Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part I: Bloopers in the Content and Functionality of the Website

Chapter 1 - Content Bloopers

Introduction
Home page identity crisis
Confusing classifications
Unhelpful descriptions
Conflicting content
Outdated content
Missing or useless content
Unfinished content

Chapter 2 - Task-Support Bloopers

Introduction
Redundant requests
Requiring Unneeded data
Pointless choice
Omitting important options
Clueless Back-end
Dead-end paths: Now you tell me!
Agonizing task-flow

Part II: Bloopers in the User Interface of the Website

Chapter 3 - Navigation Bloopers

Introduction
Site reflects org chart
Numerous navigation schemes
Deceptive duplicate links
Not linking directly
Lost in space: Current page not indicated
The circle game: Active link to here
Missing links: It's BACK or nothing

Chapter 4 - Form Bloopers

Introduction
Making people type
Intolerant data fields
No defaults
Faulty defaults
Compulsory Clicking: No default text input focus
Lame label placement
Checkboxes or radiobuttons
Looks editable but isn't
Mysterious controls

Chapter 5 - Search Bloopers

Introduction
Baffling search controls
Dueling search controls
Hits look alike
Duplicate hits
Search Myopia: Missing relevant items
Needle in a Haystack - Piles of irrelevant hits
Hits sorted Uselessly
Crazy search behavior
Search-terms not shown
Number of hits not revealed

Part III: Bloopers in the Presentation of the Website

Chapter 6 - Text & Writing Bloopers

Introduction
Too much text
Speaking Geek
Calling site visitors "user"
Insider jargon
Variable vocabulary: Different words for the same thing
Inconsistent style
Typos and grammos: Sloppy writing

Chapter 7 - Link Appearance Bloopers

Introduction
Links don't look like links
Non-links look like links
Bizarre buttons: Click target smaller than it seems
Wrapped links: How many?
"Click here": Burying links in text
Been There, Done That? Can't Tell

Chapter 8 - Graphic Design & Layout Bloopers

Introduction
Tiny text
Camouflaged Text
Centering everything
Unobtrusive error messages
Shades of beige: color differences too subtle
Dead or Alive? Active buttons look inactive
Terrible Tabs

Epilogue

Bibliography

Appendices