usability reviews
I usually conduct a usability review, or heuristic evaluation, on an application before starting the redesign process. A heuristic evaluation is a discount methodology, based on accepted usability principles. It will allow me to discover the systemic usability issues in the current application, and identify if there are any areas where a few quick tweaks could dramatically improve the current system.
10 Heuristic Principles
Here are the design principles as stated by Jacob Nielsen and used in my inspections.- FEEDBACK- Visibility of System Status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time. - METAPHOR- Match between the System and Real World
The system should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order. - NAVIGATION- User Control and Freedom
Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Supports undo and redo and a clear way to navigate. - CONSISTENCY- Standards Within the Application and With Convention
Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. - PREVENTION- Error Prevention
Even better than good error messages is a careful design, which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. - MEMORY- Recognition Rather than Recall
Minimize the user's memory load. Make objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate. - EFFICIENCY- Flexibility and Efficiency of Use
Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. - DESIGN- Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
Dialogues should not contain information, which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility. Visual layout should respect the principles of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. - RECOVERY- Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors
Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution. - HELP- Help and Documentation
Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.