Usability is a term that is defined differently depending on the branch of science in
which one first encounters it. For our purposes in exploring usability through an HCI lens, we will try to focus on usability as a way for designers to evaluate the
systems and interfaces they create with an eye toward addressing as many HCI
concerns as thoroughly as possible. Usability studies (according to www.useit.com)
are all about finding out what works in the world and what doesn’t. The ISO has
created usability standards that you can explore on http://www.usabilitynet.org/
tools/r_international.htm. The standards cover the use of the product (effectiveness,
efficiency, and satisfaction in a particular context of use), the user interface and
interaction, the process used to develop the product, and the capability of an organization
to apply user-centered design.