Cognitive Walkthrough
Step-by-step evaluation of a task flow from a user's perspective to identify usability issues.
Research Classification
Research Type
Attitudinal Behavioral
Behavioral: Focuses on what people do: their actual behaviors and actions.
Data Type
Qualitative Quantitative
Qualitative: Collects non-numerical data like observations, interviews, and open-ended responses.
Requirements
Budget
lowMinimal resources required
Timeline
short1-2 weeks
Team Size
singleCan be conducted by one person
Research Goals
evaluation usability
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Focuses on user goals and tasks
- ✓ No user recruitment needed
- ✓ Identifies learnability issues
- ✓ Can be done early in development
Cons
- × Limited to predefined tasks
- × Doesn't involve actual users
- × May miss unexpected usage patterns
- × Requires understanding of user mental models
Use Cases
Example Scenario
Evaluating how a new user would complete a registration process by analyzing each step from their perspective.
Additional Applications
- • First-time user experience
- • Task completion analysis
- • Learnability assessment