I spent a summer working at an amusement park while I was in college. During orientation they told us “visitors check their brains at the door” and to “never assume anyone was as smart as you.” People on vacation aren’t in the mind frame for deep thinking.
They can also be a handy shorthand for web usability:
- Visitors check their brains at the door: Visitors don’t want to think to understand how the website works, they just want what they want. Make sure navigation is straightforward, that visitors can contact you, and don’t rely solely on videos or jazzy effects to get your message out there. But try to delight them without getting in their way.
- Never assume anyone is as smart as you: Visitors may not have spent as much as you have in your field and might not be familiar with industry terms. Keep the text simple and save the jargon for technical documents. You could also approach content as a learning opportunity: start with basics and progress to more detailed and technical information the further a visitor gets in the site.