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ABS GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WEB-BASED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

22 Based on our cognitive psychology research to date, and learning from newspaper web publishing, ABS has formulated the following guidelines (Kraayenbrink, 2004):

1. Structure - Organisation of Content

Guideline 1.1. Grouping of information into meaningful units

• Group conceptually related items together
• Limit the number of items per group
• Limit the "chunks" of information to 5-9, where a chunk is any meaningful unit

• Provide informative page titles at top of each page
• Use a breadcrumb trail on all pages
• Include an introduction or introductory section announcing the topic

• Provide headings and subordinate headings
• Provide introductions
• Provide overview (preview) and topic sentences
• Provide lists or tables
• Provide explanatory link labels
• Provide site map
• Use dot points
• Avoid distracting readers with unnecessary cues

• Place known information before new information in sentences, paragraphs or pages
• Use deductive organisation - i.e. place important information near the top of paragraphs and pages

• Use the same relative positioning of repeated elements on different screens
• Use identical physical appearance of repeated elements

• Provide a balance between positive and negative elements on the screen
• Draw attention to important elements by surrounding them with greater amounts of white space (e.g. headings)
• Use white space to differentiate between different groups of information
• Use short pages instead of long pages in general

• Proximity : Put related elements close together on the screen. An easily perceivable space between unrelated elements is also important
• Similarity : Use similar look and feel for related elements (including text and icons), use distinct and easily perceivable differences for unrelated elements.
• Figure ground : Ensure the figure is easily distinguishable from the background
• Simplicity : Minimise the amount of information presented on the screen. Avoid complexity
• Balance/Symmetry : Ensure the visual screen design appears visually balanced
• Focal Point : Ensure every visual presentation has a focal point, called the centre of interest or point of emphasis. This focal point catches the viewer's attention and persuades the viewer to follow the visual message further
• Isomorphic Correspondence : Recognise that people perceive and interpret the objects in different ways, based on individual experiences. Design based on common conventions
• Law of Unity/Harmony : Ensure there is harmony and unity between the visual elements on the screen.

• Follow conventional usage, both in the choice of images and the allowable interactions
• Follow a coherent conceptual mode. Once part of the interface is learned, the same principles apply to other parts

• Position important elements on the prominent positions of the screen
• Use colour to draw attention to elements
• Use alerting techniques (such as animation and sound)

• Avoid excessive use of colour (i.e. colour pollution)
• Exaggerate lightness differences between foreground and background colours.
• Use dark colours from the bottom half of the hue circle with light colours from the top half of the hue circle
• Avoid contrasting hues from adjacent sections from the hue circle, especially if colours do not contrast sharply in lightness

• Avoid mixing of font styles (i.e. No more than two font faces; no more than two font colour and no more than three font sizes - regular, large and small)
• Use a suitable font size (preferably 12 point)
• Use sans serif fonts such as Arial, Helvetica or Verdana
• Use sufficient line, letter and paragraph spacing
• Follow common conventions (e.g. standard link colours for visited and unvisited links
• Provide sufficient contrast between text and background colours.

• Choose information of interest to audience
• Avoid unnecessary provision of information
• Provide layers of information (from simple to complex) to suit audience types

• Use concrete and meaningful words
• Use words that frequently appear in language
• Use short words (with fewer syllables)
• Use link labels that clearly explain the linked content
• Avoid jargon. When acronyms or abbreviations have been used, explain in the first instance and/or link to a ’glossary of terms’ page

• Avoid links embedded within sentences
• Avoid ambiguities in language

• Use concise wording
• Use short sentences
• Reduce proportional complexity within sentences (i.e. decrease the number of ideas conveyed within sentences)
• Omit unnecessary information