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Five Usability Samples

To measure the effect of some of the content guidelines, Jakob Nielsen developed five different versions of the same website (same basic information; different wording; same site navigation). Then he had users perform the same tasks with the different sites. As shown in the table, measured usability was dramatically higher for the concise version (58% better) and for the scannable version (47% better). When three ideas were combined for improved writing style into a single site, the result was truly stellar: 124% better usability.

Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control condition)
Promotional writing (control condition) using the "marketese" found on many commercial websites Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446). 0%
(by definition)
Concise text with about half the word count as the control condition In 1996, six of the best-attended attractions in Nebraska were Fort Robinson State Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. 58%
Scannable layout using the same text as the control condition in a layout that facilitated scanning Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were:
  • Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors)
  • Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166)
  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum (100,000)
  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum (100,000)
  • Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002)
  • Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446)
 47%
Objective language using neutral rather than subjective, boastful, or exaggerated language (otherwise the same as the control condition) Nebraska has several attractions. In 1996, some of the most-visited places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446.) 27%
Combined version using all three improvements in writing style together: concise, scannable, and objective In 1996, six of the most-visited places in Nebraska were:
  • Fort Robinson State Park
  • Scotts Bluff National Monument
  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum
  • Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum
  • Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
  • Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
124%

Usability was improved by a good deal in the objective language version (27% better). Four performance measures (time, errors, memory, and site structure) were better for the objective version than for the promotional version. Promotional language imposes a cognitive burden on users who have to spend resources on filtering out the hyperbole to get at the facts. When people read a paragraph that starts "Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions," their first reaction is no, it's not, and this thought slows them down and distracts them from using the site.