A basis introduction to usability with examples & how to's. it helps to understand What is usability? How, when, and where can you improve it? Why should you care?

1. An Introduction
to Usability
Maheswaran Ganesan
User Experience Specialist
http://www.maheshg.com
17th Nov 2011
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2. Agenda
 Why usability is so important?
 What is Usability?
 When to work on Usability?
 How to evaluate its effectiveness?
 Benefits of Usability
 Writer's contribution to Usability
 Examples
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3. Why usability is important?
Excellent usability in an application/product is
essential for End-User Satisfaction.
It is not an afterthought, nor an optional "nice to have", it's a "must have"
 Application/product/website state:
If the interface is so unusable, then
the user will not use it. They will not accept it
 E-commerce state:
If the customer cannot find the product,
then the customer cannot buy the product.
 Intranet: is a matter of employee productivity
Usability helps companies understand their customers.
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4. What is usability?
Usability is the measure of the
quality of a user's experience when
interacting with a product or
system - whether a web site,
software application, mobile
technology, or any
user-operated device.
"usability" also refers to methods for
improving ease-of-use during the
design process. -- useit.com
Source: http://www.usability.gov/basics/index.html
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5. What Does Usability Measure?
 Ease of learning –
How easy is it for users to accomplish
basic tasks the first time they encounter
the design?
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6. What Does Usability Measure? Continued…
 Ease of learning - How easy is it for users to accomplish
basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
 Efficiency of use –
Once an experienced user has learned to
use the system, how fast can he or she
accomplish tasks?
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7. What Does Usability Measure? Continued…
 Ease of learning - How easy is it for users to accomplish
basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
 Efficiency of use - Once an experienced user has learned to
use the system, how fast can he or she accomplish tasks?
 Memorability - When users return to
the design after a period of not using
it, how easily can they reestablish
proficiency?
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8. What Does Usability Measure? Continued…
 Ease of learning - How easy is it for users to accomplish
basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
 Efficiency of use - Once an experienced user has learned to
use the system, how fast can he or she accomplish tasks?
 Memorability - When users return to the design after a
period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish
proficiency?
 Errors –
How often do users make errors while
using the system, how serious are these
errors, and how do users recover from
these errors?
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9. What Does Usability Measure?
 Ease of learning - How easy is it for users to accomplish
basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
 Efficiency of use - Once an experienced user has learned to
use the system, how fast can he or she accomplish tasks?
 Memorability - If a user has used the system before, can he
or she remember enough to use it effectively the next time or
does the user have to start over again learning everything?
 Errors - How often do users make errors while using the
system, how serious are these errors, and how do users
recover from these errors?
 Satisfaction - How pleasant is it to use
the design?
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10. How to evaluate its
effectiveness?
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11. Usability Testing…
Definition
Usability testing is a technique used to
evaluate a product by testing it with
representative users.
Goal of the Usability Testing
Is to identify any usability problems,
collect quantitative data on participants'
performance (e.g., time on task, error
rates), and determine participant's
satisfaction with the product.
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12. Usability Methods
 Interviews/Observations
 Focus groups
 Group review or Walk-through
 Heuristic review *
 Walk-around review
 Do-it-yourself walk-through
 Paper prototype test
 Formal Usability test
 Controlled experiment
 Questionnaires
* Most popular of the usability inspection method
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13. When to Work
on Usability?
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14. Usability in Software Design
Usability plays a crucial role in a development process.
Beginning with user research, through constant mapping of your requirements,
up through usability testing, It is constantly striving for user satisfaction.
Analysis Design Deploy
 Ethnographic studies  Prototypes  Usability testing
 Interviews  Card sorting  Heuristic evaluation
 Surveys  Usability testing  Surveys
 User scenarios  Participatory design
 Workflow modeling
 Focus groups
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15. Benefits of
Usability…
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16. Benefits to the User…
 Increased ease of use
 Improved productivity (reduced time to
complete a task and reduced errors)
 Higher user satisfaction
 Confidence and trust in a valuable
resource
If your users are satisfied, they will become
loyal, and may even recommend your product
or service to others.
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17. Benefits to the Company…
 Reduced development time and costs
 Reduced training & support costs
 Reduced maintenance costs
 Gain and retain happy loyal customers
 Increased traffic, sales and revenues
 Increased trust in the product and company
A usable product is recognized, used,
and recommended.
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18. Types of Usability Problems
 Product doesn’t match job or task
 Poor organization/layout
 Unexpected occurrence of events
 Product not self-evident
 Requires recall rather than recognition
 Inconsistent screens, messages, terminology
 Design is inefficient
 Cluttered or unattractive design
 No feedback or poor feedback about status or errors
 No exit or undo
 Help or documentation is not helpful
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19. Good Usability…
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20. Example – Usable
TASK: Find a company details by doing a basic search
OK, this looks
like main menu
categories…
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21. Example – Usable
TASK: Find a company details by doing a basic search
OK, this looks
like main menu
categories… …and these
are second
level menu
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22. Example – Usable
TASK: Find a company details by doing a basic search
OK, this looks
like main menu
categories… …and these
are second
level menu
Hmm, I'm on
search tab,
and I can do
basic search
here
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23. If Usability Fails…
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24. Example – Not As Usable
online car leasing portal
Hmmm, where
do I start?
Too many text and
graphics. it's very
hard to understand
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25. Example – Not As Usable
electronic kit portal
Hmmm, where
do I start?
Is this the
latest product
catalog?
Are these
products?
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26. Example – Not As Usable
TASK: Find an electronic kit for a boy’s birthday
Hmmm, where
do I start?
Is this the
latest product
catalog?
Are these
products?
What’s this
for?
What’s this?
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27. Example – Not As Usable
TASK: Find an electronic kit for a boy’s birthday
Hmmm, where
do I start?
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28. Example – Not As Usable
TASK: Find an electronic kit for a boy’s birthday
Hmmm, where
do I start?
Is this the
latest product
catalog?
Are these
products?
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29. Example – Not As Usable
TASK: Find an electronic kit for a boy’s birthday
Hmmm, where
do I start?
Is this the
latest product
catalog?
Are these
products?
What’s this
for?
What’s this?
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30. Writer's Contribution
to Usability
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31. Being a writer, you can:
In the Product
Make sure
 Headings and sub-headings are short, straightforward and descriptive.
 The words, phrases and concepts used are familiar to the typical user.
 UI string are written in the active voice. (but, Error messages in passive voice.)
 Acronyms and abbreviations are defined when first used.
 Button labels and link labels start with action words.
 Error messages contain clear instructions on what to do next.
(provide more detail about error messages if required.)
for more info contact: Siddharth
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32. Being a writer, you can:
In the Product
Provide
 Content for customized 404 'Not Found‘ page
 Info text to the user to warn about large, slow-loading pages (e.g. “Downloading…")
 Tool tip message if required.
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33. Usability Sources
 UPA—
http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/
 Jakob Nielsen— http://www.useit.com/
 Adaptive Path—
http://www.adaptivepath.com/
 Jared Spool— http://www.uie.com/
 Human Factors, Inc.—
http://humanfactors.com/home/usability.asp
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34. ? Questions?
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35. Thank you! 
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