In parallel with Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab's study of how average people evaluate web sites' credibility, Sliced Bread Design and Comsumer WebWatch conducted a study of how industry experts rate credibility of the very same sites. The results showed that experts were far less concerned about visual appeal and more about the quality of a site's information.

The comparative studies suggest that while people without deep knowledge and personal interest in a site will judge it by its visual design, people involved in a site's professional domain are more concerned about the quality and accuracy of the content.

Links:

• Discussion of the studies 
• The report Experts vs. Online Consumers (PDF) 

Henrik Olsen - March 19, 2003

See also: Research (129)  Credibility, Trust and Privacy (6)  Expert reviews (11)