Heuristic evaluation is a technique for testing the usability and design of a web development. These general principles were proposed by Jakob Nielsen, a world-renowned usability expert in the 1990s.
In this blog we are going to tell you about Nielsen’s principles in heuristic evaluation and discuss the main benefits of performing these tests in web product development.
But first, we will remind you what are the elements or factors that determine the website’s usability:
What is website usability?
The usability of a website refers to the ease with which users can navigate, find information and perform tasks on the web page. It has some factors or elements that are vital to evaluate to know its level of usability.
Elements or factors to evaluate on usability
Visual design: the aesthetics of the site, including its layout and the appearance of visual elements, such as images and graphics, can affect usability.
Information structure: the way in which information is organized and presented on the site can facilitate or hinder the user’s navigation.
Site navigation and architecture: the layout and accessibility of pages, the structure of navigation menus, and the ability to search for content can impact usability.
User interaction: User interaction, such as the use of forms, buttons, and other interactive features, can affect the usability of the site.
Site load speed: Site load speed can influence user satisfaction and willingness to stay on the site and complete a task.
Accessibility: the ability of users to access the site and use its functions, regardless of their physical or mental capacity, is an important factor in usability.
Relevant and readable content: site content should be readable and easy to understand, as well as relevant and useful to users.
Site functionality and features: Site functions and features, such as searchability, personalization, and integration with other services, can affect usability.
User feedback and help: Providing user feedback and help can improve usability, as users can know if they are doing the right thing and get assistance if they have questions or problems.
Now yes, let’s get down to business, once we understand what heuristic testing is and the elements that are evaluated in the usability of a website, we will tell you about Nielsen and its general principles for applying a heuristic evaluation.
What are Nielsen’s principles for heuristic evaluation?
Jakob Nielsen proposed a list of 10 principles of usability in heuristic evaluation that should be taken into account during evaluation. These are:
Visibility of system status: The system must keep the user informed about what is happening at all times.
Directed to between the system and the real world: The web design should use terms and concepts familiar to the user.
User control and freedom: The user must have the option to undo or cancel any action.
Consistency and standards: Web design should follow industry conventions and standards.
Error prevention: The system should avoid errors whenever possible.
Recognition rather than recall: The system should make information easy for the user to remember.
Flexibility and efficiency of use: The system should allow users to perform tasks efficiently and with customized options.
Aesthetics and minimalist design: The system design should be simple and minimalist.
Help users recognize, recognize, and recover from errors: The system should be clear in informing the user of any errors and provide clear instructions for recovering from them.
Help and documentation: The system should provide help and documentation to help the user understand and use the system effectively.
Benefits of performing heuristic evaluation
There are several benefits to performing a heuristic evaluation of a web design.
Early identification of problems: Heuristic evaluation allows usability problems to be identified in the early stages of development, which can save time and resources and of course to prevent setbacks.
Cost savings: Heuristic evaluation can help identify usability problems before they are released to the market, which can save costs in troubleshooting after release.
Improved user satisfaction: Good usability can improve user satisfaction and reduce the bounce or drop-out rate.
Improved user productivity: Heuristic evaluation can identify efficiency problems in the use of the product, which can improve user efficiency and reduce the time required to perform specific actions such as conversions (sales, registrations, downloads and others).
Understanding and improving the user experience is a determining factor in the success of a website, if you see that your site has metrics such as: the average time spent on the site is low, the bounce rate is very high or you do not achieve your conversion goal, it would be important that you review in detail the usability of this.
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