- failed to achieve goal of obtaining plans - due to the merry dance of trying to register taking all the time I had to achieve the task
- registration allowed me to enter a password (> 20 chars) that I was then unable to log in with (I can only guess that was the reason but based on what I saw and subsequent attempts to change it this seems the likely cause).
- error messaging on the login form was misleading, it said password was wrong - it wasn't, not helpful, and infuriating, compounding problem #2
- failure to use the PRG pattern means searching for plans and going back-and-forth results in lots of expired form submission warnings from the browser
- read this, do what it says, and the rest will solve itself http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Make-Think-Revisited-Usability/dp/0321965515
other things I noticed; not the end of the world, but not good
- copyright 2008, seriously?
- url the size of a house - why can't I link to a plan? lame http://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI.html you've had ~20 years to get this right
- session in the url - no no no no, use cookies, that's what they're for
- the visual design is shite, clearly never had a graphic designer's input, emphasis on all the wrong things, walls of text everywhere. This has an effect on usability though it didn't slow me down much as I've been dealing with sites like this for too long
- no proper basket system, I want to buy multiple plans, picked a load, ended up with only the last one in the checkout. pants.
- why do I even have to pay for these? shurely the gov should be providing this for free not profiteering (or paying for the overpriced outsourced piece of shit site you got)
- because I failed at the original task I headed for support, and hit a forum, which is less use than a community built chocolate teapot, it stinks of we're not going to help you, you're on your own