What the System Usability Scale is
The System Usability Scale, or SUS, is a widely used, standardized questionnaire for measuring how usable people find a piece of software. Participants answer ten short questions after using a product, and their answers are combined into a single score out of 100. It's been used across the software industry for decades, specifically because it's short, well-validated, and produces results that can be compared across very different products.
DataBurrow's score
In an independent usability study with 8 participants, four aged 18-24, one aged 45-54, and three aged 55 and older, DataBurrow scored 88.5 out of 100 on the System Usability Scale. Research by Bangor, Kortum, and Miller, often cited as the benchmark for interpreting SUS results, rates scores in this range as "Excellent." For context, the commonly cited industry-average SUS score is 68.
What testers actually said
The number only tells part of the story. Testers, including the older participants the product is specifically designed for, described it as "clear and easy to understand, even for older users," and noted it helped them quickly find and delete duplicate files, and search for files they'd lost track of using keywords. That combination, a strong quantitative score backed by specific, positive qualitative feedback from the exact audience DataBurrow targets, is what gives a usability result like this real weight.
Why accessibility was part of the test from day one
DataBurrow was built to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA: full keyboard navigation, screen reader support, verified color contrast, and adjustable font sizes were part of the design from the start, not added afterward. The application was tested with NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on macOS, and file lists, search results, and controls all carry clear, descriptive labels.
Why this matters more than a features list
A long features list doesn't tell you whether people can actually use a product. A validated usability score, tested on real participants, is a much more honest signal. For a tool built specifically to be approachable for elderly and non-technical users, that combination of a strong SUS score and real accessibility testing is the proof point that matters most.
Where to see more
The full study context, the 88.5 score, the "Excellent" rating, and the industry-average comparison, is on DataBurrow's About page, alongside the reasoning behind why the product was built the way it was. You can also see what's shipped and what's planned next on the roadmap.