Week 4 – DQ 1

Based on Cappel and Huang’s (2007) article, explain the importance of usability when designing a web site. How can you relate this article to your own organization or a web site you use often?

"The customer is always right". Those are words that successful businesses live by, and web design is no different in that everything should enhance the end-user experience. According to an article by Market Week, "customer experience management software provider Tealeaf released a report that showed 86% of consumers experience problems when conducting transactions online, and 37% of visitors abandon an online transaction after experiencing problems" (2007). This shows a large gap between theory and practice. The web design concept not being applied in this scenario is usability. Jakob Nielsen defines usability as "a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use"(2003). The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.

Pete Ballard, managing partner at user experience agency Foolproof, says that company mindset is the key factor when considering the experience for the end-user. It should be the foremost priority when considering a site. According to Jakob Nielsen, usability is defined by five quality components:

Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?

Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?

Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?

Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?

Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

Ballard further explains that companies "are failing to invest in researching the user journey". Many companies consider their web sites too narrowly. Companies often don't look at web sites to do more than advertise and increase customer base. However, businesses need to focus on the long term relationships with their customers that are created by web site. For end-users, their first priority is usability. And, in the words of Jakob Nielsen, "Usability is like cooking: everybody needs the results, anybody can do it reasonably well with a bit of training, and yet it takes a master to produce a gourmet outcome."

References:

Nielsen, Jakob. "Anybody Can Do Usability". (2009, December 21). http://www.useit.com

Nielson, Jakob. "Usability 101: Introduction to Usability". (2003, August 25). http://www.useit.com

ONLINE USABILITY: Avoiding style over substance. (2007, November). Marketing Week,41. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1390852561).

© Debra Contreras:

"As you meet your brain, you will realize your infinite value, and become an 'artist of life.'

Then you can create new values, a new culture, and a new world." Ilchi Lee 

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