Usability

In relation to websites, and other software for that matter, usability is the art of making an application easy for your visitors to find the exact information they need when they need it. Anything that slows the process inhibits usability. Conversely, easy, intuitive navigation and strong, informative text enhance usability. Utimately the user should be able to use and follow the application, such as a website, without complicated instructions easily avoiding getting lost or getting frustrated by not finding what they are looking for.

Usability usually involves three core components:

• effectiveness (how well a task can be completed such as finding particular information)
• efficiency (how easy or quick it is to complete the task)
• satisfaction (the user's perception or opinion of the system).