Categories: Software Part 2: Usability Gaffes: Things That Make You Go Arrrgh! Part 3: Talkback: Tell us about usability gaffes you've found Related Stories: 1999 Software Sneak Preview Part 2: Usability Gaffes: Things That Make You Go Arrrgh!

Continued from Real-World Usability Results

Nobody's going to argue that usability doesn't matter, especially in a market where steep learning curves are frowned on. The easier a product is to use, the more likely a customer will stick by it and upgrade to new versions as they become available. But one problem with relying on usability testing is that new features might be eliminated because their effectiveness wasn't immediately apparent. In other words, there's a fine line between listening to users and pandering to them, and usability specialists must be aware of this. Still, even with this danger, usability testing makes things easier to use, and that's a win/win proposition.

Published as Tutor in the 10/6/98 issue of PC Magazine.