Usability

Definition of Usability Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal. Usability can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the study of the principles behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance.
In human-computer interaction and computer science, usability usually refers to the elegance and clarity with which the user interface of a computer program or a web site is designed. The term is also used often in the context of products like consumer electronics, or in the areas of communication, and knowledge transfer objects (such as a cookbook, a document or online help). It can also refer to the efficient design of a mechanical objects such as a door handle or a hammer.

Importance of Usability

If a website is not easy to use, then the visitor will not feel confident with the company. This can prove costly when competitors are only a mouse click away. If your site is difficult to use, then don't expect people to waste their time on it. "Launching a site that is difficult to use means that you not only lose your best customers - those who are eager to use the service - but they will also warn others not to visit the site." (Jakob Nielsen, Nielsen Norman Group).

According to market research from Gartner Group, 50% plus of online sales are lost because visitors can’t find what they are looking for!

It’s easy to blame the user if something is not designed properly. or the user ends up blaming himself because they cannot figure out how a product works.

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Benefits of Good Usability

The benefits of Usability are endless. It can make companies succeed if it's good or kill them if their product is not usable.

• Increased productivity
• Decreased training and support costs
• Increased sales and revenues
• Reduced development time and costs
• Reduced maintenance costs
• Increased customer satisfaction

If something is usable, the customer will be happy with it. Their is no better sales person as a happy customer, he will tell others of the product or site and thus bring in more customers. It will give him trust in the company/ website and make him come back again and again.

"In our first year we didn't spend a single dollar on advertising, but we grew real big just on word of mouth. The best dollars spent are those we use to improve the customer experience." - Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com

If a website or designed with usability right from start they will end up saving you money and a lot of time, in the long run. Because later on you won't have to change the product or design because the customers aren't happy.

How can the Usability on interface be measured

• By how easy it is for people to get what they are looking for
• By Every one achieving same / similar results.
• By users not getting frustrated at trying to find / achieve something
• By seeing if the user is getting the info you want to give them

• The best mesure for a usable interface is to see

how easy people find it to use

how many people abandon the site


and the over all success of the site/product

• Questionnairess on the following topics can be used on a varied group to test usability
  
1. Usefulness
2. Ease of Use
3. Ease of Learning
4. Satisfaction