Software Interface Heuristic Evaluation

Software Interface Heuristic Evaluation Assignment

Conduct a heuristic evaluation of a software interface (e.g., website,

program, or phone app). This is the same technique used by user experience (UX)

professionals. Although they have more expertise in applying the heuristics, your evaluation will

benefit from your growing human factors knowledge.

The best software interface for this activity is one that has frustrated you in the past. This will

give you plenty to write about.

Instructions

Read this article from Jakob Nielsen for background on how this technique is used in real

usability testing: http://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-to-conduct-a-heuristic-evaluation/.

Evaluation will consist of a series of issues (problems with the software

interface) along with a heuristic and proposed solution for each. You can use either Lee’s 15

principles of display design from the textbook (pgs. 247-252) or Nielsen’s heuristics

(http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/). See the example at the bottom of

these instructions.

The report will list the top issues with the display design along with a

heuristic that supports your argument. Finally, each issue will have a proposed solution.

Make sure to include pictures of the software interface in your write-up that illustrate the

problems you are highlighting. You may decide to annotate the pictures to help the reader

understand the issues.

5 issues + heuristics + recommendations sets are required.

Example (from a physical device rather than a software interface)

One example issue in your report might look like this ( need 5+ of these):

Issue # 1: The switch has arrows pointing in the direction it should be turned on and off but it

could easily be confused with the furnace and emergency labels. Additionally, the on and off

labels are on the opposite sides of the arrow, so when the switch is on it is closer to the off

label, and vice versa.

Heuristic Violated: Lee’s Principle of Display Design #3 – Proximity Compatibility

Proposed Solution: The terms “Furnace” and “Emergency” should be grouped together and

placed at the top of the switch. The “on” label should be placed near the top position of the

switch and the “off” label should be placed at the bottom of the switch.