As we already saw in Guess who? The differences between UX, UI & Usability Usability is a quality attribute that measures how easy to use, or usable, a user interface is.
That is, a UI with a good Usability is, on paper, easy to use.
Now, ease of use can be subjective. What is easy for one person may seem to another as difficult as nailing jelly to the wall. So what determines whether or not a UI is easy to use? Well, this is when we must know that Usability is made up of 5 components that are, to some extent, objectively “measurable”. Let’s see them.
1. Learnability
How easy it is to perform basic tasks the first time you use the product.
2. Efficiency of use
Once you have learned how to use it, how quickly can you complete the tasks.
3. Memorability
When you use the product again, after a period without using it, how easily you can use it again efficiently.
4. Error management
How many mistakes you make when using the product, how severe they are, and how easily you can recover from them.
5. Satisfaction
How pleasant it is to use the product.
Now that we know its components, we can work on the Usability of our proposal, adjusting the impact of each one, as required. Thus, depending on the purpose of each product, we will prioritize one or other aspects of Usability.
For example, in a recurring use product, such as Instagram, it will be more important to work on efficiency of use than on learnability, since we will have more room for the user to learn how to use it. Now, once learned, they will need to be able to use it quickly each of the 347.8 times a month that they open the App.
Similarly, in single-use products such as a promotional campaign landing page with a participation form, learnability will be a key factor since, in general, it will only be used once and we want it to be learned quickly. In this case, memorability will have practically no impact.
Depending on the purpose of each product, we will prioritize one or other aspects of Usability.
Although it is essential to know its architecture, Usability does not end here, as it’s only one of the factors that impacts the UX. So, it needs to be considered within a global vision that covers all the aspects of the user experience.
Remember, success is a team sport ↗.