The unfortunate reality is that a minimal number of web integrators and interactive agencies have incorporated performance engineers into their work processes and methodologies. These are the professionals who can evaluate, design, and test websites for usability. Even fewer have discovered how to apply performance engineering to the ever-evolving and increasingly intricate world of web applications. This is far from a straightforward process. System integrators cannot simply scatter a few individuals around their offices and claim they now produce "user-centric" websites. As a consumer of e-commerce services, it's crucial to assess the capabilities of your vendors. Do they possess the necessary skills, resources, and methodologies to design and deliver a highly usable site? Are they prepared to tackle the challenges of the ever-evolving, complex nature of web applications?
Human Factors, Human Performance Engineering, Usability, User-friendly design, User-centric websites - is there a difference between these terms? From a practical perspective, not really. The study of how humans interact with their environment, and in this context, with their computer systems, has been given many names over time. "User-friendly" has become the common term for good system ergonomics and is often how clients and end-users express their design preferences. They might say, "we want a scalable, flexible design that is user-friendly." While this might seem obvious, these are important concepts for clients to endorse. The key issue is not the terminology used to describe usability, but understanding how it can positively influence the success of your e-commerce initiatives and, conversely, the significant impact it can have on your bottom line if used ineffectively.
Usability is a scientific discipline. Performance engineers are highly trained experts who typically hold graduate degrees in Behavioral Psychology or a related field and have several years of experience in designing and testing the interfaces and processes associated with computer applications. Experienced performance engineers bring a unique blend of academic and practical skills to the project team. They are an integral part of the project team, partnering closely with strategists, marketing specialists, business analysts, content architects, and visual designers to incorporate their thinking into the overall strategy and design of the site.
Usability practices are robust and quantifiable. Primarily, usability should support the ROI of the e-commerce initiative with tangible benefits. Vendors who make subjective claims like, "the site will be easier to use" or "your users will be happier" diminish the value of usability. Usability and design metrics for the site should be established early in the planning process with clear ties to bottom-line performance. This goes beyond simple tracking of hits and form-based user feedback. Good usability design should enable:
In essence, a well-designed, user-centric website reflects the priorities of the business and represents the business model of the company or organization.
For system integrators and internet architects, the challenge lies in integrating usability into an e-commerce strategy and subsequently into a project lifecycle. This is easier said than done. When system integrators claim to conduct "usability testing," it's safe to assume that this is a separate activity, typically performed at the END of the project. While this is better than nothing, it is not the optimal approach and offers only limited benefits to the overall product.
User requirements need to be assessed early in the analysis stage of an e-commerce initiative, so that usability is considered throughout the project lifecycle. Issues like the impact on workflow, expectations in navigation, "logical and intuitive" site design and content management, and the behavior we want to enable or the expectations we need to design to are significant considerations. This is combined with the technical architecture, transactional requirements, and performance expectations, and is synthesized to achieve maximum user benefit in areas such as user profiling and personalization, dynamic content assembly, and interactivity.
Usability should not "dumb down" requirements to the lowest common denominator in an attempt to satisfy "every user." Instead, usability should be seen as an approach that realizes greater possibilities. Usability should challenge and push the envelope equally as hard as the technical, business, and creative requirements. Only then can we break through with an innovative, engaging, clever, and effective website.
Creating a compelling user experience has a direct tie to market competitiveness. It's fair to say that usability should, in all cases, support, augment, and enable the realization of the business model. Happy users aren't the true objective, although certainly, it's a desirable by-product. Rather, realized business goals through targeted usability objectives make usability a straightforward business case.
