Best And Worst Of UK Site Design, 2008

Forrester applied its Web Site Review methodology to the site experiences at 12 firms — three each of the largest newspapers, TV broadcasters, retailers, and wireless providers in the UK. Of all the evaluated sites, only BT achieved a passing score — and only by a slim margin. As a group, wireless providers outperformed other industries, while retailers fell to the bottom of the list. But we did encounter some good practices along the way, like O2's standout content, The Guardian's legible font size, and BBC's strong contextual help. To improve Web site experiences, firms should use personas to focus on specific user needs and look beyond usability to desirability.