> Quick Fixes

Flash Usability Tips
The web is full of Flash sites, Flash animations, Flash buttons, Flash menus, and other Flash-based content. This is because Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash, now Adobe Flash) is a great tool for creating rich, interactive web content. Anyone concerned with Flash usability needs to avoid usability issues unique to the medium. The following are some quick Flash usability tips for anyone developing Flash sites, Flash animations, and other Flash content.

Link Your Logo to the Homepage
Your logo can double as a handy shortcut back to the homepage by providing a consistent link back to the homepage. In fact, most web sites already follow this convention. Does yours?

Take a Step Back
Users can’t and won’t read every single word on your carefully constructed web page. A clear visual hierarchy can help facilitate skimming.

Less is More
Just because you can use emphasis doesn’t mean you should use emphasis.

Improve Readability
People will quickly leave sites that they can’t read or understand. Now is not the time to show off your five-thousand strong font collection, or your huge color palette.

Proofread
Even the most seasoned writer makes the occasional grammatical or spelling error. A lack of errors helps to increase trustworthiness, while a lot of spelling mistakes means you can look like an amateur, so be sure to double check and proofread your copy!

Use Consistent Navigation
By using consistent, persistent navigation on your site, users will always know that they are on your web site, rather than on someone else’s web site. They will also be able to rely on the navigation bar to explore your site.

Ban “Click Here”
Using descriptive link text is an integral part of writing for the web. Non-descriptive link text like “click here” makes no sense when taken out of context.

Use Descriptive Titles with Well-Chosen Keywords
The page title is the key to quick orientation, so users immediately know if they’re on the page they want to be on. A clear title also helps users who’ve arrived to your site from a search and don’t know where they are in relation to the rest of the site.

Use Consistent, Accurate Titles
Are the your page titles consistent? Do they accurately describe the content of the page? Because users of the web tend to scan pages, a good heading can let them know they’ve found the right page.

Use Your Head
Every list is just a set of rough guidelines to help you start thinking about usability and begin fixing small problems on your web site. It’s your job to figure out what conventions to follow, when to follow them, and why you should follow or ignore the guidelines.