# Heuristic Evaluation

> Nielsen's heuristics applied, expert evaluation methods, and heuristic checklist.

- Skill: `dragoon0x/heuristic-evaluation` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add dragoon0x/heuristic-evaluation`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/dragoon0x/heuristic-evaluation/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: dragoon0x (https://skillmd.com/u/dragoon0x)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/dragoon0x/heuristic-evaluation

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# Heuristic Evaluation

## Nielsen's 10 Heuristics

1. **Visibility of system status** — Does the system show what's happening? Loading states, progress, confirmation.
2. **Match with real world** — Does it use familiar language and concepts? No technical jargon.
3. **User control and freedom** — Can users undo, redo, go back? Emergency exits available.
4. **Consistency and standards** — Same action = same result everywhere. Platform conventions followed.
5. **Error prevention** — Does the design prevent errors before they happen? Constraints, defaults, confirmation.
6. **Recognition over recall** — Are options visible? Don't make users remember from previous screens.
7. **Flexibility and efficiency** — Shortcuts for power users? Customization for different needs.
8. **Aesthetic and minimalist** — No unnecessary information. Every element earns its place.
9. **Help users recover from errors** — Clear, specific error messages with recovery path.
10. **Help and documentation** — Easy to search, task-focused, concise.

## How to Evaluate
1. Define the scope (which flows/screens)
2. 3-5 evaluators independently review against heuristics
3. Each evaluator lists violations with severity (0-4)
4. Consolidate findings and deduplicate
5. Prioritize by severity × frequency