When we talked in class
about usability and the internet, it sounded like the conclusion as to what
makes a usable website is simplicity. Creating a website to serve a very
obvious purpose is the key to usability. But even when a site is usable, there
are aesthetics that make a website a more enjoyable experience for the user.
Color, formatting, and graphic elements can enhance usability by making a
website visually appealing. In the case of craigslist, they substitute an
aesthetically appealing design for maximum usability. The website is designed
to display information and facilitate sales between individuals with maximum
efficiency and the least amount of confusion possible.
Below is a sample of a
typical local craigslist website. It is used a personal classifieds for just about
anything. Job searching, garage sales, and personals ads are all housed on this
site. The beauty of craigslist is in its simplicity. The site looks like it
could be designed by any amateur (I picture graphic designers cringing at the
home page layout) computer programmer but the functionality of craigslist is
astonishing. The search bar encourages the user to search for anything.
Literally anything. If anything matches the search term on craigslist, you will
find it. Occasionally, it takes a little sifting to weed out irrelevant results
but from personal experience, the results I have had with craigslist are great.
I think that the simplistic design is overlooked by the typical user when they
realize how straightforward and efficiently the website gets results. When going for great website design, sometimes
simple is best.
![](http://s3.amazonaws.com/crunchbase_prod_assets/assets/images/original/0001/3906/13906v1.png)
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