Usability has numerous definitions:
-Usability guru Jakob Nielsen defines usability as “a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use” (Nielsen, 2012).
-The International Standards Organization (ISO) describes usability as the “effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which specified users achieve specified goals in particular environments” (ISO, 1998).
-The U.S. Government states that “Usability refers to the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with products or systems, including websites, software, devices, or applications.” (2013).
However, my favorite definition of usability comes from Steve Krug, author of Don’t Make Me Think:
“Usability means making sure something works well, and that a person of average ability or experience can use it for its intended purpose without getting hopelessly frustrated” (Krug, 2017).
Why is Usability Important?
In the context of OERs, usability can make a huge impact on how students digest information. As Krug mentions, students should be able to easily use a website. If a site is not usable, users will not want to return to it or abandon the resource completely.
The best way to make a website usable is to gather information from people who should be using the site, it’s users. This may be difficult for your first OER, but harvesting feedback from users can be useful for future updates/iterations.
Usability vs User Experience (UX)
Usability and User Experience (UX) are two other relevant terms.
Usability relates to functionality – can users easily navigate a website? Is the content accessible in language and in format? Is text digestible? Does the scheme and structure make sense? It’s a narrower term, specific to goals and functions of the site or product.
User Experience (UX) focuses on just that, experience. UX includes more subjective factors, and tends to look at the bigger picture – does the user enjoy the site, as a whole? Considerations such as accessibility, aesthetics, and ergonomics would be included.
References
Usability Evaluation Basics. (2013, October 08). Retrieved from https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/usability-evaluation.html
International Organisation for Standardisation, 1998. ISO9241 Ergonomic, Part 11: Guidance on usability. Geneva, Switzerland.
Krug, S. (2017). Don’t make me think!: A common sense approach to Web usability. Berkley: New Riders.
Misfud, J. (2011, July 11). The Difference (And Relationship) Between Usability And User Experience. Retrieved from https://usabilitygeek.com/the-difference-between-usability-and-user-experience/
Nielsen, J. (2012, January 4). Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-101-introduction-to-usability/
