This is the main concept that has been improved upon and even debated at times since the conception of the web page and the internet. Jakob Nielsen lays down web doctrine on what usability is and the only way it should be. What better way to start off than to explain what usability is:
"Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process" (Nielsen).
Nielsen defines five quality components that help measure usability. These also help explain better of what usability really is:
- Learnability: how easy is it for a user to accomplish what they are after on the first time visiting the site?
- Efficiency: after the users have learned how the design works, how quick can they accomplish what they want?
- Memorability: when users haven't used the site in awhile, how quick can they reestablish the former efficiency?
- Errors: how many errors do the users make, how severe are they, and how easily do users recover from those mistakes
- Satisfaction: how do users feel with the design?
Utility, the functionality of the design, is "equally important," says Nielsen, "It matters little that something is easy if it's not what you want."
And that is just a little snippet of the reason why usability is important. Nielsen makes excellent points from a business standpoint that if people have a hard time with the site, they leave. I know I do!
He also points out that from the intranet side, its productivity that is being lost which essentially means money. I know from my experience working at Target and using their intranet network, the company can really improve on important navigation usability so that it would be easier for employees to find reports and files.
How to Improve Usability
This is the section where Nielsen lays down some key factors to help anyone improve usability in their own web pages. A lot of it is giving users a model or prototype of a web page and letting them perform "representative tasks" with the design and function. It is important for users to struggle on their own so that your results are not lead by bias. Letting the users explain what they expect and how they feel about the prototype is not enough for usability improvement. Rather it is what they do when faced with usability problems that will greatly enhance a designer's knowledge of usability for their page.
Next Nielsen gets deep in usability study and what a designer can do to start. Here is a list, in order of importance, of where to start:
- Test the old one and take the good parts from that.
- Test your competitors' designs so you can compare and see alternatives.
- Do a field study of the users habitat.
- Make paper prototypes to test new design ideas.
- After that, test through multiple iterations.
- Inspect the design relative to the established usability guidelines.
- Right before the final design is put up, test it one more time for any bugs.
Nielsen says, "The only way to a high-quality user experience is to start user testing early in the design process and to keep testing every step of the way." He also says that you can test users just about anywhere where you can sit with them and without any distractions.
Every Alertbox that I have covered so far is brought to life through usability principles. I think that by following usability standards, I will have a better product, happier consumers, and something worth building on. I think the key thing is focusing on the customers needs. If I know how they tick they will be faithful, loyal returnees.