Two websites offering public mail service were chose for the study. Both the websites were compared and analyzed.

1. Comparing Web mail Portal's www.india.com & www.inbox.com.pk (powered by Outblaze) (powered by everyone.net) (Country : India) (Country : Pakistan) Heuristic Analysis and Functional Analysis 16 th November, 2006 Divye Bokdia IIT G

2. 16 th November, 2006 1 • Use of colors and image make it more appealing. • Curves are used in each graphic element. • A short note about the website services, makes it interesting. • Sign Up doesn’t appear as a button. • A very formal and professional look. • Proper grouping is not visible i.e. visitors -> sign up. Log in Screen

3. 16 th November, 2006 2 Entering Username and Password • Roll over text over button guide the user in case of discrepancies. • Use of color (red) for the text field make it more visible and stand out. • No roll over text is assigned to any of the button • The text color (black) is kept same for all the fields.

4. 16 th November, 2006 3 Invalid Username and Password • A new page with too many links come up. •” Sorry” makes the warning little informal. • Information appear to be scattered on the page. • Very straight error message. Wrong username/password. • Doesn’t make the user freak. • User may ignore the warning, color should be different.

5. 16 th November, 2006 4 Welcome Screen • They have not specified the mail quota anywhere. • Informing the user about new mail in a very nice way. • No icon is used for any of the task in left hand border. • 3 most important functions were properly taken care of checking mails, writing mails and folders. • The green color In the left is shouting too much. Instead white color could have been used a s a background. • No roll over text is present, over the clickable text too. • lack of breathing space between t he left hand menu bar. • Overall left band is shouting too much. www.india.com

6. 16 th November, 2006 5 Welcome Screen www.inbox.com.pk • All the details about the mail quota has been displayed clearly. • Detail report about each folder is shown in welcome screen. • Icon is used from Windows family only. So user friendly and. don't take much time to understand. • Roll over text help user, in case delay in loading the graphics. • Menu on the left is readable and breathing space is good. • The ‘go to page’ option give user an alternate navigation system, which are always appreciated by user. • The new functions like calendar beta kept a little below the main menu, gains its own importance. • Overall page is balanced.

7. 16 th November, 2006 6 Navigation Menu • Lack of breathing space makes menu complex and messy. • Graphical representation contributes a lot, in better website. • Roll over text/Alternate text is must in graphical menu • Contrast between the text and the background colour should be proper. • Background colour should not be very bright and shouting

8. 16 th November, 2006 7 Inbox • Two options have been high lighted, check POP3 mail and Empty Trash. • Show if any attachment is there with the mail. • Mail size is displayed and so help to control the disk quota. • Icons used for read and unread mails are trivial and very easily understood. • Unread mails are notified as New mails in the header message near inbox. • Bright green color distract the user very much. • Delete option should have been placed before ‘move to’ option. Delete is more important. Than moving in new folder www.india.com

9. 16 th November, 2006 8 Inbox www.inbox.com.pk • One options have been highlighted, check POP3 mail/external mail. • Does not notify about any attachment with the mail. • Mail size is displayed and so help to control the disk quota. • Icons used for read and unread mails are not trivial and are also notified by highlighting the subject of unread mails. • Unread mails are notified as New mails in the header message near inbox. • Delete option is appropriately highlighted. • Color schemes goes well with the task.

10. 16 th November, 2006 9 Reading a mail • Color schemes does not go with the function. They are making the page very active and at the same time loosing the seriousness of email. • Even if the message is small, the footer position is fixed. This makes the user to think, more information might be about to come. • Show full header option stands alone and it could be grouped with other option. • From is highlighted and emphasis is laid on it. • Advertisements have flooded the page too much. • Delete and Move options are focused as compared to reply and forward. www.india.com

11. 16 th November, 2006 10 Reading a mail www.inbox.com.pk • Color schemes suits the task. Does not distract the user from its work. • The footer shifts according to the size of the mail. • Grouping of the functions is very well done and presented too. • Attachment option is very productive and saves time by saving the file automatically in text format. • Advertisements have been placed very well. None of the advertisement gain more importance than primary function of the websites.

12. 16 th November, 2006 11 Forwarding a mail www.india.com • Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ is appropriate, • Attach could be more descriptive. like to use add attachment. •” save copy in…” should be placed at the end of the message also. • In Body, The message starts as “Original message” and so it notify the user about what is going to be sent as forwarded message. • no option to modify the font type and size is given. • Advertisements has crowded the page very much and is appearing like a boundary box for the working area.

13. 16 th November, 2006 12 Forwarding a mail • Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ could be in front of the To option. • Add Attachment is well placed and acquire its own importance due to different text color. • In Body, The message starts as “Begin forwarded message” and so it notify the user about what is going to be sent as forwarded message. • It gives an option to modify the font type and size. • Warning “separate each address…” helps a lot to prevent the confusion. www.inbox.com.pk

14. 16 th November, 2006 13 Compose www.india.com •” Select signature” option allows user to select among the different predefined signature of his own. • Positioning of “Importance” option is appropriate, as user need to decide the mail importance before composing it. • Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ is appropriate, • Attach could be more descriptive. like to use add attachment. •” save copy in…” should be placed at the end of the message also. • In Body, The message starts as “Original message” and so it notify the user about what is going to be sent as forwarded message. • no option to modify the font type and size is given. • Advertisements has crowded the page very much and is appearing like a boundary box for the working area.

15. 16 th November, 2006 14 Compose • Various Text editing tools are provided. This provide user to a platform to work freely like on Ms word. • No option to set priority of the mail is given. • Positioning of ‘Use Address book’ could be in front of the To option. • Add Attachment is well placed and acquire its own importance due to different text color. • In Body, The message starts as “Begin forwarded message” and so it notify the user about what is going to be sent as forwarded message. • It gives an option to modify the font type and size. • Warning “separate each address…” helps a lot to prevent the confusion. www.inbox.com.pk

16. 16 th November, 2006 15 Address Book www.india.com •” Quick add contact” function works very well. We can modify the information later also. •” Personal lists” functions allows you to make groups among your contacts. Helpful in mass mailing. •” Sort by” function should have drop down menu, so as not to confuse the user with so many options visible at the same time. • In ”Search” option we can vary 2 variables. Its an extensive search and is shown well also. • Check box in front of “Name’ also selects all the entries. So select all function could be repetition of the function. • A very clear positioning of modify and delete option in front of mail id, improves the functionality. •” Email” option should be highlighted one, as it’s the only reason we are here.

17. 16 th November, 2006 16 Address Book www.inbox.com.pk • To add new entry and group you have to go to new page. • Option like quick add entry would be much appreciated by user. •” Browse by” function have drop down menu, so as to provide with so many options at a time. • Buttons provided at the end and start of the list prevent user from unwanted scrolling of screen. • Use of icons for edit/view/delete in front of mail id prevent text crowding and give importance to both buttons and address book entries.. •” mail” option is present at the first level. Hierarchy followed in button positioning is also well suited to task.

18. 16 th November, 2006 17 Adding a new Address Book Entry www.india.com • The page does not appear crowded or messy, even though so many text fields are present. • But breathing space is too much and it makes the form appear very long. • Grouping of the information, does not confuse user and helps in better navigation. • User can enter maximum amount of information he can think of and still if he wants, comment option is provided at the end to add more. • As soon as user find scroll bar in any form, he feels like skipping that task. As the task appear to be very big and time consuming..

19. 16 th November, 2006 18 Adding a new Address Book Entry www.inbox.com.pk • The page does not appear crowded or messy, even though so many text fields are present. • Grouping of the information, does not confuse user and helps in better navigation. • A boundary around the groups make it more clean and organized. • user can enter maximum of information he can think of and still if he wants comment option is provided at the end to add more. • Fonts use to highlight the heading and sub heading are appropriate and well suited. They are not mixing with each other.

20. 16 th November, 2006 19 Searching mails www.india.com • Search option is present at the bottom of each page. • Search option is not given in the left hand menu bar. • The drop down menu, next to search,, allows user to select the category he want to search in (From/To/Subject). • Find button is not supported with any graphics or colour, so it draws attention of user. • Search option should be present near check POP3 mails | empty Trash.

21. 16 th November, 2006 20 Search results www.india.com • The search result should be written at the top and not the inbox status. •” You search returns …” should be bold or of different color, so as to appear like the result of some task.

22. 16 th November, 2006 21 Searching mails www.inbox.com.pk • search option is present in the left hand menu bar. • Provides user with the very basic, but extensive research options like search in message, body, header. • It also allows user to search in individual folder, • Even if the user is not satisfied with the present search options, he can go to advanced search. • The best part is the distinction of the features that might make the search complex and have put them in advanced search.

23. 16 th November, 2006 22 Searching mails www.inbox.com.pk • The no. of variations itself tells about the complexity of advanced search. • Still proper heading and hierarchy, the advanced search does not appear complex. • It takes input from user in a very organized way and its not at all confusing. • Grouping and breathing space make the structure appear more simple and clear.

24. 16 th November, 2006 23 Search results www.inbox.com.pk • The search result should be written at the top like. “ You search returns …” • Only one function is highlighted i.e. Delete.

25. 16 th November, 2006 24 Folders www.india.com • We get the details about individual folder, on clicking the “Mail folders” in left hand menu. • All the information about the disk quota have been given in numbers e.g. 1382k/10000k • The disk quota info should have been given in language too. • All the 3 options to create/delete and rename folder is given in a very nice way. Proper grouping is done to prevent confusion. • ..Size of each folder is given in front of the folder, thus give a detailed analysis of each folder.

26. 16 th November, 2006 25 Folders www.inbox.com.pk • We get the details about individual folder, on clicking the “folders” in left hand menu. • All the information about the disk quota have been given in numbers, language and through graphics also. Thus clearing all the doubts. • Options to clear the mails from spam and trash is also given here. • ..Detailed analysis of each folder is given. • No where it is specified that Total(2) is the no. of unread mails. • Roll Over text over the folder option tell “Create new folder”, thus clear any doubt in users mind. • On clicking info (zoom button) we can specify, which messages should be deleted automatically and when. • This function helps keeping the mailbox under limit.

27. 16 th November, 2006 26 Options www.india.com • Options are categorized between available options and premium services options. • Brief about each of the option is given in a tabular form. • The colour scheme could be little down. The bright colours should be only used to highlight some important information.

28. 16 th November, 2006 27 Options www.inbox.com.pk • Grouping of the options, made the page very well organized. • Options are presented in tabular form. That makes the categorization much more clear. • Basic information about each of the option, makes user perception clear about the function of each option..

29. 16 th November, 2006 28 Help www.india.com • FAQ’s have been framed and can be selected from drop down menu. • As the questions are many, so its difficult to handle the drop down menu. Solution would be categorizing the questions. • Other than FAQ, some basic help under other topics is also displayed. • All the company policies are also given in help and not like link is given on each of the page. • Color scheme is good and soothing. • Top Five FAQ’s part is good and it must be keep updating. Else its of no use.

30. 16 th November, 2006 29 Help www.inbox.com.pk • FAQ’s have been framed I each of the category. • The questions are categorized under different domains related to mailbox. • For any help other than FAQ, link has been given to some other website, expertise in that field. • Listing of FAQ makes the user clear about his question and doubt. But sometimes user doesn’t know which FAQ matches its doubt exactly.

31. 16 th November, 2006 30 Logout www.india.com • • No graphics are used. So very boring to read. • Font size is very small and line spacing is very less. • Only two options are given ○ Go to home page, or ○ Logout completely (delete the cookies saved in computers temporary folder) • Advertisements could have been placed here, instead of placing so many during the mail transactions. • Logo of India. COM would have changed the page totally.

32. 16 th November, 2006 30 Logout www.inbox.com.pk • • Thank you message is highlighted in appropriate manner. • Site gives two option to the user, either to login again or to return to the home page. • At the place of advertisements, Search option is given and its takes user directly to the Google. COM •” You have successfully ..” message give a satisfaction to user about security and safety of his account.

33. 16 th November, 2006 31 Final Conclusion • Color scheme is not appropriate, its too bright. • Graphics are not used, where ever required also like main menu bar. • Color selection of text and links make web site hard to read and print. • Icons should have been used, instead of text links at all the places. • Advertisements are not placed properly. They hindered the basic purpose of website at some places. • Color headings created emphasis on titles • Color coding and logical grouping of subject listings • A simple navigation strategy ensures users won't get lost. • Creative use of icons enhanced users recognition of subject areas. • Using a simple graphic element helps the user understand the information and also load quickly. www.Inbox.com.pk is a better web mail portal, in respect of usability and visually, as compared to www.india.com