Usability for the World: Building Better Cities and Communities

We’re thrilled to announce the publication of Usability for the World: Building Better Cities and Communities (Springer, June 2025)—a landmark volume that brings together leading voices from around the world to explore how human-centered design and usability can reshape urban life.

Experiment Zone’s founder, AJ Davis, co-edited the book with Elizabeth Rosenzweig and contributed three chapters. This project embodies our belief that usability research and user experience practices aren’t just tools for business success—they can catalyze systemic change in communities.

Usability, CRO & User Experience: The Connection

At Experiment Zone, we’ve long held that usability and conversion rate optimization (CRO) are two sides of the same coin. Better usability means less friction, clearer interactions, and ultimately, users completing tasks more reliably. That same clarity and ease are precisely what lift conversion rates.

The book reinforces this idea by highlighting how designing for accessibility, creating intuitive interfaces, and meeting people where they are benefits everyone. Inclusive design is more than a moral imperative; it’s a strategic advantage. By prioritizing diverse user needs, we unlock innovation that drives both social and business impact.

What’s Inside the Book

You can see the full details on the official site: usabilityfortheworld.com or on the Springer publisher page.

Part I: Current Landscape

1. Introduction to Usability for the World: Building Better Cities and Communities — Elizabeth Rosenzweig & Amanda Davis
2. At the Intersection of Usability and Urban Sustainability: A Literature Review — Melanie B. Brewer, Amanda Davis, Marisa Morby
3. What’s in It for Me? A Usability Perspective on African Sustainable Cities — Khadijah Danjuma Mohammed, Abiodun Afolayan Ogunyemi, Obinna Anya, Shaimaa Lazem
4. More-than-Human Cities: How to Bring Life-Centered Design Principles to Urban Spaces — Martin Tomitsch
5. Exploring Usability of AI Systems in the Global South—Toward Responsible Human-Centered AI for Sustainable Cities and Communities — Makuochi Nkwo, Tochukwu Ikwunne, Cornelius Adejoro, Oghenemaro Anuyah

Part II: Guiding Principles
6. Embracing Imperfection: The Key to Sustainable UX in Humane Cities — Thorsten Jonas
7. Trustworthy Sustainable Cities — Elizabeth Rosenzweig
8. Citizen Co-creation — Peter Horvath

Part III: Future Visions
9. Citizen-Centered Cities: User-Centered Design for Cooperative Cities — Henry Lieberman, Christopher Fry
10. Conclusion: A Call to Action for Sustainable Cities and Global Usability — Elizabeth Rosenzweig & Amanda Davis

AJ’s authored chapters are integrated across these sections and explore usability’s impact on digital inclusion, civic engagement, and community well-being.

Why It Matters to Experiment Zone Clients

In today’s competitive digital environment, usability is nonnegotiable. Every frustrating interaction risks eroding trust, hampering conversions, or losing a customer. That’s why strong CRO programs are always rooted in usability research and UX audits.

At Experiment Zone, we bring these principles to life through:

• A/B Testing: Comparing design elements to make data-driven decisions that improve engagement and conversions.
• UX Audits: Identifying usability barriers and opportunities to create intuitive, user-friendly experiences.
• Usability Research: Generating insights into real user behavior that guide both design and optimization.

These services align directly with the principles advanced in Usability for the World—showing that better user experience translates into stronger business outcomes.

What’s Next

Publishing this book is just the beginning. Over the coming months, we’ll share:

• Case studies showing how these principles were applied in civic, healthcare, and urban contexts
• Talks and webinars exploring intersections of accessibility, usability research, and user experience
• Tools and frameworks you can adopt in your own projects to embed inclusive, high-usability design

One upcoming case study highlights how user-centered design was applied to improve a city’s public spaces, making them more usable and accessible for all residents.

Call to Action

Learn more and explore chapter previews at usabilityfortheworld.com.
Order or access the book via Springer.

If you’d like to discuss how usability research, CRO, and UX design can transform your digital experiences, connect with AJ Davis on LinkedIn—or partner with Experiment Zone to put these practices into action.

Let’s build a more usable world, together.

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