Define usability objectives

 Introduction

Define some usability objectives early in the project, when high level objectives and functionality have been established, but before detailed design work has started.

At each design stage of the project, check the design against the original objectives, by way of a review. It may sound too obvious or simple, but it helps anchor the project team to the original brief, and keep the focus on the user.

 Examples of usability objectives

Define some project specific usability objectives that relate to the functionality of your specific project, for example:

The user is able to find and view 'some document'

The user is able to find and start 'some process' quickly and easily

It should be easy for the user to find out how to export data from 'some process' to 'some other package'

It should be clear to the user how to switch views in 'some process'

You could also include some general usability objectives to keep the project focused on the user, for example:

It should be clear to the user what it does from seeing the opening screen

It should be clear to a user seeing it for the first time what to do next

It should be clear where the user is in a process, and what the next step is

It should be clear where the user is at all times in the navigation structure

These usability objectives can be referred to during briefings and reviews during the design phase, and will form the basis of formal usability tests later in the project.