Usability is essentially about focusing on the needs of the
users visiting your site. These needs can vary - ranging from
consistent navigation to making common tasks easier to complete.
Delivering what your users need is a key part of usability.
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As companies design more for usability and understanding, they
will discover a competitive edge, for these principles save
customers time and money while increasing morale.
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Donald A. Norman
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If you are committed to your customers, then usability is an
essential part of the creation of your site. By producing a
site which meets their needs, you are achieving your own goals
more effectively.
Usability encourages customers to use your site (critical when the site is a core part of your business),
reduces support costs, and presents a positive image of your
organisation.
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Designing usability is not a step in the interface design process
- it's not something you do once and never think about it again.
It's an ongoing part of the design process.
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Ray Kristof & Amy Satran
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Usability is often seen as a "task", something which
should be done at some stage during the development of a Web site.
We prefer to see usability as a process - a consideration in our
minds throughout the entire development timeframe. This
allows us to create sites which reflect user needs at every level.
Through our experience in developing products with a focus on
user needs, we have an appreciation of the importance of
usability when creating a site. Our process-oriented view of
usability, which emphasises the importance of user needs, is
a demonstration of this.
We are committed to usability at the earliest stages of design,
and carry this commitment through to creating the presentation
of the site. Through techniques like iterative low-resolution
prototyping, cognitive walkthroughs and usability inspections,
we can confidently make decisions for the benefit of users.
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