The changing relationship between web designers and usability experts...

Although website usability has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past decade, there is still a common misconception that usability is all about lab tests and stats. Many passionate designers have deemed usability the antithesis of creativity - The idea of conforming to a set of pre-defined guidelines goes against all the principles of individuality and creative freedom. From the designer’s perspective, it could be argued that the advocates of “usability” fail to appreciate how important the design process is in creating an engaging online experience. Usability experts will continue to defend their logic with the old “substance over form” argument – what’s the point of compromising usability with meaningless aesthetics!

Thankfully the divide between the design community and usability consultants has been bridged over time by a renewed focus on the need to measure “how usability improvements can be aligned with a site’s performance”. Usability and design are both equally important in producing a website that works for all stakeholders.

Fortunately the internet is the most measurable medium. With the write tools and strategy, it is possible to evaluate a user’s online experience. The challenge for designers is to take this knowledge and translate into an engaging design that communicates the brand and provides visitors positive online experience.