Capable of being used. The usability of any system, whether it be software or a hardware design, is very important. Specifically, if a software product isn't easily learned and used by its target audience, it will fail. Some of the largest companies in the industry that design systems have integrated usability testing into their development processes, and by doing so, they have increased end user productivity, reduced training and support costs, and improved overall employee satisfaction.
Usability testing can involve a wide-variety of methods and instrumentation.
It usually implies relatively unobtrusive observation of task performance, often with video taping to capture the nuances of users' interactions with the product under evaluation. Observational data is documented, preferably with time stamps that correspond to a video recorder in real-time. Performance data may include the incidence of various usability problems, user habits and posture, user errors, or the time that it takes the user to respond to specific task-relevant event. This is where Usability Activity Log comes into play. It offers an effective means to easily and unobtrusively document observational data and task performance.