Usability is an inherent feature of any good application. Digital tools are supposed to be useful for users and help them solve specific problems. Therefore, a project focused on usability has a greater chance of market success and the creators are more likely to achieve their business goals. At KISS digital we have always given usability the highest priority.

We develop new technologies because we like them. However, we value usable solutions the most. Those that were created with the user in mind and serve to solve clearly defined problems or to achieve clearly defined benefits. We strive to create such products, making sure they are helpful, useful, understandable and easy to use. However, it is important that our clients also properly understand the meaning of usability in projects they want to implement. After all, usability is critical to the success of their project and the achievement of their business goals.

Usability – what does it mean?

In the digital industry, usability is often referred to as functionality. The ISO 9241 defines it as the degree to which a given user's goal is achieved in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction.

Usability is considered in more detail by Jakob Nielsen, a leading theorist in this area, who attributes five components to usability:

• learnability – how easy the tool is to use at first contact,
• efficiency – how easy the tool is to use by users familiar with it,
• memorability – when users return to the tool after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency,
• errors – (low) frequency of errors made by users and the ease of overcoming possible difficulties,
• satisfaction – how pleasant is it to use the tool.

These are theoretical basics of creating digital products with attention to their usability. Every software house should know them, but most of all, they should know how to apply usability principles in practice. This competence cannot be learned from reading texts. It can be acquired only through many years of experience in software design.

Do you want to conduct an evaluation of your website or an app according to Nielsen's heuristics? Contact us!

We care about usability for the sake of the client

Usability is oriented towards the end user. Therefore, obviously, it must guide the creation of a digital product. However, it should also be put in the spotlight during conversations with the client – at every stage of the project, and even before the project starts.

Therefore, before starting cooperation, we advise our clients to discuss the concept with the future users of the solution, i.e. its target group. This is the best way to get preliminary information about the usability value of a business idea – before proceeding to turn it into a full-scale concept.

We are happy to help clients with their ideas, but we don't like to waste their time and money. We treat usability as a priority for all projects and we assume that neglecting this issue will ruin a project's chances for success. If we notice such a problem – we inform about it honestly.

No usability – no MVP

The idea of usability guides every next stage of our cooperation with a client. Among others, the development of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This goes beyond the usability issues, of course, but they cannot be ignored.

In a sense, usability is at the core of MVP as it is impossible to develop a product with the minimum necessary functionality that does not meet the usability requirements (also defined as functionality). MVP is basically the basis for safe "proceeding" of digital projects and largely protects the client from excessive costs.

The idea of usability is also guiding us during the discovery phase, which we recommend to clients who want to take care of developing an optimal product and, of course, during "actual" work on the product.

Software house with passion for usability

Putting a clear emphasis on usability distinguishes us in the software house market. In our projects we apply a comprehensive approach that gives high priority not only to the technology itself and the quality of programming, but also to the graphic layer of the product, its functionality and usability. This is confirmed by our extensive portfolio in the area of UX/UI and graphic design as well as the large presence of front-end and creative specialists in our team.

Keep it simple, i.e. make it usable

Last but not least, usability, as the overriding value of digital projects, is part of the "postulate" contained in our agency's name. Encouraging the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle, we suggest searching for solutions that are simple, functional and easy to use. Those that will provide the best possible end result at the lowest possible cost (for the client) and the least possible maintenance effort (for the end user).

Do you want to work with a software house that will thoroughly analyze your idea, assess its market potential and take care of its implementation with the highest care for its usability value? Contact us!

Are you looking for the usability experts?Let's talk!