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The International Standards Organization (ISO) defines Usability like this:
Usability is the "effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which a specified set of users can achieve a specified set of tasks in a particular environment."
What that means is that when someone, a "user," has a task or a goal to achieve by using a system, application or a website, they should be able to so in an as simple, intuitive, direct way as possible. And hopefully that way will be satisfying as well. |
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It has been deomonstrated that online systems, or websites can benefit from usability in different ways than offline software products [Bias & Mayhew, 1994].
For instance your users don't need to use your site. Most likely it will cost them nothing to attempt to use it, if it doesn't work out, they can move on. Where as if they were to have purchased a piece of software, once opened, and installed, it's theirs. Being an unusable product only determines weather they continue to use it or not. The catch here is that they may not be returning to purchase any more sofware products from this particular company.
When usability is factored in from the beginning. It can yield efficiency improvements of over 700%." (Landauer, 1995)
Some Potential Gains of Usability:
- reduced develpment costs
- reduced customer service calls
- reduced need for documentation
- reduced training needs
- increased sales/site visits
- increased company PR
- increased customer satisfaction
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Usability Links :
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