Monday, May 9th, 2011
 Hey gang, we’re back, and this time we’re tackling another aspect of web usability. This week’s topic: navigation and information retrieval – specifically, how to make that simple and easy. Before we get to that though, let’s discuss something pretty important: the fold.
Stay above the fold
The fold is the imaginary line where your web page meets the bottom of your browser window. What your readers see on your page without scrolling down is above the fold. Anything that requires scrolling before showing up is below.
Different experts may disagree on the origins of the term, but we like the one that compares it to a newspaper. The top half of the front page is the very first thing you’ll see on a paper, and this is where you find the most important items: the name of the paper, of course; the headlines, weather updates, and other things the paper wants to highlight. Items on the bottom half, below the fold, sometimes get lost or just glossed over.
On your web page, items that show up immediately on your web page attract more attention. The links up here – the ones your readers see immediately – are the ones that your readers are most likely to click through. This is where you want to keep the things you want to highlight, like your navigation bar, subscription options, and recent comments, among others.
Don’t get me lost
Since we mentioned it already, let’s talk about navigation. Some of the things most websites have in common are: a link to the home page, an about page with information on the owner of the site, and a contact page. Though some try to come up with creative names for these links, they are usually labeled “home,” “about,” and “contact,” respectively. The main reason they’re labeled this way is to avoid confusion – not everybody will understand, for example, that “Take me back to Kansas” means take me home, or “Gimme a holler” means contact me.
On a similar vein, many sites use the main banner or header lead back home. Clicking on that blue pepper up top, for example, will send you back to our home page.
Walk with me
You don’t want to limit readers to just a few pages on your site, do you? To help them navigate around your site, you need to give readers an idea of what else you have to offer. One suggestion is to put a list of related topics at the bottom of each post or article. You don’t have to do this manually, by the way – this function might be built into your CMS already.
Another way to help your readers get around is to add links for your categories, tags, and archived posts. This helps them find other articles related to the page they’re on, or quickly find posts from a specific time frame. Of course, another great navigation aid is a search bar – they’re often (though not always) found on the upper right corner of a page.
Put up some signs
Yet another way to help your readers navigate your site is by adding descriptions to your page titles. Our page title, for example, suggests what you can do (or what we want you to do) if you need an assistant. Indirectly, it also describes our company and what we do.
Adding descriptions to your titles tells your readers about you even before they land on your page. Your page titles show up in search-engine results pages (or SERPs, as they’re commonly called) – having a description there means your readers know a bit more about you immediately, making them more likely to click through.
Lay out a map
You can’t plan every single action your readers make on your site, but you can definitely make it easy for them to get around. Even better, you can nudge them to certain pages by highlighting certain paths or locations on your site.
The main point is to help your readers find what they want on your site. The navigation options, archives, search bar, and other elements on your site serve as a map that helps your readers get around your site.
This part four of Pepper’s Web Usability series. You can check out the other posts in the links below. Before you hop away though, we’d like to know: how do you make sure your readers don’t have trouble getting around your site? Share your ideas in the comments section.
- Keep it simple: the basic philosophy for web usability
- Don’t be a snob: make sure that everybody can access your site
- Identify yourself: don’t make it hard to figure out who’s behind your site
- Show me around: make it easy to navigate your site
- Say it, and say it well: make sure you get your message across
Tags: fold, navigation, pepper, web usability
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
 Think of the these three things: a swoosh, a splash of red with a white curve, and golden arches. If you can identify the brands associated with these things, then you understand the power of colors, symbols, and other ways of establishing your identity.
Wear your badge proudly
When you first meet somebody, one of the first things you do is introduce yourself. Without a name, you’re just another face in the crowd. Your site works in much the same way. You want to make sure it’s one of the first things a visitor sees on your page is your brand.
If you don’t introduce your brand first, your page will simply get lost in a sea of other pages. Once you’ve established who you are, then you can start tying other things to that identity; and one of the first things you can do is establish your brand’s colors.
Find your true colors
Try to think of the major courier services in your area. Can you identify the colors of their trucks, packages, and uniforms? Without looking at their logos, can you tell them apart?
Consistent use of colors helps establish your brand’s identity, and can even set you apart from others in your market. We’ve already hinted at two great examples of brands that are intertwined with their colors. A splash of red with a whit curve has most people thirsting for Coca-Cola, and many of us know that golden arches lead to McDonald’s.
By identifying your brand’s colors and sticking with them, you help ensure that your brand and your colors are inextricably tied together. On your site, this means sticking to a color scheme that matches, or at least complements, your brand colors. Choose a background color that fits your brand and format your headers, links, and other text to appropriate colors.
Stay consistent
We’ve hinted at this in the previous paragraph, but consistency isn’t limited to colors. Keeping your logo in the same place across different pages assures your visitors that they’re still on your site. Our blue pepper up top, for example, stays in place wherever you go on our site.
Other things that you probably want to keep in place are navigation bars and other frequently visited links. Most sites have a search bar on the upper right, as well a Privacy Policy and other important links on the bottom. Going back to your logo for a moment, clicking the logo leads back to the home page on most sites.
One other thing that you want to keep consistent is your voice. The Pepper bunch is a lively, bubbly group, and we’d like to think that shows through in our writing too. Your brand may have a different personality, and you want that personality to show up consistently on your website. Even if you have several people writing on your site, you probably want it to feel like there’s only voice coming through.
Introduce yourself
The main idea is that your website should clearly identify your brand. This means more than simply stating your brand name – it means letting your brand’s personality shine through, whether through colors, words, or other cues.
This is part four of Pepper’s Web Usability series. You can check out the other posts in the links below. Before you head off, we’d like to know: how do you highlight your brand’s personality on your site? Share your ideas in the comments section.
- Keep it simple: the basic philosophy for web usability
- Don’t be a snob: make sure that everybody can access your site
- Identify yourself: don’t make it hard to figure out who’s behind your site
- Show me around: make it easy to navigate your site
- Say it, and say it well: make sure you get your message across
Tags: branding, brands, color, colors, consistency, identity, pepper, virtual assistant, web usability
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
 Ok gang, it’s now time for part two of our web usability series – time to learn more about keeping your website simple and easy to use. Today, we’re tackling accessibility – a website that nobody can see isn’t really much use now, is it? We’ve listed a few tips below that will make your website more accessible.
Watch your speed
Research has shown that most people will wait up to 8 seconds for a page to load. Make them wait any longer, and they’re likely to head elsewhere. The key here is to optimize your site to speed up load times. This could involve cleaning up code, installing caching software on your server, and other things that you can discuss with your designer and site administrator, so we’re not going into too much detail on that.
Don’t get too flashy
One aspect of optimizing your site that you should definitely think about though is the use of Flash. Statistics vary on how many people have Flash installed on their browsers, but the key point is that not everybody has it. Flash can give you slick animation, a unique interface, and other tricks, but it does have its pitfalls too. The biggest pitfall is that you could keep some users from even seeing your site. If you really want Flash, then make sure you have an HTML version available too.
Other potential problems with Flash include slowing down page load times and straining your users’ computers. Another big issue is that Flash isn’t very SEO friendly, but that’s a topic for another post.
Stay in line
Browsers like Opera and Firefox introduced us to tabbed browsing, which allows users to keep several pages open at the same time. Some people love it, myself included, but not everybody has caught on. In fact, research has shown that majority of Internet users stick to one tab or window – they navigate using the back button and forward buttons.
What this means is that you probably don’t want your links to open to new tabs or windows. For some users, the back button is the only way back to your website once they click a link. If you send these users into another tab, they might never return. Now we don’t want that, do we?
Invite your grandma to visit
I guess the main idea you should take away from this post is this: make sure your least tech-savvy relatives can still navigate your site on their ancient computers. You don’t want people to feel like they’re not welcome at your site, do you?
This the second post in Pepper’s Web Usability series. You can check out the rest of the series in the links below. Before you go though, we’d like to ask you if you have other ideas to make sure your website remains accessible to everybody. Leave your tips in the comments below.
- Keep it simple: the basic philosophy for web usability
- Don’t be a snob: make sure that everybody can access your site
- Identify yourself: don’t make it hard to figure out who’s behind your site
- Show me around: make it easy to navigate your site
- Say it, and say it well: make sure you get your message across
Tags: Firefox, Flash, Opera, pepper virtual assistant, SEO, speed, virtual assistants, web usability, webpages
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
The multi-part Pepper guide to creating simple and elegant web pages that people will visit
Most of the things we use daily are pretty simple. They’re so simple, in fact, that we barely give them a second thought. Take, for example, markers. We use them, as their name suggests, to mark things. Touch a surface with the tip, and leave a mark.
Most of the websites we visit often are simple too. Google is probably the best example of this. Just type in what you’re looking for, and get a bunch of pages that match your search terms. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out, and that’s a big part of the reason Google has grown as large as it is today.
This simplicity, when it comes to web pages, goes by the name web usability. According to Wikipedia, you can define web usability this way:
“Web Usability is an approach to make web sites easy to use for an end-user, without requiring her (or him) to undergo any specialized training. The user should be able to intuitively relate the actions he needs to perform on the web page, with other interactions he sees in the general domain of life e.g. press of a button leads to some action.”
That’s a mouthful, we know, so we don’t really try to remember this definition. Instead, we think of web usability in the simplest terms possible. We think of it as simplicity.
A simple (and therefore ultimately usable) website, we believe, is one that anybody and everybody can navigate. It is a site that answers questions, sometimes even before they’re asked. A simple website is one that, and we’re borrowing one of Steve Krug’s thoughts here, doesn’t force people to think.
Ironically, achieving simplicity in your website isn’t quite so simple. It took Edison over 10,000 tries to produce a working light bulb, arguably one of the simplest appliances we encounter daily. We hope it doesn’t take you that many tries to get a usable website up and running, and that’s part of the reason why we’d like to share a few web usability, we mean, simplicity tips for you.
This the just the first post in Pepper’s Web Usability series. You can check out the rest of the series by following the links right below. Before you click away, we’d like to ask you: what are some of the sites you visit most often? Have a handful in mind? Now think of this: what do they have in common? If you’d like to share what you have in mind now (and we hope you do), leave us a comment below.
- Keep it simple: the basic philosophy for web usability
- Don’t be a snob: make sure that everybody can access your site
- Identify yourself: don’t make it hard to figure out who’s behind your site
- Show me around: make it easy to navigate your site
- Say it, and say it well: make sure you get your message across
Tags: Google, Pepper assistants, simple, virtual assistants, web pages, web usability, Wikipedia
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 6 Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
The Internet seems to shrink the ground for creativity. As the world gets bombarded with countless innovations, you are left with little to nothing new to offer in the marketplace. Due to the fast pace of modernization, creativity somehow changes from “it takes time” to “instant”. And while everything is made at a snap of a finger, the impact it has on people also immediately wears off. It comes and it goes – just like that.
But cascading from this trend is the challenge for individuals, entrepreneurs, and business organizations to rise above and succeed. It is essential to find creative ways to start your business, keep it afloat and take it to greater heights.
Now, how do we tap into that creativity?
We all have innate creativity; some people may have more, but the point is, all of us have a creative nerve flowing. We just have to uncover ways for it to outpour.
It simply has to start with daily, small, even really tiny efforts. Listed below are some ways to begin unleashing your creativity:
1. Know your adequate length of sleep
Normal sleep of adults must go around 7 to 8 hoursi but it may still vary from person to person. Lack of sleep slows down the brain and hinders the capacity to focus. But then some people tend to think well at 4 hours!
2. Explore various activities
You might say you are already busy with family and work, having no time for other activities. But these other activities can perhaps mount an idea that you otherwise would not have thought of. See things differently by occasionally changing your routine then witness how the experience opens the door for creativity.
If you have a scheduled brainstorming on Monday, why not try parasailing this weekend?
3. Find time for friends
Old and new. It is always refreshing to be with good company. Go and have lunch out, dinner date, or coffee chat with high school buddies. Sincere conversation eases up your mind, and intimacy increases brain power thus allowing creativity to heighten.
4. Learn new things
If you are working in the computer industry, why not try and pick a magazine about advertising? Would it be interesting to know how they make a 30-second commercial just to gain new knowledge? And deviate your thoughts for an hour or two from your real and current tasks. Who knows, you might get some insights by reading stuff completely different from your field.
5. Spoil yourself once in a while
Buy that camera. Go to the beach. Purchase a new laptop. Watch it in 3D. Have a massage. Subscribe to the gym. When you feel too stressed out and nothing creative can be squeezed out from you anymore, this can be a good time to just follow your impulse. Have fun and indulge in your desires, for once! Then go back to thinking after the indulgence and observe how it elevates your creativity level.
6. Be at your creative footing
Others seem to undertake all possible business endeavors, what more is left? Still a lot. But in trying to give birth to an extremely unique product or service, it helps to be in a place where you can be most fruitful. Some people achieve their eureka working in an enclosed room with loud hiphop music. Others appreciate solitude while sipping a cup of coffee. And some create breakthroughs via harsh arguments with peers.
7. Take time to scribble
In scribbling, don’t be conscious of grammar, of the content, of the writing style. Just write down what is in your thoughts without editing and proofreading. It frees your mind from worries, making you shed ideas, good or bad. Then eventually you can pick the creative stuff.
8. Walk in the park
Or in your office garden. Or in the nearby street. When you’ve been staring at a blank paper for long and nothing seems to pop up—UNWIND. A breeze of air is like a spa to the busy brain.
9. Eat the right food
 This might sound like a typical advertisement for brain boosting elements but really, take a whole grain diet and you will thank me for it. It will give you a longer supply of energy because its components break down slowly, giving the body a longer time to think. Load up on Omega 3 fatty acids too, found in nuts and some oily fish that are used as building blocks for the neurotransmitters; it enables neurons to transport information to your brain more effectively. Vitamin C, E and beta carotene are well-known anti-oxidants; include them in your meals to preserve brain function.
10. Try Aromatherapy
Particular scents can stimulate the mind! While you’re in your cubicle and are forced to conjure up something juicy, why not have aromatherapy oils for creative thinking? Try Ylang-ylang – this relaxes you and invites creativity in; cedarwood helps you focus; cinnamon motivates you; rosemary lifts the mood; sandalwood gives encouragement; peppermint relieves headaches and may improve your writing ability; lavender serves as an all-around feel good oil.
As you may see, BIG IDEAS may be triggered in ordinary ways but its impact is without a doubt— extremely huge! The room for creativity might really be extra tough in what is truly becoming a smaller environment for any trade but this scenario equates to higher opportunities if you just know how to grow and manage your creative juice. So do what is necessary not to spill it!
[i.] http://www.nap.edu/
Tags: creativity, how to be creative, how to unleash your creative side, pepper virtual assistants, virtual assistants
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
 Susan Boyle has become a phenomenon in just a few days' time Are You Joking?
People laughed at Susan Boyle when she walked on stage. A 47-year old woman who has never been kissed, Susan goes under the scrutiny and sneers of the judges and audience of Britain’s Got Talent. With an air of confidence, she answers questions cheerfully and refuses to be intimidated. When she tells them she wants to be like Elaine Paige, and that she’ll be singing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, she elicits even more snickers from the audience.
The moment she opened her mouth, however, the audience is quickly transformed. Her powerful voice and stunning rendition of the Les Miserables hit song leaves everyone completely awestruck. She receives a standing ovation way before ending the song … and gets the three biggest yeses from the astonished judges.
This video took Youtube by storm over the last couple of weeks, garnering around 100,000 views from the time I saw it, to 35,565,543 views now, as I write this post. 35 Million!!! Imagine that.
What made this video spread like wildfire?
This story is a perfect example of what makes ideas stick. According to Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the book, Made To Stick, ideas that take hold actually follow some principles, all of which are captured in the Susan Boyle episode. Their book explains these principles in depth. It’s definitely worth a read.
1. Keep Things Simple
Keeping things simple helps you know what you to say. Find the essential core of your ideas and focus on that. Prioritize, prioritize prioritize. “The Golden Rule is the ultimate model of simplicity; a one-sentence statement so profound that an individual could spend a lifetime learning to follow it”, says Heath.
2. Make it Unexpected
How do you get people’s attention and keep their interest? We get attention by using the element of surprise and keep it by sustaining their interest. Break your audience’s guessing machines and then fix it. Keep their interest by piquing their curiosity.
3. Be Concrete
Concreteness helps people understand and remember. People filter out ambiguous and meaningless things and keep memorable ones. Speak in terms of human actions and senses.
4. Be Credible
To see is to believe. People need a trial period before they’re convinced. You can also use statistics, try-before-you-buy strategies, and other convincing details to support your idea.
5. Make it Emotional
Make people care by tugging at their emotions. When people feel something, they are more likely to act on it.
6. Tell Stories
Stories inspire people to act and tell them what to in certain situations. They are easy to remember and are often passed on and retold. Susan’s video is a typical underdog story, with her being ridiculed at first, and then winning people’s hearts in the end. Several lessons can be found in her story, two of which are, “Do not judge a book by its cover” and “Never give up on your dream”.
These principles will help people understand and remember your ideas. Keep them in mind when presenting to your bosses, colleagues, clients and partners and you’ll be sure to leave a lasting impression.
Tags: communication skills, how to present ideas, made to stick, susan boyle
Posted in Business and Marketing, Creative Toolbox | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
 Stumped? Diverting your attention can help. It happens to the best of us. No, I’m not talking about getting dumped. I’m here to talk about writer’s block and how to get out of its claws. As I sit here in front of my laptop, I’m at a total loss on what to write. So, there goes my blog…
Just kidding. Writer’s block can be somewhat of a tricky subject. Some writers acknowledge its existence, while some of us just choose to attribute it to some other reason. But the fact remains; we all fall prey to it at one point or another in our careers as writers.
While I do not profess to be a total expert in such matters, I do believe that I have some insight to offer regarding the subject of writer’s block and how to overcome it. Walk Away
That’s right. Just put down your pen, close your laptop, or shut down that PC. Step away from it all and see where it leads you. Usually, it leads me to a cup of coffee if I’m in the office, or a quick window-shopping trip to my favorite bike shop down the street. It doesn’t really matter where you end up. Sometimes all it takes is a little step back to refresh your mind. Just don’t forget to go back and write.
Listen
One of these days I’m gonna write a sweet thank you note to Mr. Jobs over at Apple for coming up with the I-Pod. I’m going to tell him how that slick little contraption of his has saved my writer’s ass time and again. Everytime I get stuck in a rut, I just plug in those earphones and let rip through my playlist. Sometimes, going to a Big Country is enough to get some Modern English going. Sometimes, it’s Somebody’s Baby that keeps me from Waiting In Vain for that next idea. It doesn’t really matter if the Song Remains The Same, just as long as you listen. So, Don’t Worry, Be Happy.
Watch and Relax
A DVD, VCD, a movie – whatever floats your boat. Sometimes, a little movie and your favorite couch are all you need to recharge your tired mind and get the creative juices – and words – flowing again. Don’t forget the chips and soda!
These are just some of the things I do to get out of writer’s block. While each writer has his or her own ways of dealing with it, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to try other options so as to keep things fresh. And this, in my opinion, is the most important thing for a writer. Now, start writing.
Tags: how to overcome writer's block, tips on writing, writer's block
Posted in Creative Toolbox | 2 Comments »
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