"I don't agree with the conclusion that usability is always about 'staying out of the way' or making the interface 'not bad'. I think it's about ensuring that the design and features are helping the users (and the business) move toward their goals, rather than hindering them. This is as likely to mean adding functionality or visual elements as removing them, and boils down to placing the _proper_ emphasis on elements within the interface. A lot of usability work by necessity focuses on the 'taking away' end of the continuum because most interfaces suffer from feature and information overload rather than the opposite, but that's just the reality we live in. I would suggest that what makes an interface great is not the wow factor of novelty or aesthetic appeal, but true responsiveness to the user's needs, regardless of whether this means an understated design that lets them focus on a business goal or a delightfully fun game that wows them with visuals and helps them forget they're at work."
Eva, It seems to me that you are expanding the meaning of usability to include anything good. It becomes fun-ability, can-accomplish-goals-ability, maps-to-workflow-ability, responsiveness-to-users-needs-ability and so on. I prefer to think these are all elements of good design but are not subsets of usability. A website can pass usability tests with flying colors but not include these other qualities. Joseph Selbie Founder, CEO Tristream Web Application Design http://www.tristream.com ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
