Most of us have had the experience of using a website that has not been well thought out. Sometimes, we find that sites have poor navigation or can potentially be frustrating to use, and this is seen as a cardinal sin in the web design industry. In the modern age, there’s no reason for sites to be clunky or hard to use as technology has made it easier than ever for somebody to build a functional website. Huge companies put a lot of time and effort into creating something that is suitable and usable for all.
One of the things that people need to consider when making a website or designing an app is how it is going to work on different devices. There are hundreds of different devices and variations of these on the market but responsive designs mean that some sites can have a huge level of compatibility.
It wasn't long ago when websites only needed to look good on desktop screens. But today, mobile devices dominate internet traffic. Many websites are viewed more frequently on phones and tablets than on computers. It's not just about resizing images or reformatting text; websites must be fully functional and easy to use on mobile devices.
Browser games really epitomize this – they aren’t just simple, pixelated distractions anymore, and gone are the days when somebody needed a program like Flash Player to play the games. Some browser games even have complex graphics and narratives.
A game that works perfectly on a desktop might become a frustrating mess on a mobile browser if usability isn't prioritized but big brands have changed with the times. For instance, casino brands know that many customers value the option to play a variety of games on their mobile devices or on desktops and still get the same experience.
Casinos may offer a variety of different games including the older and traditional games and newer options. Thunderpick Casino is a site that offers a responsive design so the games and markets fit to the screen and adjust to the device the site is being accessed from. This type of design has become a popular way to account for everyone having different screen sizes. Fixed widths for things like browser games are a thing of the past. This responsiveness allows players to connect from different devices and even use games in different orientations – some can be played in both portrait and landscape modes.
Early mobiles were nowhere near as good for accessing sites and the screen sizes sometimes made things difficult for designers. HTML, the main language for coding sites and even some games has adapted so that it can be easily used to create something responsive rather than fixed.
Designers have thought of pretty much everything and it is even easy to add a simple loading animation before a site has fully loaded now. All of this can make a user feel more present on the site.
E-commerce Drives Usability
E-commerce sites quickly worked out that usability was key to the experience people had with their sites. Conversion rates are tied to usability.
Anecdotally, this is something that a lot of us know and have even experienced ourselves. Many of us have gone to an e-commerce site and found that we just don’t want to proceed because of the fact that the site is not easy. It may be tough to search or to find a product that somebody needs, or it is hard to actually complete a payment.
Usability is one of the factors behind abandoned carts which are very frustrating for e-commerce brands. This means someone has added an item to the basket but has not gone through with their purchase. Sometimes this is because the site was just very difficult to use or they didn’t trust it due to the poor design and checkout process.
Huge sites like Amazon may have teams of people working on optimization and getting their sites to work in a way that maximizes the conversions of the public who are browsing. E-commerce studies have also been used in other industries as people try to better understand the relationship with customers and how they use websites.
Accessibility is Valued
Another big aspect of usability is accessibility. Websites are now being accessed by people from all walks of life, including those with disabilities. A good website considers screen readers for the visually impaired and how these might work – plus things like keyboard navigation for those who can't use a mouse, and even color contrasts for color blindness. More than ever, sites need to be built with inclusivity in mind. This is not just a matter of compliance or doing what's right; it's good business sense. Making sure that a website can be used by everyone broadens its reach and creates a more diverse audience.
Allowing more people to simply and easily navigate a site can lead to higher conversions and more time spent on the site. Companies are constantly looking for methods to make their sites more responsive or streamlined so that it is easy for customers or fans to play games or watch media on the site.