Site Usability Evaluation

To save the time and money involved with testing with users (and to postpone the inevitable and often problematic user feedback), there is a technique they call Heuristic Evaluation (NB. "heuristic" => "rule of thumb").

• Note: this technique is not intended to replace user testing; but can "focus a usability test".
• designing such tests is harder than it sounds

Whether it is formally identified in the design/development schedule, this is the process that every team undertakes as it proposes, debates, sifts, and accepts and/or rejects its designs. "Heuristic evaluation involves ..."

• identifying your heuristics,
• gathering opinions about the usability of your site,
• merging and rating the problems that were identified,
• and then trying to work toward solutions.

The Ten most important Usability Rules

    1.Visibility of system status 
    2.Match between system and the real world 
    3.User control and freedom 
    4.Consistency and standards 
    5.Error prevention 
    6.Recognition rather than recall 
    7.Flexibility and efficiency of use 
    8.Aesthetic and minimalist design 
    9.Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors 
   10.Help and documentation 

The evaluation does NOT require a working system: could be screen dumps or even on paper. Important note: comments should be solicited by Usability category

• Notice that evaluation, merging, and rating (whatever scheme is used) is a matter of soliciting opinion in a more or less democratic process
• Notice that the "solutions" section is vague and general
• Notice that the standard example is consistency problems
• Notice that consistency problems are only ranked fourth on the list above

Some random quotes (mostly WWW related)

• Make sure each page is branded and that you indicate which section it belongs to.
• A "home" button on every page is a simple way to let users feel in control of your site.
• Be careful when forcing users into certain fonts, colors, screen widths or browser versions. And watch out for some of those "advanced technologies": usually user control is not added until the technology has matured. One example is animated GIFs. Until browsers let users stop and restart the animations, they can do more harm than good.
• One of the most common cases of inconsistent wording I see deals with links, page titles and page headers. Check the titles and headers for your pages against the links that point to them.
• The best way to help make sure you are not providing too much (or too little) information at once is to use progressive levels of detail.

What about actual user testing?

• Know your Purpose
• Find Ordinary Users
• Watch & Learn
  • This is where it starts to get difficult
  • (try to be quiet and courteous)
• Collect the Data
• Back to the Drawing Board

• Find this quote: "Here are some common misspellings of my name (included to help search users): Jacob Nielsen, Jakob Neilsen, Jacob Neilsen, Jakob Nielson, Jacob Nielson, Jakob Neilson, Jacob Neilson, Jakob Nilsen, Jacob Nilsen, Jakob Nelson, Jacob Nelson"