“This is not to say usability engineering isn’t important — it’s critical. But it’s also critical that the practice’s inputs and outputs stay focused on making things *usable*, that is, making it so that people are able to use the product. Able as in physically able, cognitively able.” (PeterMe)

“The easier it is to find places with good information, the less time users will spend visiting any individual website. This is one of many conclusions that follow from analyzing how people optimize their behavior in online information systems.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Over the years, I have seen many questions asked about the use of questionnaires in usability engineering. The list on this page is a compilation of the questions I have heard most often and the answers I gave, should have given, or would have given if I had thought of it first.” (Jurek Kirakowski – Human Factors Research Group) – courtesy of webword

“Small websites get less traffic than big ones, but they can still dominate their niches. For each question users ask, the Web delivers a different set of sites to provide the answers.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Most, if not all, Internet users are familiar with the hallmarks of poor usability. How often have you invested time at a site only to be frustrated because you were unable to complete a purchase or registration process, or couldnít find the information you sought? More importantly for commercial websites, how was your perception of the brand behind the website affected by your experience?” (Marc Sparrow – The Usability Company) – courtesy of webword

“How can a small company’s website benefit from usability activities despite a minuscule budget? By integrating four simple and effective usability practices into the design process.” – (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“There’s this idea floating around that programmers, web developers, shouldn’t need usability.”

“The Usability Engineering Team provides consultation and support for software development teams to ensure that the software they create is easy to learn, easy to use and less costly to develop and maintain. We believe in following a User-Centered Design process that actively involves the users during all phases of the project. We are committed to providing highly effective interface designs that save time, save money and allow users to be more productive. We firmly believe in “making technology work for people.” – (NASA) – courtesy of iaslash

“Professionally run design agencies user test their designs to increase the value they deliver to their clients. The challenge is getting clients to understand the benefits of a solid development methodology. ” – (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Evidence-Based Information, Training and Tools for Optimizing the Usability of Computer Systems” (Robert W. Bailey – About Web Usability) – courtesy of ron’s ramblings

“Last year we researched the top 10 usability myths. A number of people, including technology pundits, had attacked usability. We thought the attacks were based on misconceptions. (…) We conducted an online survey to see whether web professionals agreed with the pundits.” (John Knight and Marie Jefsioutine – Usability News)

“Web users are highly goal-driven, and ads that interfere with their goals will be ignored. To succeed, ads must work with the medium, as well as with the user’s aims and mindset.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Usability can sometimes be more about belief than about evidence or engineering, with usability testing heading the list as a central tenet of the dogma of modern practice. (…) Yet, precisely because of its leading role, it is important for the profession to question the dogma of usability testing and for professionals to keep abreast of new developments and changing perspectives.” (Larry Constantine – Usability News)

“The purpose of this article is to explain the Practical Review System (PRS). The PRS is an outline of 28 characteristics that can be used to understand any usability method, thereby allowing any individual to decide between methods. This solves many of the problems associated with understanding and explaining usability methods.” (John S. Rhodes – WebWord)

“Text-only advertisements work far better than banners, but is this only due to their novelty? Search engine text ads will retain their superiority over time, but text ads on other sites will work only if they focus on directly meeting users’ needs.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Fancy media on websites typically fails user testing. Simple text and clear photos not only communicate better with users, they also enhance users’ feeling of control and thus support the Web’s mission as an instant gratification environment.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“Balance design and functionality – get the perspective of today’s leading Macromedia Flash gurus.” (Macromedia) – courtesy of webword

“With a paper prototype, you can user test early design ideas at an extremely low cost. Doing so lets you fix usability problems before you waste money implementing something that doesn’t work.” (Jakob Nielsen – Alertbox)

“The professional manager is always looking for feedback. They test their plans and theories constantly. They are sensitive to cues within their environment, adapting as appropriate. The website manager operates within a feedback-starved environment. Thus, they need to be much more proactive in seeking feedback. Usability is a way of doing this.” (Gerry McGovern)