Usability Defined

by Paul Sherman on May 25, 2007 · View Comments

One not-so-great thing about usability is that it has so many definitions. Here are a few of the most well-known:

  • Usability is “the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.” (ISO 9241-11)
  • “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.” (Wikipedia)
  • “Usability is the measure of the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system,” whether a Web site, a software application, mobile technology, or any user-operated device.” (Usability.gov)

Got a definition to share? Send it along. I’ll post it.

{ 1 comment }

1 olga-lednichenko-nesher-israel March 21, 2010 at 4:06 pm

Seth Godin had a book on sites – 'The Big Red Fez' – it had some great tips..

one of them was the analogy with a monkey -

gimme bananas – mangoes – and what not – it was pretty tangerinesque :)

cheers
nesher-is-the-center- of the universe – and did you know :)

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