Resources > For Web site success, keep it simple BUSINESS Q & A For Web site success, keep it simple Harris Kravatz, president of Boca-Raton-based HK Interface Design, spent years with IBM helping client companies make their computer software user-friendly. So when the Internet's World Wide Web emerged into widespread use five years ago, Kravatz formed his own consulting company to help businesses develop effective web sites. In this interview with staff writer John Harris, Kravatz gives insight into what makes an effective site and what can lead to failure. Q.  We've all experienced Web sites that are disappointing or confusing or both. But how widespread are the problems? A.  The Web is full of expensive sites that are ineffective or that nobody visits. Too many of them use showy technology for technology's sake rather than for providing a business solution. Q.  A couple of examples? A.  Dockers and Levi's both had expensive Internet failures and folded their e-commerce sites. And there are others that discourage potential customers. I recently tried to place an order with Buy.com. I filled out their 10-step order and then got an error message telling me to try again.I said to heck with it and went to another site and ordered the item. About a half-hour later I got an e-mail from Buy.com that said my order would be shipped. I called them to learn that only half of my order had been received and it wouldn't be shipped. Who needs all this confusion when you can just click your way to another site? To be effective, your site must be easy to understand and to navigate. Users must be able to use the site without being confused. Q. What are the most common errors that find their way onto Web sites? A.  Slow-loading pages is one. This is usually because of too many graphics. Research has shown that users will wait a maximum of 20-30 seconds before going somewhere else. Another is too much copy. Users tend not to read on the Internet as much as scan information. Text should be in small sections with lots of titles and bullets. Sentences should be shorter and more concise than in reading matter. Other problems areas include: Missing, hidden or inconsistent navigation aids. Users need to readily know how to continue, cancel or return to the home page. Confusing or missing page titles. Too much technical jargon that users may not understand. Distracting ads and animation. Pages that require the user to perform a task, such as filling out a form to make a purchase, should not contain any ads or animations to distract the user from completing the desired action. Hiding or omitting critical information. If users can't find buttons or links to perform needed functions or to take them to other pages of the site, they will become frustrated and go elsewhere. Q.  We've gone over some of the sins of site design. What tips would you offer for effective design? A.  Some tips for effective Web site design - there are too many to list - include: Make frequent and desired tasks, such as shop and purchase, short and simple. Place a single task on a single page. Make critical information visible and explicit. User larger fonts, group boxes and white space to enhance readability. Minimize graphics to speed up the download. Provide consistent interaction mechanisms. Provide an option to cancel and to go home at any time. Provide proper page titles and clear button labels. Keep users informed about results of actions taken. Write in the user's language - avoid technical jargon.