Usability = ROI

"No matter what you put on your site, it's worthless until readers arrive, grasp your meaning, and act on your information (assuming you've made it possible for them to act)."1

Many sites fail this test. A 1999 survey of web users by NetSmart found a number of usability roadblocks, headed by difficult navigation and slow page downloads.2

High standards of usability translate into loyal users, more e-commerce sales, more traffic - in short, a higher return on investment.

Most Web sites are not charities, so usability does not mean ignoring the client's goals to meet the user's needs. A usable Web site "serves the needs of the user and meets the business objectives the company has for that user."3

For instance, a user arriving at the Acme Anvil e-commerce site may not think s/he needs an anvil. The Acme site shows the user how an anvil is indispensable in roadrunner-hunting, makes it easy to select and buy one, then provides support and medical advice after the sale. The site's content, navigation, graphics, and functionality all are designed for the user's convenience at every step. The user's needs are met -- within the parameters of the client's business objectives.