The concept of usability can be seen as a quality attribute that assesses how easy the user interface is to use. A user interface, or User Interface (UI), is the point of interaction between the user and the system the user is working with. An example of a user interface could be the home screen of an iPhone.
The definition of usability
One definition of usability can be the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.
As you may have noticed, there are many ways to talk about usability. The most important thing to remember is that usability is in most cases considered a component linked to the overall user experience. A website can be as user-friendly as it wants, but if the overall user experience is negative, those great, user-friendly components won’t matter much.
Usability can vary from app to app and website to website. Some aspects of usability can be that the product is:
- Easy to use
- Minimizes the risk of user errors
- Efficient to use
What is considered user-friendly also varies from product to product. One example of this could be giving an expensive and advanced road bike to someone who is learning to ride a bike for the first time. For a professional cyclist, this bike will be perceived as highly user-friendly, but for the person who is just learning to ride, it will be very difficult to use. For a service or product to be perceived as user-friendly, it is therefore crucial to consider who the target audience is.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is usability?
Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy a user interface is to use. We can also describe usability as a component of the overall user experience of a product or service.
What is a user interface?
User Interface (UI) is the point of interaction between the user and the system they are using. An example of a user interface would be the home screen on an iPhone or the desktop screen in Windows.
