People don't read web pages like books. They tend to:
- Skim rather than reading word for word
- Scan the tops and sides of the page rather than reading all the way down
- Look for relevant information that will help them accomplish a task
You can make guides more user-friendly when you:
- Keep the amount of text on your page to a minimum
- Limit use of bold, underlining, color, italics, and caps
- Create subheadings, bulleted lists, or numbered lists to chunk information
- Use white space to create pages that are easier to scan
- Add images selectively to add interest, but avoid distracting from helpful content
- Eliminate jargon and use plain language that non-experts can understand
- Avoid language such as "NO" and "DO NOT". Use a conversational tone that is friendly and direct:
- "Please log off when finished with this database"
