Web User Experience Blog

Participate in a usability test and receive $100 for 1 hour of your time! In our ongoing effort to improve our user experience, we are looking for participants for a usability test upcoming shortly. The tests will be conducted in Mountain View.

We are looking for all types of people: people who do a broad range of business related work from beginners who are just starting out in the field through highly advanced business professionals (sign up); people who do a broad range of Web-related technical work from beginners who are just starting out in the field through highly advanced technical professionals (sign up); and people who do a broad range of activities online, from new users who have just started online activities through very advanced users (sign up).

If you are interested, just click the "sign up" link above that corresponds to your persona and complete the brief questionnaire. If you qualify, we will contact you. Thank you.

(Image source: http://www.experiencesolutions.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/usability-testing.jpg)

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We are redesigning the Naming section of the VeriSign.com Website and so far the tweets on the street are positive:

# fmichlick @Verisign to Revamp its Naming Services website, screenshots looks like a great improvement. To be launched in mid-July. 4 days ago from HootSuite # domainnamenews @Verisign to Revamp its Naming Services website, screenshots looks like a great improvement. To be launched in mid-July. 4 days ago from HootSuite # domaincocoon @Verisign to Revamp its Naming Services website, screenshots looks like a great improvement. To be launched in mid-July. 4 days ago from HootSuite

Here is a sneak peak. This is not yet final but a representation of what the new site will look like.

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The top left corner of the VeriSign homepage made an appearance on the news. Cool!

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 2:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Research indicates that the majority of users are unable to spot phishing Websites. In a study commissioned by VeriSign in the U.S., researchers asked users to identify fraudulent phishing sites from images of Websites placed side by side. A whopping 88 percent of users frequently missed the most obvious "tell tale" indicator which was the misspelling on the site which would have identified the phishing site.

How do you ensure that your online user experience is not affected by fraudulent sites? Here are VeriSign's top five tips to distinguish a real site from a phishing site:

1. https:// in the URL: The "s" in https:// means the site is encrypted,
so the information you enter is secured. While some phishing sites
do have a secured Web address, many do not. Therefore, site visitors
should be on the lookout for missing security on sites that should
have it.

2. The padlock icon: To be meaningful, this icon must appear in the
actual browser interface and not inside the content of the page itself.

3. Trust marks: Simple visual cues in the form of popular logos can show
that a Web site is authenticated and secured, and that a company is
reputable.

4. Check the Web address: Be suspicious of any site with an unknown domain
that contains the name of a well known site in the latter part of the
Web address.

5. Green address bar: Signifies that a site has undergone extensive
identity authentication so that you can be confident it is the site it
claims to be.

And, to test if you can tell tell the difference yourself, take the Phish or No Phish Challenge.

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 3:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Startup Idol is an interesting Conference coming up on July 23, 2009 at the Sofitel Hotel. Registration is free of charge!

Startup Idol is focused on the Web startup community and will feature expert panel discussions, a startup competition, and a networking reception on the Bay. Anyone looking to stay on the cutting-edge of the Web field, explore new customer and partnership opportunities, and network, this is a can't miss opportunity.

- Connect with venture capitalists, investors, entrepreneurs, service providers, and talent.
- Network with others in the space, discover opportunities, gain exposure, make contacts, and find customers.

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are now 183 million domain names registered across all Top Level Domains (TLDs) which represents a three percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2008 and a twelve percent increase over the same quarter last year. This means that nearly 11.8 million new domain names were registered across all TLDs in the first quarter of 2009. While this reflects a 17 percent growth in new registrations over the fourth quarter of 2008, it is a 17 percent decline from the same quarter in the previous year. While domain names registered do not necessarily mean the equivalent number of Websites created, the numbers point to approximately 91 domain names registered per minute and if about 88 percent resolve to Websites, that would mean that roughly 80 new sites were created a minute or one a second.

Country Code Top Level Domain Names (ccTLDs) registered increased to 74.1 million, an 18 percent increase year over year and a four percent increase quarter over quarter. There were nearly three million ccTLDs added in the first quarter of 2009, representing a 38 percent growth over the previous quarter, but a 39 percent decline from the same quarter of 2008.

In terms of total registrations, .com continues to have the highest base followed by .cn (China), .de (Germany) and .net. Following these are .org, .uk, .info, .nl (Netherlands), .eu (European Union), and .biz.

View the entire report (pdf).

Posted by Reshma Kumar at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)