With the advent of advanced web techniques, a lot of changes have been affected in the online business scenario. Prominent changes have been witnessed in how online business is being done. All this is due to the advancement in web application design and development. Today’s expert developers have proved that they can leave no stone unturned in order to get the code right and go ahead with developing the most prolific of web applications.
Some of the best web applications are now being developed by app development and design companies and the IT industry is thriving because of such experts. If you want to thrive in the IT industry, then you need to develop the best-in-class web applications that engage customers and clients consistently. Hence, your website app will make your business reach the stars with the help of effective web application development.
With the ability to engage your visitors and clients consistently, you need to engage an innovative developer who can help you in all possible ways to develop a website app that will help you promote your brand. Doing this, you will realize that these applications have the right opportunity to help your website or website app become ultimately successful. Web applications can also include highly visual and artistic elements in the applications designed by you. However, despite so many guidelines in existence, there are many web developers who still make mistakes, so let us examine some web application no-no’s or concerns in this article:
#1. Non-Standard Controls for GUIs
As a developer if you go ahead and change the behavior of GUI widgets such as buttons, radio buttons, scrollbars, close boxes, and so on, these will cause a lot of confusion between readers. The GUI controls are designed by some of the best interaction designers and have refined the standard look and feel of the GUI controls for over 30 years. This has also been supported by thousands of hours of user testing. Hence, it is not likely that someone will invent a better button over the weekend.
#2. It isn’t a GUI control but looks like one
If your web application design and development has an element that looks like a GUI, but isn’t a GUI, then we have the opposite problem. This problem can reduce usability even more. For example, text and headlines that look like links but aren’t colored, are a routine issue. Also, a radio button that does not initiate a choice and a box that looks like a button but does not initiate an action are also routine occurrences on the web.
#3. Minuscule Click Targets
Yet another problem is click targets which are too tiny. Such areas are so small that users miss and click outside the active area. So, even if users originally perceived the association correctly, they would avoid clicking further, because they would think that they clicked and nothing really happened. Here, it should be remembered that small click zones are a particular problem for old users and especially users with motor disability skills.
#4. No Feedback
One of the most frustrating experiences on a web page is that there is no feedback after using a dialog box. Hence, in case you need to improve a dialog box’s usability it is to provide feedback. You can do this by telling users what is happening in the background, such as their requests are being processed or their commands have been understood and interpreted. Some web apps like their users to keep guessing. This is ultimately not the right way in web application development and design.
#5. No progress indicator
Many times, the system takes a long time to complete an action. In a variant of the earlier discussed point, this is a classic example of failure to inform the user about what is happening in the background. Hence, users think that the application is failing to respond and they start clicking all around the application or try and kill the application. Some standard notifications can help avoid this problem. Keep users informed about what is happening in the form of a busy cursor, or if a command takes, say, more than 10 seconds, then put up an unambiguous progress bar.
#6. Bad Errors
If the web app encounters a bad error, it is best to inform the user that a bad error has been encountered. The guidelines for error messages have been around for around 30 years now, yet many applications are in error of violation of these guidelines. Typically, error messages are read and a lot of time is spent in understanding them. Hence a clear explanation of the error is required at this stage.
#7. Asking for the same information over and over again
In case your web app asks for the same information again and again, then this is a negative sign on the part of the developer, as it is evident that the answers are not transferred from one part of the app to another.
#8. Not using Default Values
Default values are useful to users in many ways. These speed up user interaction by sparing users from mentioning values if the default values are acceptable. They also inform the users that this is the type of answer that is acceptable for the question, and also direct users towards directing users towards a safer outcome. Thus, they can accept the presented value in case they don’t understand what to do.
#9. Not indicating how the app will use the information
This problem is seen in many web apps. The information that users input in the apps can be used for any purpose whatsoever – at least this is what users think without telling them what you will use for. For example, people enter something inappropriate in the nickname field in a bulletin board web app and regretting later. Also, insisting for a zip code or a telephone number before processing information in a web application can cause customers to leave without a hunch.
#10. Including Reset Button on Web Forms
In case you have a reset button on web forms, it’s almost always a mistake to have it there, since it can remove the entire users’s input in one go and return it to its original state. So unless you are using the same form, its best to not include a reset button on web forms.
Images: “Presentation of web application lifecycle/Shutterstock.com“
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