Users first! An introduction to usability and user-centered design and development for technical information and products

Usability has become a common and important criterion for successful products-including the information component of those products-and companies are beginning to recognize this. To accomplish the goals of usability, development organizations must incorporate the principles of user-centered design and development-a process that begins and ends with a deep understanding of, and response to, the users of your products and their needs and goals. This paper-for beginning to advanced technical communicators who are new to usability-discusses usability and describe a user-centered design and development process, providing an approach to and process for product and information development that incorporates usability throughout.