Quiz Number 3

SWE 432, Fall 2009
September 24

  1. Nielsen reports that average Search boxes are 18 characters wide. Does Nielsen believe this is the correct value? Does the type of site have any influence on this parameter? Explain.
    Answer:
    No. Nielsen advocates wider boxes (27) characters, so that more user queries fit entirely within the box. Sites that expect complex queries or queries with complex terminology (such as medical sites) should consider even longer search boxes.
  2. Explain what a Best Bet is.
    Answer:
    A best bet is a designer-chosen response to a specific query. Best bets leverage web-site designer knowlegde and send users to the most appropriate page for the given query.
  3. It is usually wrong to model your website around your company's organizational chart. Explain why, and describe a more appropriate approach.
    Answer:
    User's don't understand (or care) how a company is organized. That information is purely internal. Users do care about their mental model of their task, and you should strive to build your web site to meet user expectations.