People want less information, they don’t want more information. They want it to be easier for them to use. Easier for them to get what they want. Easier for them to do what they want to do. The next big breakthrough, in my mind, is going to come from the usability standpoint… A lot of the technology is there right now. The pieces are there… [Technology] is ahead of the software curve… ahead of people’s and companies’ ability to integrate the technology and to support the technology.

–Ted Waitt, chairman, CEO and founder, Gateway, Inc. (“Charlie Rose”, PBS, 5/27/98)

The big question here is why this quote is 11 years old and usability (and a focus on the user experience) is only emerging priority for progressive organizations. It’s such a sha me too. Good usability is good for business – not only does it make customers loyal and happy, it decreases long term development costs.