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People don't read web pages -- they SCAN them
Most will scan a web page looking for key terms rather than read it word-by-word.
Use headings, subheadings, bulleted lists and highlighted keywords to assist in scanning.
People don't like to scroll
Most have a low tolerance for scrolling through long pages of text. Use the "inverted pyramid"
style of writing to put the conclusion near the top of a page. Avoid length whenever possible.
People are impatient with slow page download
Most are willing to wait between 10 to 15 seconds, but after that forget it! Avoid "heavy" pages -- large
amounts of text and lots of graphics that make a web page "weigh" more than 70K should be avoided when
possible. One trick is to take advantage of browser cache by using the same graphic(s) on each page. After
loading the first page, graphics will be cached, saving wear and tear on the web server and speeding up page load time.
Cluttered, busy pages can be hard to use
Animated graphics, gratuitous and numerous graphics, blinking text, noisy background patterns or colors make it harder to read a page.
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