Usability in Plain English! (Part 2/2)

Welcome to part two of our usability principles in Plain English. Now that we’ve covered the basics in our first article, it’s time to get down to business and see how these principles play out in the real world. Here I will try to explain what is priority when it comes to Usability Principles and how can we identify priorities based on the context. Just remember, if you’re new to all this usability stuff, it might be wise to start with the first part of this article to get your bearings. But if you’re feeling okay with this then, let’s dive right in.

You already know how we do things here, so picture this: you’re a rookie driver with dreams of tearing up the Formula 1 circuit. Before you can even think about dominating the track, you need to nail down the basics. Yes, You need to be able to drive first ofcourse!

Also you must be someone with fast hand eye coordinations, reactions times and spatial awareness than a regular person. Also you require certain physical strenght, diciplin and knowledge. These are just few of the main requirements just to make you eligible. Without checking these boxes, all the fancy knowledge you have in F1 cars and techniques you know for when taking corners and overtaking opponents won’t even get you to the track in the first place. Sure, they might give you an edge once you’ve mastered the essentials, but not much good if you can’t even get off the starting line aint it?

Now keeping this scenario in mind lets look at few examples.

Health and Wellness Tracking App

In a health and wellness tracking app like Fitbit, users should not have to spend hours learning how to start a workout these kind apps should be extra easy to start using. Also user engagement is crucial to encourage users to track their activities and make healthy choices. Providing features like challenges, rewards, and customizable goals enhances user engagement. Additionally, user control and freedom are essential as users want the flexibility to customize their tracking preferences and set personalized goals. Also users should be able to quickly start a specific workout tracking on the go. Recognition vs. recall, error tolerence, clarity and mental model, while still important, are less critical as the app focuses on providing straightforward tracking and feedback rather than requiring users to recall specific details or align with complex mental models.

Travel Planning App

In a travel planning app like Airbnb, users often need to recall specific details about their trips, such as travel dates, accommodation preferences, and destination information. Therefore, recognition vs. recall is essential to assist users in selecting suitable options from the available choices. Similarly, aligning with users’ mental models by using familiar terminology and navigation patterns and also considering the broad range of user types targeted, Simplycity will certanily enhances the overall user experience. Clarity is also crucial to present travel options, pricing details, and booking information in a clear and understandable manner. While efficiency and error tolerance are still important, we should understand users in these type of applications prioritize accuracy and reliability when planning their trips, making them slightly less critical in this context.

Task Management App

In a task management app like Todoist, users prioritize efficiency in managing their tasks and productivity. Therefore, the app should focus on providing features that streamline task creation, organization, and completion, such as quick input methods, intuitive task categorization, and efficient scheduling options. Learnability and ease of learning are also crucial as users should be able to understand the app’s features and functionalities quickly, without a steep learning curve. User control and freedom would be key to create different flows according to the user need. While simplicity and aesthetic integrity can enhance the overall user experience, they are secondary to functionality in a productivity-focused app. Similarly, while engagement can motivate users to stay productive, the primary goal of the app is to facilitate efficient task management rather than entertainment or social interaction.

And there you have it! Just like our rookie driver, you’ve navigated the twists and turns of usability principles. Remember, usability isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. It’s about understanding your users, their needs, and their contexts. It’s about making sure your app doesn’t just look like a sleek Formula 1 car, but drives like one too!

Cheers,