itsual Heuristic Evaluation
Overview
Heuristic evaluation is an expert review method using principles (e.g., Nielsen’s heuristics) to identify usability problems efficiently.
When to Use
- Quick usability audits of live products or prototypes
- Competitor experience reviews
- Prioritizing a backlog of UX debt
- Supplementing (not replacing) user research
Common Heuristics (Nielsen)
- Visibility of system status
- Match between system and real world
- User control and freedom
- Consistency and standards
- Error prevention
- Recognition rather than recall
- Flexibility and efficiency of use
- Aesthetic and minimalist design
- Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
- Help and documentation
Principles
- Use multiple evaluators when possible and merge findings
- Rate severity to support prioritization
- Be specific — cite the screen, element, and heuristic violated
- Pair with user data when stakes are high
Verification
- Issues are tied to specific heuristics and evidence
- Severity ratings support prioritization
- Findings are actionable for design/engineering