Website usability is the application of usability in those domains where web browsing can be considered as a general paradigm or metaphor for constructing a GU. Website usability is an important concept in web design which is overlooked in the rush to launch a website or brand. If we put it in simple terms, we came to know that website usability involves building a site which is easy, fun and logical for users, so that the users can enjoy using the site and they can utilize it to find what they need. This consideration is critically important for companies that want to build brand loyalty and attract customers, as people are turned off by websites which they have trouble using.

Web site usability is an approach to make websites easy to use for an end user without any requirement that any specialized training be undertaken. The user should be able to intuitively relate the actions he needs to perform on the web page, with other interactions he sees in the general domain of life for example, press of a button leads to some action. There are many goals of website usability. The broad goal of usability can be:

1. Present the information to the user in a clear and concise way.
2. To give the correct choices to the users, in a very obvious way.
3. To remove any ambiguity regarding the consequences of an action for example, clicking on delete. Remove or purchase.
4. Put the most important thing in the right place on a web page or a web application.

Design aesthetics are also an important aspect of website usability. If a site is well designed, it is clear, easy to understand, and easy to view. If the design is too cultured, ornate or illogical users may struggle with it, especially if they have visual impairments. A growing number of websites are thinking about visual impairments and other disabilities in the design phrase so that sites will be accessible to everyone, not just people with young healthy eyes. Another characteristic of website usability is the functionality of the site. If the websites have bugs, broken links, pictures that do not load and other issues, people will have trouble using it. Nothing frustrates a user more than clicking on the link which leads nowhere, or trying to submit a form which will not go through. If a user does encounter a bug or problem, navigational tools which help the user report the bug and then report to what he or she was doing are critical, to make sure that users know that they are valued, and that site owners find bugs just as annoying as users do.

As more results of usability research are available, this leads to the development of methodologies for enhancing web usability. In the context of eCommerce websites, the meaning of web usability is narrowed down to efficiency: triggering sales and performing other transactions valuable to the business. Web usability received renewable attention as many early eCommerce websites starting failing in 2000.

Usability testing is technique that is used to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system. This is in contrast with usability inspection methods where experts use different methods to evaluate the user interface without involving users. Usability testing focuses on measuring a human made product’s capacity to meet its intended purpose. Examples of products that commonly benefit from usability testing are foods, consumer products, websites or web applications, computer interfaces, documents and devices.

Website usability testing is an essential element of quality assurance. It is a true test of how people actually use a website. It is easy when you know how to test a website. It is extremely cheap when you do it by yourself. The person who is guiding the user during the usability test and taking notes is called a facilitator. Someone else observing the test, often in a separate room is called an observer. Everyone that is involved in developing the website, including the strategy group, designers, programmers, stakeholders etc. are called website development team. The extent to which the intended user can meet his or her goals using the system being tested is called usability.

Testing little or often is far more valuable and cost effective than doing on whopping big usability test of an entire site when it is almost finished. There is always a suitable time for website usability testing. Suitable times for testing the website usability are as follows:

1. At the website’s conception
2. Before planning a redevelopment
3. Repeatedly during development or redevelopment, as critical pages or sections are prepared
4. When traffic analysis shows on anomaly
5. When the owner requires hard information about a page or site

With all the tests you want to discover whether the user: gets the point of the page, understands the navigation system, can guess where to find things. In a general you want to know: how do users interact with the website you are testing, what is difficult for people to do, where do they get lost, what makes sense to them, what makes them feel distrustful or insecure, what do they like and what do they hate. In a specific test you might want to know: can a user accomplish a key task, and can the user find something specific.

The website usability test ranges from 5 minutes to 1 hour. While website usability tests, one should note that the users should be outsiders. Find the users that are not involved with the website in any way. They should be completely new to the website and somewhat familiar with the website. Ideally run the test in the user’s home or work place. The benefits of doing this are: the users feel more relaxed, the user does not need to know new systems, and you get to see how the website works on different computers, browsers and modems.