Usability Heuristics by Jakob Nielsen

Overview

• Created in 1994 by Danish usability expert Jakob Nielsen.
• Heuristics are high-level principles applicable to various user interfaces.
• Usability and user experience (UX) are closely related; good usability leads to good UX.

Key Concepts

• Usability: Ease of use of a product.
• Value: The benefit provided to users (e.g., buying tickets).
• Interface: The means through which users interact with the product.
• Brand: User experience can also be influenced by brand reputation.

Elements to Measure User Experience

• Usability
• Value provided by the product
• Interface design
• Brand reputation

Categories of Heuristics

1. Familiarity
2. Empowerment of Users
3. Clarity
4. Error Prevention

Detailed Usability Heuristics

Category 1: Familiarity

1. Visibility of System Status

   • Example: iPhone home screen displaying status indicators (time, Wi-Fi, battery, etc.).
   • Important for providing real-time feedback to users.

2. Match Between System and the Real World

   • Example: Online payment forms resemble physical credit card usage; e-commerce terms like "shopping cart" mirror real-world experiences.

3. Recognition Rather than Recall

   • Recognizing a file in Sketch instead of recalling its location.
   • Easier for users to process information quickly.

Category 2: Empowerment of Users

4. User Control and Freedom

   • Example: iPhone home button to exit undesirable states; Gmail's undo send feature.

5. Flexibility and Efficiency of Use

   • Catering to both beginners and advanced users.
   • Examples: Keyboard shortcuts in various applications.

6. Help and Documentation

   • Not all products require help documentation; simpler products are intuitive.
   • Complex products (e.g., Slack) benefit from clear documentation.

Category 3: Clarity

7. Consistency and Standards

   • Example: Google apps using material design for uniformity across platforms.
   • Consistency aids in user comprehension.

8. Aesthetics and Minimalist Design

   • Example: iOS control center's clean interface without unnecessary text.
   • Focus on clarity and ease of use through visual design.

Category 4: Error Prevention

9. Error Prevention

   • Example: Password creation screens showing criteria met, preventing errors.

10. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors

• Example: Google Maps providing suggestions for misspellings or errors in place names.

Conclusion

• Usability heuristics are valuable tools for assessing and improving user interfaces.
• Encouraged to explore experiences with usability heuristics and their applicability.