Usability talks

Usability is how easily people can use a product to achieve their goals. It is commonly described through qualities such as learnability, efficiency, memorability, error prevention and recovery, and satisfaction. A usable product lets people get things done without having to think about the interface.

Usability is the foundation of user experience. A product can be attractive and clever, but if people cannot find what they need, fill in a form or recover from a mistake, little else matters. Usability is improved through research and testing with real users, attention to content and microcopy, and an understanding of how people perceive and remember information.

The six talks here run from 2010 to 2015. At Northern User Experience, Joe Leech argues that “Forms are boring” (2013), David Travis covers “The 7 deadly sins of user research” and Be Kaler shares “40 Things you didn’t know about #UX recruitment” (both 2014), and Sara Wachter-Boettcher speaks on “Everybody Hurts: Content for Kindness” (2015). Karl Gills explains “How to create better A/B tests based on User Research” at UX Poland in 2015, and Stephen Anderson presents “Role-Playing the Interaction” at Webdagene in 2010. Related topics include user research, A/B testing, cognitive psychology and content strategy.