What is Memorability?
Memorability is how easily users can re-establish proficiency with a product after a period of not using it. A memorable interface is one that returning users can pick up again without relearning.
How it works
Memorability is one of Nielsen’s five usability components and is particularly important for products used intermittently: tax software (annual), travel booking (occasional), or specialized tools (project-specific). It depends on recognizable visual design, consistent interaction patterns, meaningful labels (rather than arbitrary codes), and logical organization that matches user mental models. Memorability is measured by comparing task performance of returning users versus first-time users and tracking how quickly proficiency is regained after absence.
Applied example
A payroll system used monthly by HR staff is redesigned. Before redesign, users returning each month spend 15 minutes reorienting themselves because key functions have generic icons and non-obvious locations. After redesign with descriptive labels and logical grouping, reorientation time drops to 2 minutes.
Why it matters
Memorability determines the real-world usability of products that are not used daily, recognizing that most users are neither first-time novices nor daily experts, but intermittent returners who need to quickly recall how things work.
