[IxDA Discuss] Most usable doesn't always mean best solution

[Elizabeth Buie]

At 11:19 AM -0500 3/4/08, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote:
>On Mar 4, 2008, at 10:59 AM, Elizabeth Buie wrote:

>Whether we like it or not, and personally I don't really 
>like it, the reality is that these people are doing usability work 
>and it's rather common.

I agree.  But that doesn't make them usability professionals.


>>Then would you mind explaining what you had in mind when you said 
>>that a design was less usable but more satisfying?  Help me out here.
>
>
>Can't. Satisfaction is included in my definition of usability. 

Let me repeat.  YOU said that a design was more satisfying but less usable.
How do you reconcile that discrepancy?

I am perfectly willing to agree that a design can be both more satisfying 
and less usable, if the efficiency and/or effectiveness measures counter 
the satisfaction measure strongly enough so that they bring down the overall
rating.  But in your description of the "usability" of the design, the only 
thing you mentioned in calling it "less usable" was its efficiency.  
Therein lies my confusion.


>>I have clients in the government, nonprofit, and commercial 
>>sectors. Which industry did you have in mind?  :-)
>
>Based on your site, it looks like your focus is on government and 
>non-profit. 

Aha, you looked at my projects list.  I need to update that.  :-)


>Last year at UPA, I taught an entire day long tutorial on creating 
>data-driven design research persons. 

I would like to have taken that.

>not one single person in the room of 50+ ever once referenced the 
>ISO 9241 definition of usability. 

>Additionally, I've spoken at a number of UPA groups and have not 
>once heard any reference to ISO 9241. 

I didn't say that people talk about 9241, but that it's very common for 
them to know that usability consists of effectiveness, efficiency, and 
satisfaction.  It's not necessary to mention those three factors by name, 
to be guided by them.  We often see people talk about "Can they do the 
tasks?" "How long does it take them?" "How much do they like the product?"

Elizabeth
-- 
Elizabeth Buie
Principal Consultant
Luminanze Consulting, LLC
tel +1.301.943.4168
fax +1.301.949.9694
http://www.luminanze.com