Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
am partial to the clean look of Arial. Use whichever font appeals to you, but
keep it consistent throughout (hint: use cascading style sheets). Enough review,
lets discuss Web portfolio usability standards some more.
Ask the user the following questions of the Web portfolio design and usability:
•
In this Web portfolio, is there a visible, clear navigation path to the body
of work?
•
Was the navigation presented in easy, understandable terms?
•
Did you feel you had control of the interface and portfolio content?
•
Would you call the site the Web portfolio site consistent in its visual
appearance?
•
Did you encounter errors when using the Web portfolio site?
•
Was it easy to quit out of the Web portfolio pop up windows?
•
Was the design cluttered or confusing?
•
Did you require help at any time while using the Web portfolio site?
•
Did the music in parts of the portfolio make the experience better or
worse?
•
Were you able to control the multimedia (sound and animation) to you
liking?
•
How would you rate the Web portfolio experience you just discovered?
With the user giving honest answers, a scale of values would be developed to
determine levels of user satisfaction, access attitudes, and usability ratings. A
pilot study of usability in Web portfolios may be an interesting research topic
not only from an academic standpoint but also from a communication perspec-
tive. The variable of persuasion can begin to be measured to determine the
effectiveness of the portfolio and its work on user attitudes about the candidate
or company. This is a broad topic that deserves more research. This will most
likely occur due to the growth of Web portfolio popularity and governance.
On a simple level, testing the Web portfolio means going through it page by
page, asset by asset, link by link to determine what is not working and what
does not look good.
