About Usability

Usability is the quality attribute that defines how easy user interfaces are to use.
Hence, this quality attribute it's related the learning curve and the utilization of a information system or interface. As developers of websites and services we may find very easy to use our own designs but have we really slowed down to think about the end user ?
Most of us would be surprised to see how difficult and unfamiliar can be this interfaces for the user that is trying to start using your application. Maybe they even want to use it for something that was not intended to.
We know how to make websites, html, we even know how to retrieve, update and maintain databases and information centers, but how much we know about the end user ?

My personal view on usability
Usability is the most important thing on the web today. We are information gatherers: Whenever we look for something in the web the time spent in the process is the key to find an answer or to leave to another site.
You are spending time SEARCHING and ACQUIRING the knowledge on how to use the interface so it's essential that the web-page is as user-friendly and self-explanatory as possible.

What I look primarily when I'm gathering this information ?
In a content page, I look forward that I can read properly, that is if the content is in small letters I use my browser to make the text bigger (usually: CTRL + /CTRL - or in the browser main menu ). If after my efforts I can't get it done because the font has a fixed pixel style I leave. Readability is the priority. If it's difficult to read, why I would stay ?
If I'm looking for a flight reservation, defining the period and destination, needs to be done in the less amount of clicks and time as possible. If it doesn't give me an option to fill my booking details and I've spent a lot of time looking for the right flight and getting validation errors all the time I leave.
As a user I'm not going to close one navigator to another just because the page says it's optimized for Internet explorer version X and in 800x600 pixels. If it's not readable in my browser and resolution of choice I leave.
That's the common pattern. If the user losses time or finds your web unusable to find the information they need they leave.
Like this they are hundred of examples of why usability can be compromised by a bad interface design.

As a developer focused on usability I try to bring the users what they are looking for in a simple way. That's why I find it's essential to sit down with a piece of paper and draw, speak the requirements, draw again, make flow charts, print and make team meetings to discuss the plan as many times as needed. In my personal experience there is nothing as bad as sitting in front of the computer writing lines of code after hearing the first two phrases of what you need to do. It's simply a loss of time for you and for your client.
Here at movil we try to draw as much as possible, plan, discuss and let ideas maturate before sitting down on the machine. Hopefully it will bring enjoyable fresh work into the scene.

Related readings:
Usability definition
Information Foraging: Why Google Makes People Leave Your Site Faster  [Jakob Nielsen's]