company called Twenty Thousand Leagues, since April this year. When students view a course page, the software prompts students with a question ‘are you...
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Six steps to overcome online indecision
How do we make it easier for users of the University website to find the right link, the right information they need? The current landing pages for current staff and current students provide a plethora...
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How we are using Hotjar to improve our web pages
We have been actively using Hotjar for the past six months to record heatmap data and discover new insights into how our web pages are being used. This article explains how we are currently using the...
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The information scent of links
When looking at links on a web page, how do you decide which one will take you closer to your goal? You’ll choose the one with the highest information scent – the link with relevant terms and context...
View ArticleThe three hats of user experience
User experience (UX) and design patterns fall under three categories (or hats) – white hat, grey hat, and black hat – or more simply put, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The terms white/grey/black hat...
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Writing for an international audience
If you are a native English speaker, have you wondered what it’s like to read web pages written in English when English is not your first language? Our University web pages have an international...
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When to avoid accordions on web pages
Before implementing accordions in your design, consider these five scenarios. It might be better to present your content in a more accessible way. Accordions are a common feature in web design,...
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Laying the foundations for the University of St Andrews Design System
How the insights from Andrew Couldwell’s Laying the Foundations have helped the University to create its own design system. Creating a robust and future-proof design system for the University of St...
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