Today in class we explored heuristic evaluations, delving into their definition and the process of conducting them. We then worked on a team task at the end of class to find the issues within Translinks website.
Heuristic evaluation is like giving a friendly checkup to a website or app. In simple terms, it's a method where usability experts, kind of like digital doctors, examine a product to find any design issues that might make it hard for users to navigate or understand. These experts use a set of guidelines or 'heuristics' to assess things like user-friendliness, clarity, and efficiency. It's a bit like having a fresh pair of eyes to ensure a digital space is easy and enjoyable for users to explore. Essentially, it's a thoughtful way of making sure websites and apps are user-friendly and work smoothly, just like you'd want your favourite tool or gadget to do
A heuristic evaluation is best conducted during the design and development stages, offering a valuable checkpoint for identifying usability issues. It's beneficial in early design phases to catch problems before development begins, during mid-design iterations for continuous improvement, and just before launch to ensure a user-friendly product. Additionally, heuristic evaluations are useful for redesigns or updates and can provide quick insights when there are budget or time constraints. While they are effective independently, combining heuristic evaluations with other usability testing methods enhances the overall understanding of the user experience.
The auditors use different tools and methods to figure out what's good and what needs fixing in a product. They might watch how real users interact with it using tools like usability testing, and check numbers like engagement and success rates with analytics tools. Experts also review the design based on set principles and gather user opinions through surveys. This mix of tools helps auditors understand what's working well and what can be made better in a product.
These heuristics are widely used in UX design as guidelines for creating user-friendly interfaces and evaluating the usability of existing designs:
Visibility of System Status:
Match between System and the Real World:
In a UX audit looking at how well Blue Cross works with real-life users, we check if the words and info they use are easy for people to understand. Blue Cross should use clear language that everyone gets, not tricky medical terms. This way, the system talks in a way that makes sense to users, making it easier for them to use and understand. The main aim is to connect the technical stuff in healthcare with what people know every day, making Blue Cross services better for everyone.
User Control and Freedom:
In the Photos app on Apple devices, you can choose your favourite photos by tapping a heart-shaped icon. This gives you control to highlight the pictures you love. If you accidentally mark or unmark a photo as a favourite, you can easily fix it by tapping the icon again. Apple makes it simple for users to have control over their photo preferences, showing how easy and flexible their design is for everyone to use.
Consistency and Standards:
Error Prevention:
Google helps prevent mistakes with its recycle bin feature. If you accidentally delete something in Google Drive, it doesn't disappear right away. It goes to the Trash, acting like a safety net. This way if you make a mistake, you can easily get back what you deleted. Google does this to be user-friendly, understanding that we all make errors and giving us a way to fix them without any permanent problems.
Recognition Rather Than Recall:
Flexibility and Efficiency of Use:
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design:
Help Users Recognise, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors: