Success on the web begins with a clear compelling message and succeeds with a great User Experience. Whether your goal is increased profit, customer education or signups, good usability will help. If your site is under performing or has never had a usability review, you will be surprised at how much of an improvement is possible.

The stages of site evolution are clear. Most sites first attain functionality and most stay there. A far smaller percentage reach a usable stage and even fewer reach the persuasive stage. For a more detailed description consider reading out article on the stages of site evolution. However the question is, what stage is your site in and how much more can you achieve? Our free assessment can answer the question.

We offer several services to measure and improve both the persuasive content of the site and the sites usability engineering or "user experience".

1. Heuristic Review - Web Site User Experience and Conversion Point Review.
For more details and a case study.
We do an in depth expert review of the site checking for compliance with our set of usability guidelines which measure:

Content
Persuasion
Navigation
Technical
Usability
Graphic Design

Using screen shots and clear descriptions, we outline all areas of non compliance. We make specific recommendations for improving these issues along with projected ROI. We define which issues give the biggest return for the least effort and define the "best practice" approach to improving your site.

2. User Testing with Video
Direct User Testing with video capture of the screen and the test candidate, is an ideal tool for improving your site either during the design stage or after your site has been launched. In the design stages, user testing is an ideal way to reduce design costs and dramatically improve the conversion rate at launch. Our wireframe prototyping tools can also allow rapid testing of a variety of messages and protocols before any code is written. Our extensive library of best practiced based wireframe also helps cut design time.
For an existing site, user testing delivers the insights you need to make significant improvements to the site. Our user testing goes well beyond what many labs offer. Most labs focus on task completion alone. We also measure: motivation, brand impact, risk. incentive, clarity of message, graphic impact, search behaviors, and more. We rarely test in a lab since people behave differently in a lab setting then in a "normal" setting. We do not subcontract our testing to grad students or novices.

Deliverables include full video tests including event logs to allow easy review. Every click, keystroke and application launch is recorded and indexed, along with our notations to quickly locate clips on tasks or issues. Highlight clips and video test results are delivered in person to your web marketing team.

All user tests include personality profiles, customer demographics and learning styles research on each test candidate to improve understanding and persona analysis. We believe that this aspect is essential and also a unique offering in the usability world.

Testing your site when there are major usability flaws often wastes time and money because the test candidates are unable to get past these obvious barriers. An expert review will identify the barriers and remove them prior to user testing to provide deeper insights into a site's persuasive abilities. The initial assessment is free. You may wish to read our short article on the typical stages of site evolution.

Usability testing - Visit the Download Page for a 3 minute video showing examples of usability testing.

- Awarded in 2008

3. Site Architecture - Conversion Point Architecture
We architect your site using our copyrighted approach named Conversion Point Architecture. This process recently received a top ten Web Designers Award in the Northeast in Entrepreneur Magazine (june 2008).

First we identify the site objectives and from that point all design begins. We create the sales paths, identify the personas and incorporate the ideal message and content (along with your direct input). Your web designers will receive detailed architectural designs which outlines all page elements, sales paths, decision processes and site components and behaviors. Next the graphic design team develops site look and feel and we merge the wireframe design with your look and feel. Next step is to user test the prototype. We check our concepts and messaging and assumptions. With all this information in place, the site is ready for coding and final user testing.

Conversion Point Architecture delivers: quicker design, lower design costs, lower revision costs, and higher conversion rates. Call us to find out more about this sensible, sales oriented and usable approach to web design or read our brief article on the subject. Read in full.

4. 1 Hour Site Review
Have a one hour site review on the phone with Todd Follansbee. Ask whatever questions you wish or simply listen to a series of recommendations to improve your site User Experience. Cost is $125 and there is no further obligation. This is a great introduction to usability for the uninitiated. Read more or contact us today to make an appointment.