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ISSUE #15
Date: Apr 12 1999 05:56:10 GMT
From: WebWord.com Usability Newsletter <WebWord-owner@listbot.com>
Subject: WebWord.com Newsletter #15
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WebWord.com Newsletter
"Usability & the Internet"
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List Owner
John S. Rhodes
John@WebWord.com
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April 12, 1999 Newsletter #15
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Table of Contents
1. Spool Vision: An Eye on User Data (HOT!)
2. Open WebWord.com
3. Recommended Book
4. Free Software
5. Web Sites and the ERROR ROBOT
6. Maintaining Your Internet Awareness
7. Lend A Helping Hand
8. What Can You Find at WebWord.com?
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ITEM #1
A New Expert Interview is Now Online:
<http://webword.com/interviews/spool.html>
Spool Vision: An Eye on User Data
Jared Spool is well known and highly respected
usability expert. His organization, User
Interface Engineering, is the largest usability
firm in North America. He is certainly one of
the key usability players today.
In this interview, Jared shares some of his many
thoughts on Web usability. The primary focus of
the interview is on gathering and using user data.
If you have wondered in the past why I've said
that user data is gold, this is an interview you
should read!
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ITEM #2
Open WebWord.com!
Several readers wrote to me about my article, "The
Open Company Manifesto". Hands down, the most
common comment was how WebWord.com could be more
open. And, many readers said that I should practice
what I preach.
I think that this is a great idea! Below is some
interesting information about WebWord.com. Let me
know what you think.
Average page views per day (recent data)
Feb 1999: 267
Mar 1999: 317
Total Number of Newsletter Subscribers
Jan 6th, 1999: 102
Feb 4th, 1999: 164
Mar 7th, 1999: 403
Apr 12th, 1999: 535
Total Number of WebWord.com .html Pages
Apr 1999: 55
When Was WebWord.com Founded?
August, 1998
How Many Sites Link to WebWord.com?
According to my research, about 70
What is Currently the Most Popular Interview?
Alan Cooper
"Interaction Design: The Guru Speaks"
<http://webword.com/interviews/cooper.html>
This probably won't last. I expect that Jared
Spool's interview is going to be a *huge* hit.
What is Currently the Most Popular Moving
WebWord Article?
"The Hidden Truth About Web Content"
<http://webword.com/moving/hiddentruth.html>
However, a close second is "Star Wars and Web
Site Usability"
<http://webword.com/moving/starwars.html>
NOTE:
If you want to find out why I gave you this data
you should probably read my last article, the
"Open Company Manifesto". In it, I explain that
companies, and web sites, that freely give users
information will prosper. You can find it here:
<http://webword.com/moving/opencompany.html>
If *YOU* would like to tell folks about your
company or web site, drop me a line. Perhaps we
can start something interesting! (I don't want
to see advertsing, I want to an open company.)
Email me at <manifesto@webword.com>.
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ITEM #3
Recommended Book
In reference to my previous book suggestion,
"Creating Killer Web Sites" by David Siegel,
Craig Marion, Editor of the Software Design
Smorgasbord <http://www.chesco.com/~cmarion>,
has suggested that we take a look at another
book on web design.
Here's what he had to say:
"I think you'll find that a better book on
web design, from a usability standpoint, is
WEB NAVIGATION: DESIGNING THE USER EXPERIENCE
by Jennifer Fleming.
Chapter 3 is called 'Designing for Users' and
deals with user-centered design and usability
testing. It's an excellent book, and the
usability concern is pervasive. Look at the
index entries for user, audience, and testing."
I have read several chapters from this book, and
I have to agree that it has some great information.
In contrast to "Creating Killer Web Sites", it
is much more simple follow. And, the *users* are
often given focus. Bravo! As I said before, most
design books do not build the user into the design
process. This is an exception.
If you're interested, take a look:
<http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565923510/wedwordcom>
* Thanks for the feedback Craig!
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ITEM #4
Free Software
A while ago I joined Beyond.com as an affiliate.
Up until just a few days ago I didn't see anything
that was worth mentioning in this newsletter.
I just found out that you can actually get several
FREE software titles (after rebate) through their
site. Sounds like a bargain to me.
If you are interested, here is the address to the
Beyond.com Top 25 Bestsellers, where the you can
find the free software titles:
<http://www.beyond.com/AF12867/bestsellers.htm>
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ITEM #5
Web Sites and the ERROR ROBOT
Dave Lers <http://baywood.hypermart.net/>
recently
emailed me about an interesting .cgi script that
he uses to capture web site problems:
"I've been trying out a small 'tipware' .cgi
called Error Robot which emails me when an
error happens on my site. You can set it up
to redirect any error to a custom error page.
The great part is it sends you an email at the
same time. No reports or accumulated errors,
real time notification. I'm planning on
including a search form on the 404 error so
people can find old/moved files once I finish
my site rebuild."
Sounds like a winner. You can find the ERROR ROBOT
.cgi script at the New Media One web site:
<http://www.newmediaone.com/scripts/index.shtml>.
If you do give it a try, please let me know what you
think. Also, if you know about other programs
please let me know so I can share it with the
other WebWord.com loyalists.
There must be free usability software that you
know about. Tell me about it.
<mailto:john@webword.com>
* Thanks again for the suggestion Dave!
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ITEM #6
Maintaining Your Internet Awareness
Greg R. Notess, Reference Librarian at Montana State
University, recently wrote an *EXCELLENT* article
on how to maintain your "Internet awareness". As you
know, keeping pace with the Internet is a full time
job. It takes plenty of time and energy.
Fortunately, there are several services available
that will help you keep up. I use a few of the
resources that Greg describes; I have found them
to be invaluable.
If you are interested, I suggest that you read
his useful article:
<http://www.onlineinc.com/onlinemag/OL1999/net3.html>
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ITEM #7
Lend A Helping Hand
Recommending WebWord.com is easy. Simply go to
<http://webword.com/cgi-bin/birdcast.cgi>
and fill
out a few lines on a form I set up. It is a snap!
Also, feel free to forward this newsletter to a
friend. If they find it useful, like you do, they can
subscribe by going to <http://webword.listbot.com>.
THANK YOU for all of your support!
p.s. Under the right conditions, I will accept
sponsors. If you want details, please drop
me an email at <john@webword.com>.
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ITEM #8
What Can You Find at WebWord.com?
Articles (Moving WebWord)
<http://webword.com/moving/>
Expert Interviews
<http://webword.com/interviews/>
Recommended Books
<http://webword.com/books/booksindex.html>
Recommended Web Sites
<http://webword.com/hotsites.html>
Free Stuff (an experiment)
<http://webword.com/freestuff.html>
---- End of WebWord.com Usability Newsletter #15 ------
(c)1998-99 by John S. Rhodes. All rights reserved.
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