A usable website: users can find what they need and understand what they find in the time and effort that they think it is worth.

Why is it important for your marketing efforts and website?

By always asking, “Would our user use this?” your company can avoid the trap of building what you think you need rather than what users will actually use. So then, you get:

• a better understanding of customers
• shorter design cycles
• improved product quality
• higher conversion rates

• Financial: Typical figures quoted are a benefit of between 10:1 and 100:1 (that is, a saving of between $10 and $100 for every dollar spent).
• Reduced support costs
• Reduced development time and cost
• GET it RIGHT the 1st time? Minimization of churn. Less of your money spent on Advil?
• UCD ensures that users’ goals and needs become a common point of focus for the company.
• Design efforts can be prioritized based on objective research rather than personal taste of the CEO.
• Disagreements over design decisions can be sorted out by referring back to research.
• Designs can be constantly evaluated against the user research providing a baseline for improvements