Characteristics of Usable Documents
According to Jakob Nielsen (2012), a usable document or web site must have several key elements.
- It’s easy to learn so that the person can quickly accomplish the desired tasks.
- It’s efficient, enabling the person to accomplish the task in a timely manner.
- It’s easy to remember the process needed to use the document or web site to accomplish this task.
- It’s free from errors, enabling the user to complete the task without mistakes.
- It’s satisfying to use…the user will find it pleasant or enjoyable to use this design.
In addition, a usable document or website combines utility…it has the functions needed…with usability…how pleasant or easy it is to use.
In addition, it has some other attributes, one of which is utility. Does the document or website do what the user needs it to do? If it meets the criteria above, then it is useful. And useful is essential to effective technical writing or design.
Think about the last time you paid a bill online or shopped from an Internet site. How easy was it to do what you needed to do? Did you experience any frustration?
