How has a richer web changed attitudes toward usability? What are the quick wins and potential savings for enterprises pursuing usable software? The fact that improving usability and user experience is good for business should be common sense, but it’s not! Andre Charland will discuss some ways of measuring ROI with usability. Why should business users care about AJAX and how can rich web applications translate to dollars and cents? The session will demonstrate ways to create a financial argument for building richer web applications, and how that can be used to advocate for AJAX-based development. These benefits can come from cost savings, creation of a competitive advantage through user-experience, and improved workflow through more ergonomic software. Then we’ll discuss 3 areas of concern with respect to AJAX, including a cross-browser solution to the back-button problem, techniques for ensuring high-performance on slow connections, and how to conduct low-cost and high-value usability testing of web applications. The session will conclude with a discussion about how to use user interface patterns to organize and communicate to other stakeholders in the organization. The goal of this presentation is to arm managers and developers alike with tools and techniques to design and gauge the success of their AJAX development project.