In simple terms, usability refers to the ease with which users can interact with a product to achieve a specific goal. A usable product is one that is:

Easy to learn: Users can use it quickly without the need for an extensive manual.

Efficient: It allows users to perform their tasks quickly and without errors.

Easy to remember: Users can remember how to use it even after some time without using it.

Few errors: Users make few errors when using it and can easily recover from them.

Satisfactory: Users enjoy using it and have a positive experience.

So why is usability so important in UX?

The answer is simple: because it directly affects user satisfaction and product success. A usable product generates happy users, who will recommend it and use it again. On the contrary, a product with poor usability will frustrate users, who will abandon it and look for alternatives.

But how can we ensure that our products are usable? This is where usability methodologies come into play. There are several techniques that help us evaluate and improve the usability of our designs. Today I want to share with you 5 of the most used ones:

(I will do an article specifically talking about these methodologies more in depth).

• User Testing: This methodology consists of observing real users while they interact with the product. They are asked to perform specific tasks and their behavior is recorded, identifying possible usability problems. It is like testing our car with real drivers before launching it on the market.

• Heuristic evaluation: In this case, usability experts evaluate the product based on a set of established principles or “heuristics”, such as those of Nielsen. It is as if an expert mechanic were to check our car for possible faults.

• User interviews: In-depth interviews are conducted with users to understand their needs, motivations and frustrations. This technique allows us to obtain valuable information about how users perceive and use the product. It is like talking directly to drivers to understand their needs.

• A/B Testing: Two different versions of the product are presented to groups of users and their performance is compared. This allows us to determine which of the two versions offers a better user experience. It is like comparing two car prototypes to see which one works better.

• Eye Tracking: A device is used to track the movement of users' eyes as they interact with the product. This allows us to identify the areas of the interface that attract the most attention and detect potential navigation problems. It's like analyzing the visual path of drivers inside a car.

These are just a few of the many methodologies available. And the reality is that there is a problem that I have personally noticed in novice designers, and is that they do not usually put into practice these methodologies sooooo useful, and I will do some research about it and then I will do another article, if I remember. But the choice of the right methodology will depend on the context, the available resources and the objectives of the research.

Everything is much easier if we follow and use these methodologies... There are many more in the list, but these are the most popular ones.