Usability

Draft

Definition

• 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. [...] 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. (Wikipedia: Usability - retrieved 17:30, 9 June 2006)

• Usability can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the study of the principles behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance. (Wikipedia: Usability - retrieved 17:30, 9 June 2006 )

See also:

• Cognitive ergonomics, Ergonomics (types of), HCI (human computer interaction)
• web usability, a sub-field of usability
• web accessibility, a sub-field of web usability that addresses the question of how to make websites usable by all sorts of people.

Links

General

• Usability (Wikipedia)

• Usability engineering (Wikipedia)

• Usability testing (Wikipedia)

• Usability 101: Introduction to Usability by Jakob Nielsen, retrieved 15:12, 18 November 2010 (CET)

• User-Centered Design: The Fable of the User-Centered Designer, A nice story in PDF or ePub format by David Travis. (free)

Methods

• Both Usability and Usability engineering articles on Wikipedia include lists of methods (and pointers for further reading).
• The Usability Methods toolbox by James Hom
• Usability Evaluation
• Articles & Resources at UserFocus.co.uk
• sensible.com (Steve Krug)
  • E.g. Usability testing on 10 cents a day Sample chapter from Krug Steve (2000), Don't Make Me Think!, First Edition.

Government

• Usability.gov (USA)

Standards

• ISO/TR 16982:2002 - "Ergonomics of human-system interaction—Usability methods supporting human-centered design"
• ISO 9241 - "Ergonomics of Human System Interaction" -
  • ISO 9241 Wikipedia summary