The aim is to raise awareness of everyday examples of poor design and to encourage people to think of ways in which the user experience of everything – from websites to tape measures – can be improved.
Activities on the theme “Making it Easy” are being held at locations across the world, beginning with the launch of New Zealand’s first centre devoted to information design and usability, and moving westward across the globe to end 36 hours later at a usable design event in San Francisco. In between, various usability firms are opening their facilities to members of the public.
The UK chapter of the UPA is hosting an awards ceremony tonight. Guardian Unlimited is among the nominees for best website for finding information; iTunes, Google Desktop Search and Firefox will battle for best software application; and the iPod's clickwheel interface is up for best consumer product.
The usability of websites is addressed in UK law. The Disability Discrimination Act is often cited in connection with the obligation it puts on organisations to make their websites accessible to disabled users; but it also requires websites to be usable.
The key words are where the Act gives examples of services to which its discrimination provisions apply – including "access to and use of information services".
The usability of products is not addressed by the Act although many people consider that it should become a legal requirement.
Examples of poor product usability were highlighted in recent research by usability experts User Vision. In August 2005, the Edinburgh-based firm (which advised Pinsent Masons on OUT-LAW.COM's usability) asked 500 people to name the items in everyday life which they found most difficult to use.
Setting the video to record and installing a child car seat were cited as the most popular sources of consumer frustration, followed by digital TV systems, digital cameras, washing machines, dishwashers and tin-openers.
The most usable products identified in the research were armed corkscrews and disposable nappies, followed by TV remote controls, central locking on cars and gas barbecues.