Heuristic Evaluation

Heuristic evaluation is a discount usability engineering method for quick, cheap, and easy evaluation of a user interface design. Heuristic evaluation is the most popular of the usability inspection methods. Heuristic evaluation is done as a systematic inspection of a user interface design for usability. The goal of heuristic evaluation is to find the usability problems in the design so that they can be attended to as part of an iterative design process. Heuristic evaluation involves having a small set of evaluators examine the interface and judge its compliance with recognized usability principles (the "heuristics").

How to conduct a Heuristic Evaluation?

1. Each individual evaluator inspect the interface alone
2. After all evaluations have been completed are the evaluators allowed to communicate and have their findings aggregated
3. Important to ensure independent and unbiased evaluations
4. Typical session 1-2 hours
5. Evaluator goes through the interface several times and inspects the various elements and compares them with the heuristics

One person will never be able to find all the usability problems in an interface and different people find different usability problems. Involving multiple evaluators can improve the effectiveness.(Usually 3 – 5 evaluators). And the the results recorded as written reports from each evaluator or by having evaluators verbalise their comments to an observer as they go through the interface.

Then the out put is a List of usability problems:

• With references to usability principles.
• It is not sufficient for evaluators to simply say that they do not like something.
• Should explain why they do not like it with reference to the heuristics used.
• Evaluators should try to be as specific as possible and list each usability problem separately.

Rating usability problems

Rating scale to rate the severity of usability problems: 

0 -> I don't agree that this is a usability problem 

1 -> Cosmetic problem only

2 -> Minor usability problem, low priority 

3 -> Major usability problem, high priority 

4 -> Usability catastrophe: imperative to fix this before product can be released

Some Examples of Recommended Heuristics.

Visibility of system status

The system should always keep users informed about what is going on. 

Match between system and real world

Use concepts, ideas, metaphors, language, etc familiar to the user.

User control

Users need to be able to move freely around the system

Consistency

Users have not to wonder whether different words, situations or actions mean the same thing. Also, consistent design.

Error prevention, recognition, and recovery

Prevent errors from occurring on the first place.

Minimize the users’ memory load

Prevented users from having to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another.

Flexibility and efficiency of use

Enable frequent users to use shortcuts to speed or automate tasks they perform continually.