Usability

Abstract: The World Wide Web (WWW) has dramatically changed the look and feel of GUI interfaces, sometimes for the better, sometimes to the user's detriment. There are solutions to the usability problems introduced by the web. This paper presents an initial collection of these patterns. These pattern and others like them endeavor to establish helpful guidelines for developers to use and eliminate the mystery for them and for the end user. These patterns document the human factors implications of frequently used interface elements for applications deployed over the web. Web applications require a much broader range of user input than web sites. Web application development often involves the collaboration of skilled information technology professionals with widely varying backgrounds and terminology. Usability is a critical success factor for successful web applications. We believe that patterns can provide a language for communicating usability concerns among these diverse participants in the development process without hindering the creative elements of web development.