Basic understanding of Heuristic Evaluation
Heuristic evaluation is a UX technique applied to interaction design which was invented by Nelson Norman in 1994. It simply involves the process of evaluating and analysing digital products by experts using a set of guidelines. These experts are called Heuristic evaluators. In the usual digital products settings, the design team builds products and at the early stage, heuristics evaluators are called in to analyse these products to correct what might have been an oversight by the design team.
Also, note that heuristic evaluations do not replace the traditional usability testing method, one doesn’t have to cost the other but each has its pros and cons. And one might decide to do both depending on the product owners' budget.
The set of guidelines for heuristic evaluation otherwise called heuristic principles are:
- Visibility of system status
- Match between system and the real world
- User control and freedom
- Consistency and standard
- Error prevention
- Recognition rather than recall
- Flexibility and efficiency of use
- Aesthetics and minimalist design
- Help users recognise, diagnose, and recover from error
- Help and documentation
