No, they are not the same! Usability is defined in ISO 9241, Part 11, as "The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use." There are 5 key aspects to this sentence:
- Specified Users
- Effectiveness (doing the right things)
- Efficiency (doing things right)
- Satisfaction
- Specified context of use
As an example, a wheel barrow is remarkably easy to use; two handles and one wheel, what could be easier. But it is hardly usable if the context of use is to dig out the foundation to an office building. Similarly some Marketing Automation Software vendors that claim their product is easy to use, but in what specified context can they be considered to have high usability? Very very simple environments.
Specified Users for automated marketing system
The users will be marketing programs managers primarily. Larger firms will have marketing operations folks using the system too. You are likely to see a mix of left brain and right brain people, so the software has to serve both. In some cases management will access dashboards and reports.
Effectiveness of software in driving effective campaigns
How well does the software do in helping you do the right thing? Does it have best practices built into the design wizards for programs? Does it do error checking for you to ensure you get the best results? Can the system independently arbitrate what is the next best offer to make to a prospect or do you have to proscribe every step?
Efficiency in building lead generation programs
Helping marketing teams execute more programs with fewer people has become increasingly important. Marketing Automation Software can make marketers more efficient if it allows easy re-use of assets and offers, forms, and templates; Full deep copy of programs; Re-use of import configurations. The average marketer should be able to build and deploy a multi-step lead nurturing program with segmented target lists, landing pages, forms, and offers, within an hour!
Satisfaction of marketers in generating Sales ready leads
Software by itself is not a demand generation system! That's like saying that a fishing rod is a "fish generating system". The function of the marketing automation software is to make marketers more efficient and more effective at generating demand for the company's products and services. This includes increasing demand in the installed base, facilitating cross-selling and up-selling, and generating new sales ready leads for the Sales channels. The automated marketing system must satisfy the needs of the marketing department in doing their job better.
Specified Context of Use
If you have just one or two marketers on your team, your context of use is vastly different than if you have 10 or 100+ marketers. As a small firm, perhaps all you need is a simple email response management tool, and as a consequence 1-2 hours of training is music to your ears. Two handles, one wheel, and you are moving sand around in no time at all! Easy to use may be your mantra.
But if you have a larger organization and a more complex environment, perhaps you want to do contact data integration from multiple sources; or different nurturing programs for different product lines, or you feel keeping the data clean is important; in this situation your context of use will lead you to the products that are more usable for you. The larger definition of usability dominates the decision.
-Kevin
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