Splash Screens Must Die - Page 6
May 4, 2001
I have discussed the home page as if it were the first thing a
new user would see upon entering a site. And that's how it should
be. Unfortunately, some sites employ totally wasteful and useless
splash screens, which simply slow down the user as he or she is
attempting to reach the home page.
The theory behind splash screens is that they can set the stage
for the home page by showing some kind of welcome message or
possibly simply the name or logo in isolation without the
distractions of the navigation elements on the home page proper.
In reality, splash screens are annoying and users click off them
as fast as they can. It is much better to design a single home
page that unifies the situational identity message with a display
of some useful news and directory information. Content itself can
be used to tell users where they are and what the site is about.
One of the few appropriate uses of splash screens is for sites
that need to filter users and warn certain visitors against the
content that will be found on the actual home page.
What possible benefit is derived from forcing the user to look at
the splash screen first? Some users may just give up in
desperation. Very few people are interested in having their every
click turn into a "mystery of the Internet," where they have to
ponder what might be next instead of simply being told where they
have arrived.
How Wide Should the Page Be? - Page 5
Designing Web Usability
The Home Page Versus Interior Pages - Page 7
|
