Follow expected norms and behaviors and use familiar terminology.
Write clear, concise page titles, headlines and body copy.
When possible, change the color of visited text links. Knowing which pages users have already visited frees them from unintentionally revisiting the same pages over and over again.
Redirect pages that have moved to prevent breaking any incoming links from other sites.
Do not disable the back button.
Do not post pages marked “under construction”.
Do not disable a Web browser’s “change font size” button and specify a fixed font size. Respect the user’s preferences and let them resize text as needed.
Do not design interaction techniques that deviate from common GUI standards.
Do not open new browser windows. If users want the destination to appear in a new page, they can use their browser’s “open in new window” command.
Exceptions to not opening new browser windows:
PDF and other Non-Web Documents (with advance warning with plug-in links.)
Web-based applications. Smaller, content-focused apps should remain embedded in the originating Web page. (Again, with advanced warning that a new window will open.)
