How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation

A heuristic evaluation is a method for identifying design problems in a user interface. Evaluators judge the design against a set of guidelines (called heuristics) that make systems easy to use. To assess usability, it is recommended to use Jakob Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics - a set of high-level guidelines based on an understanding of human behavior, psychology, and information processing.

Steps for Conducting a Heuristic Evaluation

1. Choose evaluators who are familiar with the product and have experience with usability testing.
2. Have evaluators review the product independently and take note of any usability problems they encounter.
3. Meet with the evaluators to discuss and compile their findings.
4. Group the problems based on severity and create a prioritized list of issues to address.
5. Provide recommendations for improving the usability of the product.

Heuristic Evaluation Template

Download a free heuristic evaluation template to help you organize and conduct your evaluation.

Using Other Domain-Specific Guidelines

For specialized domains or types of usability assessments, you may consider using other domain-specific heuristics in addition to Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics. It is important to choose heuristics that are appropriate for your particular product and its intended users.

By following these steps and using appropriate heuristics, you can systematically review your product to find potential usability and experience problems.