comparing navigation pattern among asian countries
DESCRIPTION
Two websites offering public mail service were chose for the study. Both the websites were compared and analyzed.TRANSCRIPT
Comparing Web mail Portal's
www.india.com & www.inbox.com.pk (powered by Outblaze) (powered by everyone.net) (Country : India) (Country : Pakistan)
Heuristic Analysis and Functional Analysis
16th November, 2006
Divye Bokdia IIT G
16th November, 2006
1
•Use of colors and image make it more appealing.
•Curves are used in each graphic element.
•A short note about the website services, makes it interesting.
•Sign Up doesn’t appear as a button.
•A very formal and professional look.
•Proper grouping is not visible i.e. visitors -> sign up.
Log in Screen
16th November, 2006
2
Entering Username and Password
•Roll over text over button guide the user in case of discrepancies.
•Use of color (red) for the text field make it more visible and stand out.
•No roll over text is assigned to any of the button
•The text color (black) is kept same for all the fields.
16th November, 2006
3
Invalid Username and Password
•A new page with too many links come up.
•”Sorry” makes the warning little informal.
•Information appear to be scattered on the page.
•Very straight error message. Wrong username/password.
•Doesn’t make the user freak.
•User may ignore the warning, color should be different.
16th November, 2006
4
Welcome Screen
•They have not specified the mail quota anywhere.
•Informing the user about new mail in a very nice
way.
•No icon is used for any of the task in left hand
border.
•3 most important functions were properly taken
care of checking mails, writing mails and folders.
•The green color In the left is shouting too much.
Instead white color could have been used a s a
background.
•No roll over text is present, over the clickable text
too.
•lack of breathing space between t he left hand
menu bar.
•Overall left band is shouting too much.
www.india.com
16th November, 2006
5
Welcome Screenwww.inbox.com.pk
•All the details about the mail quota has been
displayed clearly.
•Detail report about each folder is shown in
welcome screen.
•Icon is used from Windows family only. So user
friendly and. don't take much time to understand.
•Roll over text help user, in case delay in loading
the graphics.
•Menu on the left is readable and breathing space
is good.
•The ‘go to page’ option give user an alternate
navigation system, which are always appreciated
by user.
•The new functions like calendar beta kept a little
below the main menu, gains its own importance.
•Overall page is balanced.
16th November, 2006
6
Navigation Menu
•Lack of breathing space makes menu complex and messy.
•Graphical representation contributes a lot, in better website.
•Roll over text/Alternate text is must in graphical menu
•Contrast between the text and the background colour should be
proper.
• Background colour should not be very bright and shouting
16th November, 2006
7
Inbox
• Two options have been high lighted, check
POP3 mail and Empty Trash.
•Show if any attachment is there with the mail.
•Mail size is displayed and so help to control
the disk quota.
•Icons used for read and unread mails are
trivial and very easily understood.
•Unread mails are notified as New mails in the
header message near inbox.
•Bright green color distract the user very much.
•Delete option should have been placed before
‘move to’ option. Delete is more important.
Than moving in new folderwww.india.com
16th November, 2006
8
Inboxwww.inbox.com.pk
• One options have been highlighted, check
POP3 mail/external mail.
•Does not notify about any attachment with the
mail.
•Mail size is displayed and so help to control
the disk quota.
•Icons used for read and unread mails are not
trivial and are also notified by highlighting the
subject of unread mails.
•Unread mails are notified as New mails in the
header message near inbox.
•Delete option is appropriately highlighted.
•Color schemes goes well with the task.
16th November, 2006
9
Reading a mail
•Color schemes does not go with the function.
They are making the page very active and at
the same time loosing the seriousness of email.
•Even if the message is small, the footer
position is fixed. This makes the user to think,
more information might be about to come.
•Show full header option stands alone and it
could be grouped with other option.
•From is highlighted and emphasis is laid on it.
•Advertisements have flooded the page too
much.
•Delete and Move options are focused as
compared to reply and forward.
www.india.com
16th November, 2006
10
Reading a mailwww.inbox.com.pk
•Color schemes suits the task. Does not
distract the user from its work.
•The footer shifts according to the size of the
mail.
•Grouping of the functions is very well done and
presented too.
•Attachment option is very productive and
saves time by saving the file automatically in
text format.
•Advertisements have been placed very well.
None of the advertisement gain more
importance than primary function of the
websites.
16th November, 2006
11
Forwarding a mailwww.india.com
•Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ is
appropriate,
•Attach could be more descriptive. like to use
add attachment.
•”save copy in…” should be placed at the end
of the message also.
•In Body, The message starts as “Original
message” and so it notify the user about what
is going to be sent as forwarded message.
•no option to modify the font type and size is
given.
•Advertisements has crowded the page very
much and is appearing like a boundary box for
the working area.
16th November, 2006
12
Forwarding a mail
•Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ could be in
front of the To option.
•Add Attachment is well placed and acquire its
own importance due to different text color.
•In Body, The message starts as “Begin
forwarded message” and so it notify the user
about what is going to be sent as forwarded
message.
•It gives an option to modify the font type and
size.
•Warning “separate each address…” helps a lot
to prevent the confusion.
www.inbox.com.pk
16th November, 2006
13
Composewww.india.com
•”Select signature” option allows user to select
among the different predefined signature of his
own.
•Positioning of “Importance” option is
appropriate, as user need to decide the mail
importance before composing it.
•Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ is
appropriate,
•Attach could be more descriptive. like to use
add attachment.
•”save copy in…” should be placed at the end
of the message also.
•In Body, The message starts as “Original
message” and so it notify the user about what
is going to be sent as forwarded message.
•no option to modify the font type and size is
given.
•Advertisements has crowded the page very
much and is appearing like a boundary box for
the working area.
16th November, 2006
14
Compose
•Various Text editing tools are provided. This
provide user to a platform to work freely like on
Ms word.
•No option to set priority of the mail is given.
•Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ could be in
front of the To option.
•Add Attachment is well placed and acquire its
own importance due to different text color.
•In Body, The message starts as “Begin
forwarded message” and so it notify the user
about what is going to be sent as forwarded
message.
•It gives an option to modify the font type and
size.
•Warning “separate each address…” helps a lot
to prevent the confusion.
www.inbox.com.pk
16th November, 2006
15
Address Bookwww.india.com
•”Quick add contact” function works very well.
We can modify the information later also.
•”Personal lists” functions allows you to make
groups among your contacts. Helpful in mass
mailing.
•”Sort by” function should have drop down
menu, so as not to confuse the user with so
many options visible at the same time.
•In ”Search” option we can vary 2 variables. Its
an extensive search and is shown well also.
•Check box in front of “Name’ also selects all
the entries. So select all function could be
repetition of the function.
•A very clear positioning of modify and delete
option in front of mail id, improves the
functionality.
•”Email” option should be highlighted one, as
it’s the only reason we are here.
16th November, 2006
16
Address Bookwww.inbox.com.pk
•To add new entry and group you have to go to
new page.
•Option like quick add entry would be much
appreciated by user.
•”Browse by” function have drop down menu,
so as to provide with so many options at a time.
•Buttons provided at the end and start of the list
prevent user from unwanted scrolling of screen.
•Use of icons for edit/view/delete in front of mail
id prevent text crowding and give importance to
both buttons and address book entries..
•”mail” option is present at the first level.
Hierarchy followed in button positioning is also
well suited to task.
16th November, 2006
17
Adding a new Address Book Entrywww.india.com
•The page does not appear crowded or messy,
even though so many text fields are present.
•But breathing space is too much and it makes
the form appear very long.
•Grouping of the information, does not confuse
user and helps in better navigation.
•User can enter maximum amount of
information he can think of and still if he wants,
comment option is provided at the end to add
more.
•As soon as user find scroll bar in any form, he
feels like skipping that task. As the task appear
to be very big and time consuming..
16th November, 2006
18
Adding a new Address Book Entrywww.inbox.com.pk
•The page does not appear crowded or messy,
even though so many text fields are present.
•Grouping of the information, does not confuse
user and helps in better navigation.
•A boundary around the groups make it more
clean and organized.
•user can enter maximum of information he can
think of and still if he wants comment option is
provided at the end to add more.
•Fonts use to highlight the heading and sub
heading are appropriate and well suited. They
are not mixing with each other.
16th November, 2006
19
Searching mailswww.india.com
•Search option is present at the bottom of each
page.
•Search option is not given in the left hand
menu bar.
•The drop down menu, next to search,, allows
user to select the category he want to search in
(From/To/Subject).
•Find button is not supported with any graphics
or colour, so it draws attention of user.
•Search option should be present near check
POP3 mails | empty Trash.
16th November, 2006
20
Search resultswww.india.com
•The search result should be written at the top
and not the inbox status.
•”You search returns …” should be bold or of
different color, so as to appear like the result of
some task.
16th November, 2006
21
Searching mailswww.inbox.com.pk
•search option is present in the left hand menu
bar.
•Provides user with the very basic, but
extensive research options like search in
message, body, header.
•It also allows user to search in individual
folder,
•Even if the user is not satisfied with the
present search options, he can go to advanced
search.
•The best part is the distinction of the features
that might make the search complex and have
put them in advanced search.
16th November, 2006
22
Searching mailswww.inbox.com.pk
•The no. of variations itself tells about the
complexity of advanced search.
•Still proper heading and hierarchy, the
advanced search does not appear complex.
•It takes input from user in a very organized
way and its not at all confusing.
•Grouping and breathing space make the
structure appear more simple and clear.
16th November, 2006
23
Search resultswww.inbox.com.pk
•The search result should be written at the top
like. “You search returns …”
•Only one function is highlighted i.e. Delete.
16th November, 2006
24
Folderswww.india.com
•We get the details about individual folder, on
clicking the “Mail folders” in left hand menu.
•All the information about the disk quota have
been given in numbers e.g. 1382k/10000k
•The disk quota info should have been given in
language too.
•All the 3 options to create/delete and rename
folder is given in a very nice way. Proper
grouping is done to prevent confusion.
•..Size of each folder is given in front of the
folder, thus give a detailed analysis of each
folder.
16th November, 2006
25
Folderswww.inbox.com.pk
•We get the details about individual folder, on
clicking the “folders” in left hand menu.
•All the information about the disk quota have
been given in numbers, language and through
graphics also. Thus clearing all the doubts.
•Options to clear the mails from spam and trash
is also given here.
•..Detailed analysis of each folder is given.
•No where it is specified that Total(2) is the no.
of unread mails.
•Roll Over text over the folder option tell
“Create new folder”, thus clear any doubt in
users mind.
•On clicking info (zoom button) we can specify,
which messages should be deleted
automatically and when.
•This function helps keeping the mailbox under
limit.
16th November, 2006
26
Optionswww.india.com
•Options are categorized between available
options and premium services options.
•Brief about each of the option is given in a
tabular form.
•The colour scheme could be little down. The
bright colours should be only used to highlight
some important information.
16th November, 2006
27
Optionswww.inbox.com.pk
•Grouping of the options, made the page very
well organized.
•Options are presented in tabular form. That
makes the categorization much more clear.
•Basic information about each of the option,
makes user perception clear about the function
of each option..
16th November, 2006
28
Helpwww.india.com
•FAQ’s have been framed and can be selected
from drop down menu.
•As the questions are many, so its difficult to
handle the drop down menu. Solution would be
categorizing the questions.
•Other than FAQ, some basic help under other
topics is also displayed.
•All the company policies are also given in help
and not like link is given on each of the page.
•Color scheme is good and soothing.
• Top Five FAQ’s part is good and it must be
keep updating. Else its of no use.
16th November, 2006
29
Helpwww.inbox.com.pk
•FAQ’s have been framed I each of the
category.
•The questions are categorized under different
domains related to mailbox.
•For any help other than FAQ, link has been
given to some other website, expertise in that
field.
•Listing of FAQ makes the user clear about his
question and doubt. But sometimes user
doesn’t know which FAQ matches its doubt
exactly.
16th November, 2006
30
Logoutwww.india.com
•
•No graphics are used. So very boring to read.
•Font size is very small and line spacing is very
less.
•Only two options are given
○Go to home page, or
○Logout completely (delete the cookies saved
in computers temporary folder)
•Advertisements could have been placed here,
instead of placing so many during the mail
transactions.
•Logo of India. COM would have changed the
page totally.
16th November, 2006
30
Logoutwww.inbox.com.pk
•
•Thank you message is highlighted in
appropriate manner.
•Site gives two option to the user, either to login
again or to return to the home page.
• At the place of advertisements, Search option
is given and its takes user directly to the
Google. COM
•”You have successfully ..” message give a
satisfaction to user about security and safety of
his account.
16th November, 2006
31
Final Conclusion
•Color scheme is not appropriate, its too bright.
•Graphics are not used, where ever required also like
main menu bar.
•Color selection of text and links make web site hard to
read and print.
•Icons should have been used, instead of text links at all
the places.
•Advertisements are not placed properly. They hindered
the basic purpose of website at some places.
•Color headings created emphasis on titles
•Color coding and logical grouping of subject listings
•A simple navigation strategy ensures users won't get
lost.
•Creative use of icons enhanced users recognition of
subject areas.
•Using a simple graphic element helps the user
understand the information and also load quickly.
www.Inbox.com.pk is a better web mail portal, in respect of usability and
visually, as compared to www.india.com