Getting started
Good usability is often understood to mean simply a good user interface, but it encompasses more than that. It includes the product, the user, the user’s goals, and the context of use. All these things should be considered when designing usability. Compare a busy young executive to a retired grandmother. There’s a huge difference in their needs and in how they perceive the world, but both might be using the same device or service to accomplish their goals.
| Questions to be asked: WHO is the user? WHAT is the user trying to accomplish? WHEN, WHERE, and HOW is the user using the product? |
A usable product is a joy for the user. It is easy to learn, it makes the user less prone to errors, and it enhances productivity. In other words, the product itself creates satisfaction and trust. But the user is not the only one to benefit from usability.
Knowing which features are necessary before starting the development process will also cut down development costs and time because the development team can concentrate on issues that matter. And when users are able to accomplish their goals without strife and trouble, they are less likely to demand support or maintenance; hence costs after development are reduced as well.
Usability evaluation reveals issues in the user interface that are important to address, but that may be very difficult or even impossible to notice on the code level. The developer’s job becomes infinitely easier when there are well-defined UI and usability specifications, with less need for drastic redesigns in the middle of the project.
