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What Is Heuristics Evaluation And How To Conduct One?

In this fast-paced environment, we encounter many challenges such as delivering projects within a tight deadline and specific budget. As UX designers, we want to ensure the product passes all the usability requirements before it goes live. 

Testing is one of the most vital phases in the product design process. And getting users onboard can be time-consuming and expensive in some cases. But you are still stuck in that predicament to get that product successfully developed within that tight deadline. 

But what if you can test your product without having users in the first place? And gain quick insights within a small timeframe and budget? Heuristics Evaluation has assisted many businesses by utilizing the help of UX experts rather than users. So, let us dive in and learn more about Heuristics Evaluation and why it could be an ideal usability solution for you in such situations.

What is Heuristics Evaluation?

It is an evaluation method that makes use of UX experts to do a thorough evaluation of the app or website. They validate the user interface using a set of heuristics or usability principles. 

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? All you require are experts with a pen and paper and tick each usability principle present in your app or website. Efficient and useful.

How is it different from Usability Testing?

However, we should not complicate it with user testing as there are some significant differences between the two.

  • Primarily, A group of UX experts conducts a Heuristics Evaluation. Whereas in usability testing, we use ordinary users to test the interface. 
  • In Heuristics, UX experts utilize a checklist and inspect those guidelines meet all the interface requirements. On the other hand, usability testing allows users to perform many tasks on the interface.
  • Lastly, Heuristics only estimates potential issues in the interface due to complying with the set of heuristics. On the contrary, usability testing allows users to evaluate real issues and contribute beneficial insights.

Procedure to follow when carrying out a Heuristics Evaluation

Now, we will go through how you can conduct a typical heuristics evaluation: 

Step 1: Gather 3-5 UX usability experts

Ideally, you could do it by yourself. But you will only be getting one set of results. So, it will be beneficial to get at least 3-5 UX experts who have a vast knowledge base in usability principles.

Step 2: Give importance to specific tasks you want to evaluate

Prioritize specific tasks so that the experts have a defined goal to keep in mind. It can be the user flow of signing up for a rewards program or going through a payment process. Each task requires a different heuristic evaluation.

Step 3: Pick a set of heuristics to use

Now we have to pick an appropriate set of heuristics as our guidelines. There are many heuristics out there to use. The most popular ones are Jakob Nielsen’s 10 heuristics, Ben Shneiderman’s 8 golden rules, and Susan Weinschenk’s heuristic principles. We will cover one of these later in the following section.

Step 4: Carry out the evaluation

Allow the experts to carry out their evaluation separately. Use the same set of heuristics to evaluate all specific tasks. Continue the process till all guidelines are touched upon carefully. 

Step 5: Gather results and agree on commonalities

After evaluating, bring back all the experts together and compare the results. See what is good about the interface and likewise what needs improving. Subsequently, everyone can spot significant design issues during their discussion. 

Example of Heuristics (Nielsen and Molich, 1990; Nielsen 1994)

In this article, we will take 10 heuristics principles by Jakob Nielsen from the Nielsen Norman Group as an example. It is a reliable set of heuristics to use if you are getting started on your first heuristics evaluation and the principles are as follows:

  1. Visibility of system status

The interface should always inform users of the task status. One example is how a progress bar visually indicates when our files get downloaded. 

  1. Match between the system and the real world

The interface should speak the user’s language. Utilize simple language instead of jargon and use real-world conventions in designs such as trash can icons for deleting files and folder icons for storing them.

  1. User control and freedom

Allow users to roam around the interface freely and back out whenever they want to. Utilizing options such as undo, redo, and skip are great ways to grant users some control over the interface.

  1. Consistency and standards

Follow the convention and standards of other platforms so users can familiarize themselves with your interface. Jakob’s law states users spend most of their time on other sites than yours.

  1. Error prevention

Guide users to solve the error or minimize their chances of making the error in the first place. You can do so by utilizing clear and helpful error messages.

  1. Prioritize recognition over recall

Ensure the design prioritizes users to recognize information instantly rather than taking the time to recall specific details. Labeling fields or menus can help them recognize elements spontaneously rather than recall them.

  1. Flexibility and efficiency

Implement shortcuts in the interface so the user interaction will speed up significantly. Allow users to be flexible and efficient when using the interface.

  1. Aesthetic and minimalist design

Keep the UI design aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Additionally, remove any irrelevant information or elements from the interface. 

  1. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors

Use visual indicators and error messages to help users recognize when something went wrong. And most importantly, provide a solution for them to recover from that error.

  1.  Help and documentation

Provide assistance and simple documentation to help users understand in performing specific tasks. 

Pros and Cons of using Heuristics

Pros:

  • It is a quick and inexpensive way to find potential usability issues.
  • You can use it early on in the design process, and it could determine significant improvements for the UX design.
  • You can mix it up with usability testing as well.
  • Using the appropriate heuristics, the evaluators can spot specific issues with the interface and bring up better solutions.

Cons:

  • Naturally, it does not capture the overall user experience issue, only the usability issue based on some guidelines. 
  • It can be hard and sometimes expensive to find evaluators with specific industry knowledge.
  • Utilizing only a few experts will provide fewer insights than conducting usability testing with many users. 
  • You have to guarantee the heuristics you select will be reliable. On top of that, the evaluators must follow all the guidelines. 

Can Heuristics replace Usability Testing?

Heuristics Evaluation can be worth it when you want to receive quick feedback within a small timeframe and budget. It can assist in identifying major potential usability issues. However, as mentioned in the pros and cons section, it does not exactly measure the overall user experience. 

Ordinary users are the best judge when using the interface thoroughly and providing feedback on how their experience can be more fulfilling. Therefore, utilize heuristics based on the situation of your project and the nature of the product. But it is crucial to keep in mind that it should not be your only evaluation method.

What is your ideal usability testing method? And do you implement heuristics in your evaluation?

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