The Decline of Usability: Revisited (2023)

Summary

The Decline of Usability: Revisited In which we once more delve into the world of user interface design. Autumn 2023 Three years ago, I wrote a rant about the problems of our current UI paradigm. The complaints I voiced were hardly new or unique, neither was the text what I'd consider my best writing. It was, honestly, mostly a way to blow off steam. It seems I struck a nerve, though, because it's proven to be one of the most popular texts I've published here. For some time, I've thought about writing a follow-up, and a recent resurgence in the text's popularity prompted me to finally do so. I didn't (and still don't) have any delusions that my ramblings will somehow affect anything. And, in three years' time, nothing has indeed changed - at least not for the better. The most depressing part is perhaps that the debate around these issues hasn't changed one iota, either. The same non-arguments crop up all the time when discussing these issues: "Well, gramps, maybe things weren't super duper great in the past, either?" "Where's the research, dude?" "It's progress, man. Progress! You can't stop progress!" "Uhhhhm, actually, compadre, we can do so much stuff with computers nowadays! That's usability, broseph!" If I sound salty, it's because I am. Deal with it. What were we talking about? Usability, as defined by Wikipedia, is "the capacity of a system to provide a condition for its users to perform the tasks safely, effectively, and efficiently while enjoying the experience." Its relation to software is further specified: "In software engineering, usability is the degree to which a software can be used by specified consumers to achieve quantified objectives with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a quantified context of use." Let's go on with Wikipedia: "The primary notion of usability is that an object designed with a generalized users' psychology and physiology in mind is, for example: More efficient to use — takes less time to accomplish a particular task...