Usability is more than a well-designed interface

Usability and user experience are the result of a relevant value proposition, a design that fits the context of use, and only in last consequence a good user interface

While “usability” is still commonly considered to be a question of wrapping a concept into an intuitive user interface, a holistic understanding of usability requires to take usability, use(r) experience and accessibility questions into account from the very first proposal stage in a design project.

Considerations about usability and user experience need to be considered as early as – or even better: already before – initial assumptions are made about a service’s target group. Usability is a combination of ease of use, appropriateness for the use context and, above all, the value people can get from using a service, product or technology.

My approach is to evaluate all aspects of use and its ease, experience, and value, early-on in a project and develop strategies that ensure to not fall into the trap of just “assuming what is good”. A successful usability project does not aim to test and optimize the outcome at the end, but integrates constant validation of concept, context and touchpoints.

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