Usability refers to how easily and intuitively a user can interact with a Web site. Highly usable sites allow users to to quickly and easily accomplish tasks -- find a story about a particular sports team, send a letter to the editor or post a comment, for example. The design, navigation and organization of content on a site are instrumental in making it user-friendly. Usability also extends to how users who are visually impaired or come from different cultures use the site. Before new features are launched, Web sites sometimes bring in test users to try out the site. Metrics, eye-tracking studies and heat maps also can help assess how users interact with a site.
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