Editing Usability (section)

==Benefits ==
The key benefits of usability are:
* Higher revenues through increased sales
* Increased user efficiency and user satisfaction
* Reduced development costs
* Reduced support costs

===Corporate integration===
An increase in usability generally positively affects several facets of a company's output quality. In particular, the benefits fall into several common areas:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/usability_resources/usability_in_the_real_world/benefits_of_usability.html |title=Usability Resources: Usability in the Real World: Business Benefits |publisher=Usabilityprofessionals.org |access-date=2013-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031154914/http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/usability_resources/usability_in_the_real_world/benefits_of_usability.html |archive-date=2013-10-31 }}</ref>
* Increased productivity
* Decreased training and support costs
* Increased sales and revenues
* Reduced development time and costs
* Reduced maintenance costs
* Increased customer satisfaction

Increased usability in the workplace fosters several responses from employees: "Workers who enjoy their work do it better, stay longer in the face of temptation, and contribute ideas and enthusiasm to the evolution of enhanced productivity."<ref>Landauer, T. K. (1996). ''The trouble with computers''. Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press. p158.</ref> To create standards, companies often implement experimental design techniques that create baseline levels. Areas of concern in an office environment include (though are not necessarily limited to):<ref>McKeown, Celine (2008). ''Office ergonomics: practical applications''. Boca Raton, FL, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.</ref>
* Working posture
* Design of workstation furniture
* Screen displays
* Input devices
* Organization issues
* Office environment
* Software interface

By working to improve said factors, corporations can achieve their goals of increased output at lower costs, while potentially creating optimal levels of customer satisfaction. There are numerous reasons why each of these factors correlates to overall improvement. For example, making software user interfaces easier to understand reduces the need for extensive training. The improved interface tends to lower the time needed to perform tasks, and so would both raise the productivity levels for employees and reduce development time (and thus costs). Each of the aforementioned factors are not mutually exclusive; rather they should be understood to work in conjunction to form the overall workplace environment. In the 2010s, usability is recognized as an important software quality attribute, earning its place among more traditional attributes such as [[Performance (disambiguation)|performance]][[Robustness (computer science)|, robustness]] and aesthetic appearance. Various academic programs focus on usability. Several usability [[Information technology consulting|consultancy]] companies have emerged, and traditional consultancy and design firms offer similar services.

There is some resistance to integrating usability work in organisations. Usability is seen as a vague concept, it is difficult to measure and other areas are prioritised when IT projects run out of time or money.<ref>{{citation |author=Cajander, Åsa |title=Usability - who cares? : the introduction of user-centred systems design in organisations |date=2010 |publisher=Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis |isbn=9789155477974 |oclc=652387306}}</ref>