humanusable

Humanusable is an adjective used in design and human-computer interaction to describe systems, tools, or interfaces that are usable by humans. A humanusable product takes into account human cognitive, perceptual, motor, and social capabilities and contexts, aiming to reduce confusion, effort, and error while maximizing effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction.

The concept overlaps with human-centered design, usability, ergonomics, and accessibility, and it is applied across domains such as software interfaces, consumer electronics, documentation, and public information systems. It emphasizes suitability for real-world use by diverse users, rather than solely optimizing algorithmic or machine-centric performance.

Design principles associated with humanusable products include simplicity and clarity, consistency of controls and feedback, error tolerance and clear recovery paths, discoverability of features, and accessibility for people with disabilities. Multimodal interfaces, progressive disclosure, and context-aware assistance are often advocated to support human usability.

Evaluation methods include usability testing, task-based metrics (success rate, time on task, error rate), and standardized scales like the System Usability Scale. Critics note that the term can be vague or redundant with established concepts, and it is not universally standardized; practitioners typically employ conventional usability and accessibility criteria to assess systems labeled as humanusable.

See also: human factors, usability, user-centered design, accessibility, inclusive design, user experience, cognitive load.