Thinking About Usability

Tamlyn RhodesGeekUp Sheffield

7th May 2008

What is usability?

Making sure stuff is easy to use and useful for

the people who will be using it

If it needs instructions,

it's badly designed

Recognitionvs

Recall

ConstraintsAffordancesMetaphors

ConstraintsAffordancesMetaphors

ConstraintsAffordancesMetaphors

Doors & Taps

Photo: http://www.aameslock.com/custom_work.htm

 

Office taps

For every foolproof invention

there is a new improved fool

“The designer shouldn't think of a simple dichotomy between errors and correct behaviour; rather, the entire interaction should be treated as a cooperative endeavour between person and machine, one in which misconceptions can arise on either side.”

 - Donald Norman, The Design of Everyday Things

PEBCAC

Why is usability important?

Decrease support costs

Increase customer loyalty

Decrease development costs

Top Tips

Use conventions

Don't rely on instructions

Errors are normal

Simplify, simplify, simplify

Where to next?

The Design of Everyday Things

Don Norman

Don't Make Me Think!

Steve Krug

http://tamlyn.org