Web Design
GUIDE

Interaction, Controls And Feedback

Description: Web 2.0 has brought forward a new level of interaction with visitors to our websites. Whereas they used to be happy with simply looking at a website and seeing what it had to offer, it's now better to let them have more input.

How often have you visited a website and wanted to ask the webmaster a question? Maybe you wanted to use the site but you weren't too sure about certain aspects of it? In this scenario you would try to find a way of getting in touch with the webmaster - but if you couldn't do that you would probably give up and go elsewhere.

This is why interaction is so important on modern day websites. The more we can involve our visitors the more rewarding their experience of our site will be, which is why giving over a certain level of control to the user is a beneficial stance to take.

Think about how you can make your site more interactive during the design stage, when it's easier to build these elements in. A member's only area can give a greater degree of control to the user, allowing them to create their own profile. Bookmarking sites do this to great effect, and even give each user their own page which allows them to give their URL to others, so they can see what web pages they have found particularly interesting. It also provides more reach and advertising for you, as your visitors share your site with other people.

It's also important to give your visitors the chance to give you feedback. This is the single best way to find out what's working overall and what isn't - and what you can do to provide more control, more features and more versatility for your visitors in future.

The future of the internet lies in generating more user controlled websites which give people a greater choice in what they want to do when they get to a particular site. If you don't keep up with this, you'll be lost in the dust.