Best Websites from an User Experience

[PS65]

I think it is fair to say that Google, Facebook and Twitter (and Apple!) are some of the great names who have demonstrated a great understanding of online user experience.

However, I know there are millions of sites out there that all have there benefits from a user experience point of view and would like to ask you guys to share what you think is a good website.

The reason I ask?

I am soon to be instructing a web designing company to design and build my company website, but I want to tell them what you guys think are great sites (keeping away from the mainstream).

Many thanks!

 

[Consultant]

There are plenty of publications and discussions on website usability. Based on your question, at this time you are probably nowhere near qualified to "instructing a web designing company to design".

Facebook is horrible at usability. Hiding some of the privacy controls.

Google is not known for its design.

 

[manueld]

There are plenty of publications and discussions on website usability. Based on your question, at this time you are probably nowhere near qualified to "instructing a web designing company to design".

Facebook is horrible at usability. Hiding some of the privacy controls.

Google is not known for its design.

I think you misunderstood his statement, he wants to provide some examples for the company who's going to be designing his website and not instructing them on how to do it.

That being said, usability depends on your audience. I can show you different websites that has good usability but if your target audience is different, it may require a different ui.

I frequent smashing magazine and they have quite a few articles on ui on there. http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com

 

[PS65]

manueld, I totally agree with your statement. This is very early research on functionality so I can go in to a meeting with my designers and have something to discuss, other than their ideas. Thanks for the link, very much appreciated.

 

[jtara]

I think you are going about this backwards. You're just going to annoy the web designer, and start out your relationship as an adversarial one, as you are showing lack of confidence in their ability.

No designer/programmer/house builder likes the customer telling them that they know more about their job than they do.

Don't you think your web designer already has some ideas about good user interface design, and has their own opinions about what some of "the best sites" are? You are, in essence, telling them they don't know their job.

You haven't stated the nature of your site. Your example sites and target audience should be similar to yours, as different sites have radically different UI needs. And it's ridiculous to rule-out popular sites. In fact, I'd say you're going about this part backwards as well.

Ask your web designer to show you sites that they have designed, and ask them what popular sites THEY admire. Then ask them questions about how they arrived at the designs they have used. Ask them how much and how they involve the client in the UI design. What you should be looking for is whether they ask enough questions, and whether they ask the right ones.

If they ask whether you want this button here or there, they are asking the wrong questions. (Though you might be flattered by their asking...) If they ask you about your users, about when and where they use your site and what else they are doing before/after - how they incorporate it into their life or work or whatever - then they are asking the questions.

 

[PS65]

I think you are going about this backwards. You're just going to annoy the web designer, and start out your relationship as an adversarial one, as you are showing lack of confidence in their ability.

No designer/programmer/house builder likes the customer telling them that they know more about their job than they do.

Don't you think your web designer already has some ideas about good user interface design, and has their own opinions about what some of "the best sites" are? You are, in essence, telling them they don't know their job.

You haven't stated the nature of your site. Your example sites and target audience should be similar to yours, as different sites have radically different UI needs. And it's ridiculous to rule-out popular sites. In fact, I'd say you're going about this part backwards as well.

Ask your web designer to show you sites that they have designed, and ask them what popular sites THEY admire. Then ask them questions about how they arrived at the designs they have used. Ask them how much and how they involve the client in the UI design. What you should be looking for is whether they ask enough questions, and whether they ask the right ones.

If they ask whether you want this button here or there, they are asking the wrong questions. (Though you might be flattered by their asking...) If they ask you about your users, about when and where they use your site and what else they are doing before/after - how they incorporate it into their life or work or whatever - then they are asking the questions.

Why do you assume that a discussion with a web designer would involve me enforcing my ideas on them?

Where have I detailed my development process?

It was a straightforward question; tell me about sites you like? That is all.

Everyone has gone off on a defensive regarding user experience and me enforcing on a web designer.

I run a fairly successful business. Business involves discussions around a topic – not everyone is right, but it seems you guys would rather argue about processes that I haven’t detailed or, indeed, read far too much into the wording, making your own assumptions on the way.

 

[designguy79]

However, I know there are millions of sites out there that all have there benefits from a user experience point of view and would like to ask you guys to share what you think is a good website.

When you say "user experience" are you talking about the "user interface" in particular, or about the "user experience"? If the later, could you define "experience" a bit more? Its a little tough because everyone's experience is going to vary quite a bit based on a number of variables (to name a few: connection speed, browser/OS, level of technology wherewithal, what are they actually looking for, etc)

If you mean "user interface", aka navigation/menu/button layout, I would say the simpler the better. If your users don't have to think about where to click then that, to me, is a successful user interface.

I think a lot of developers and/or clients try and "wow" their visitors but the visitors don't want to be "wowed."

90% of the time (yes, I just made up that number!) they want to [ get some info / place an order / download the software / insert main use of your site here ] they came for and move on.

Sorry for the lack of links, I will try and post a follow-up with some examples of sites I like over the weekend. ( one of my faves just went offline )

HTH!

~ Jeremy

 

[PS65]

Thanks, Jeremy. Very valid point - I suppose it would therefore be user interface, rather than user experience. I didn't really know how to distinguish between the two as the terms are used so widely used across the internet.

Furthermore, would it be fair to say the user interface in a significant contributor to user experience?

 

[manueld]

Furthermore, would it be fair to say the user interface in a significant contributor to user experience?

Yes this is very true. While providing an excellent user experience is important, it is just one piece of the puzzle of a website. Don't forget about your content/CTR/online marketing etc...

 

[jtara]

Why do you assume that a discussion with a web designer would involve me enforcing my ideas on them?

Because you've stated that. You are going to go to your web designer with a list of sites, and tell them to make yours "like" those. You aren't telling the web designer what you want to accomplish, and allowing them to present a solution. You're giving them the solution. Make me something like this.

Where have I detailed my development process?

See above.

It was a straightforward question; tell me about sites you like? That is all.

The question, as posed, is too overly-broad to be useful. Without knowing even the general nature of your site, it's not going to help. You're just conducting a poll of what websites people here admire for their UIs. Why not just get a good book on website design that has examples, or read any of the popular sites and blogs on good website design, and see what the experts admire?

Or perhaps make the assumption (after vetting) that your designer knows what he's doing, and probably doesn't need you to point out to him examples of good website design.

 

[PS65]

Because you've stated that. You are going to go to your web designer with a list of sites, and tell them to make yours "like" those. You aren't telling the web designer what you want to accomplish, and allowing them to present a solution. You're giving them the solution. Make me something like this.

No, nothing has been stated. You seem to know more about the meeting agenda than I do. You fail to understand the basic concept of a discussion with another party.

Let's look at what you are proposing. You're recommending I go through a vetting process of web designers and discuss objectives.

Yes, great at a high level, but how can you vet someone without having your own opinions? Like I said, even if I was wrong, don't you think it would be good to hear a web designer explain his thoughts and challenge my method?

It's an iterative process, but may be you're the expert here who seems to think there is only one way to go about discussing a site design with a web designer.