World Usability Day
Life is complicated by default. But do you know what it doesn’t have to be complicated? Your websites and apps.
November 14th is World Usability Day. This year’s theme is “Design for the Future We Want”, which is the same as asking what kind of future are we creating?
But, what is usability? According to Nielsen, “usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use”, but also refers to the processes used to improve that quality.
We’re on design and User Experience (UX) turf, and the quality of usability is important because users don’t like obstacles. If users come across user-unfriendly websites and apps, they’ll leave faster than the time it takes to load the cookies. Organization, legibility, speed, resources, all of this makes or breaks user’s experience.
Usability’s parameters are, still according to Nielsen:
- “Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
- Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
- Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
- Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
- Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?”
A good usability level might determine a brand’s digital survival. If no one can find your product, no one will buy it. If your internal management system is confusing your staff, time will be lost in basic tasks that should be spent elsewhere.
REASONS TO REDESIGN YOUR WEBSITE
Do you know which is the biggest webpage with the highest usability level of all? This one:
Look at it through the prism of the usability parameters above and see if you agree with us.
But this page just does one thing. Your website has more goals, features and demand more complex behaviours. How can it be more “usable”?
By testing, analyzing, changing, testing again, analyzing again, changing more stuff, and so on. From server response to coding, from layout to legibility, all needs to be evaluated to prevent users from running away from your platforms. This starts on the prototyping stage and goes well beyond the final implementation of the website.
DOES WEBSITE PERFORMANCE MATTER?
But what does usability got to do with the future? Everything. Better experiences improve the quality of the interactions – commercial or in healthcare, or while dealing with financial institutions or even with government services – raise their inclusiveness, and they can even have an effect on energetic and environmental sustainability. Your future, our future. Check the World Usability Day official website for more.
Like we said, life is complicated. But it doesn’t have to be more than it needs to.
What future do you want for your users? Come and design it with us.