Resources: About Usability
What is usability?
Usability is the degree to which something - software, hardware or anything else - is easy to use and a good fit for the people who use it.
It is a quality or characteristic of a product.
It is whether a product is efficient, effective and satisfying for those who use it.
It is the name for a group of techniques developed by usability professionals to help create usable products.
And, it is a shorthand term for a process or approach to creating those products, also called user-centered design.
These resources will help you get started learning about usability.
"Usability is about human behavior. It recognizes that humans are lazy, get emotional, are not interested in putting a lot of effort into, say, getting a credit card and generally prefer things that are easy to do vs. those that are hard to do."
-- David McQuillen in "Taking Usability Offline" Darwin Magazine, June 2003
- Quotes on usability from business leaders
- Definitions of usability from leading professionals
- Real-world stories from the Friends of Usability
- Business value and return on investment for usability activities