A site that is not regularly updated creates an image of inefficiency, he argued. The bad news does not stop there. In a study of 10 well-visited sites, Nielsen Norman found that Web site visitors faced difficulties in locating even the most basic corporate information. On average, visitors found an answer to a simple question only 60 percent of the time. Jakob Nielsen, principal of the Nielsen Norman Group, said, 'It's a matter of attitude.
Performance is crucial, and design affects performance.
Ease of use and navigability are key,' Drakos emphasised. Forrester Research said that content personalisation tools can create a more individual shopping experience for site visitors, but firms need to ensure that these tools are integrated into an easily navigable site. Many personalisation tools let users set up preferences for how they will view a site. Even for companies that do not sell goods and services directly through their Web site, presentation should be a priority, because a poorly constructed site will undermine the corporate brand. Web sites are crucial communications tools and they should be presented well, argued Rob Oldhan, technical director for integrated design consultant The Small Back Room.