The Decline of Usability: Revisited | datagubbe.se

In short, usability is the ease with which a predetermined task can be accomplished. Consequently, "It looks fresh" isn't usability; it's aesthetics. Likewise, the lack of a specific program feature isn't the same as being able to use it as easily, efficiently and safely as possible. Looking for the power switch on a hand-cranked drill is silly, but maybe we should complain if we had to operate power tools with our pinky fingers. Similarly, a word processor without a mail merge function is perhaps intended for other types of word processing - such as writing novels. Hence, being usable in many different situations isn't automatically the same as having a high level of usability.