Heuristic Evaluation

Expert review of a product against established usability principles to identify potential 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

low

Minimal resources required

Timeline

short

1-2 weeks

Team Size

single

Can be conducted by one person

Research Goals

evaluation usability

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ Quick to implement
  • ✓ No user recruitment needed
  • ✓ Identifies common usability issues
  • ✓ Cost-effective

Cons

  • × Doesn't involve actual users
  • × May miss context-specific issues
  • × Quality depends on evaluator expertise
  • × Can be subjective

Use Cases

Example Scenario

Evaluating a new dashboard interface against Nielsen's usability heuristics before conducting user testing.

Additional Applications

  • • Interface evaluation
  • • Compliance with usability standards
  • • Quick assessment before user testing