Heres a quick article summing up the complex nature of Usability, which I had the opportunity to elucidate as part of educational content for a local Yearbook. Hope they print it soon! :) THE SCIENCE AND ART OF SIMPLICITY A lot has been said about the word since its emergence in 1999. In case, you havent come across the word Usability already, chances are that it will find you sooner or later in its own form. The things we do in our life be it work, play or even the way we use our belongings such as cell phones, television remotes, cars, etc. have a certain level of usability built into them. In fact, the term itself isnt new, the origins can be traced back to early 18th century newspaper ads which used the word to describe the usefulness of products in the market. With everyone attempting a definition of the term Usability, the simplest of meanings describe it as the effective nature of things. The ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) defines Usability based on certain key aspects which go into the making of a product and the experience felt by the user (consumer) in the course of using the product. Lets look at some examples: A door handle that doesnt work the way in which the person using the door wants. A chair that fails to provide the comfort for which it was bought. Or even a simple computer program which is difficult to use. In other words, anything difficult to understand and use can be said to be poor in Usability. Usability is a kind of awareness or knowledge that seeks our attention for our own benefit in this fast paced world. Research has shown that nearly 80% of cost spent each year by both large and small organisations is a result of poorly designed products and services. The cost of fixing these bad products can be avoided to a large extent by being user-centric or user-centered in our approach to designing a product. We are at the threshold of a new era where products are no more designed for sophistication; rather cater to the not so intelligent people in the world. In the near future, products such as cell phones, computers, machines, businesses will focus on the customers ease, expectations and most importantly simplicity to survive in the market. Are we ready for this change?
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:06:32 +0000