The Client versus Usability

So here's the question every designer will ask at some point in their career. 
"Why are you bothering to spend money contracting in the services of a professional designer with usability knowledge and experience if you are going to systematically ignore everything we advise you on website design and layout?"
13 years in the industry and I still can't answer that. Now the old edict that the client is always right is not true, in fact it's pants. I don't get a roofer in to fix the roof and then as he tells me where and what will be the best way to prevent further leaks, stroke my proverbial beard and say " I hear what you are saying but no, let's concrete the driveway instead I think personally that's the best way to fix the roof and I'm the client"
So first truism of the day THE CLIENT IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, in fact in the majority of cases they are arrogantly wrong about usability.


So, for me, web design is split into roughly into 2 parts. You have the usability of the design, which is the layout, where elements are positioned on the page in relation to what the client wants to achieve. Secondly you have the design itself, the colouring in if you like.


Design.
The design of the site, the colours, fonts, images used, icons, background and general feel. Hands up this is subjective, you may design something that you think is just on brand, and beautiful, but ultimately if the client wants bright pink and yellow, with black text and crap animated icons, this is design and they are the client. As much as it may gall us designers we simply have to bite our tongues and deliver the mess that is often the clients design preference. Sorry but in this case the client is always right, however usability that opens a whole can of worms. 


Usability
This is from useit.com but I can't define usability any better:


Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process.

Usability is defined by five quality components:

• Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

The type of site, it's function and aims will change the way a designer approaches a site. Are they e-commerce? If so you need to address the layout of the page differently from they way you might approach a brand brochure site. 


Usability may not be an exact science but it's a science nevertheless, there is some wiggle room for subjectivity but to a greater extent many of the rules for good usability have now been tried and tested. Most designers will know their Jakob Nielsen (http://www.useit.com/) and also Steve Krug and his infinitely enlightening Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0321344758/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE)

What is perhaps most frustrating for a designer is a client who disregards all the work you put into usability. Let's take an example. A client wants an e-commerce site, their primary aim is to sell products online and make money, a secondary aim is to reflect their brand.

As a designer I would incorporate a search facility, links to delivery, a well structured product navigation, a feature banner perhaps to reflect the brand, and some homepage feature boxes perhaps promoting products or features.

On the homepage I would look at the 3 main types of user. A tracker who knows what they want and needs a clear easy to use search facility. The explorer who knows they want say a pair of trousers but is unsure as to which trousers and what colour. Here my product navigation comes into play. It needs to be intuitive. Thirdly the browser who doesn't even really want to buy anything but is having a browse. They need enticing into the site through homepage features and promotions. All 3 user types are important to convert into purchases if the site is to be successful.

So what do you do when the client looks at your designs, deems them too busy and says they only want a large lifestyle banner on the homepage and nothing else?


I think this is where you need to fight your corner. In terms of performance if the site fails to perform because the client has insisted on having a search facility bottom left, a navigation that needs a IQ of 300 to use and a checkout process that simply leaves you confused, they will be banging on your door asking why. In addition I promise they will have selective memory when it comes to usability discussions that you may have had.

Arm yourself with facts. read up on the subject, for example e-commerce usability reports. Useit and Steve Krug are great examples. Email the client so you have proof of these conversations so that the comeback from failed site doesn't land on your doorstep. Client can be expressly arrogant when it comes to web design, everyone is a designer. So simply cover your back, fight for what you think is right and ultimately if they are pigheaded enough to ignore all your professional advise ... well tarmac the driveway to fix the roof and wait for the call in a month to ask you back to fix the roof!