Why considering both fit for use and fit for purpose matters

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When designing a new product or service, how something is going to work or function is generally the priority. But even when something works well, that doesn’t mean it’s doing the right job. 

You may have heard the terms fit for use and fit for purpose before as separate concepts. Thinking about them together helps to design and build software that not only functionally works but also performs its intended purpose and really adds value to your user experience.

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Great usability considers both of these things. 

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Does it work?

Fit for use is asking does it work? Does everything work as intended from a technical standpoint? 

Consider the following: 

• Do all of the buttons respond?
• Are there any broken interactions?
• Do Links navigate to the correct place?
• Can forms be successfully submitted? 
• Do individual components behave as expected?

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Quite often these issues can be picked up by unit tests, integration tests, usability testing or quality assurance (QA) activities. 

Being fit for use is the foundation of usability but we also have to consider user needs. 

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Does it add value?

‍Fit for purpose is asking does it add value? Does it do what it should for a user to complete the job, task or activity they intended to complete? 

Purpose requires us to ask more questions about our users and what they are trying to do. 

Consider the following: 

• What does the user need to do? 
• Can a user complete their job/task/activity?
• What is blocking a user from completing their job/task/activity and can that be removed?
• Is all necessary information being collected to prevent later effort or re-work?
• Are there any dependencies or constraints that need to be considered?

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Being fit for purpose helps us to think of how we provide value to our users by understanding what they need to do and reducing effort or re-work. The answers to these questions are often provided through user research, systems thinking, systems architecture and design.

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Conclusion

Great usability considers whether something is both fit for use and fit for purpose. If it is only fit for use, we may miss the opportunity to provide value to our users. If it is only fit for purpose, the product may be frustrating to use and feel broken or unusable. 

Next time you're critiquing or reviewing a product ask - is this fit for use and purpose?

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Need Help?

If you’re new to usability and UX practices or want expert input, we’d love to support you. Whether you're looking for advice or a full independent review, get in touch - we’re here to help make your product better.

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