Heuristic Evaluation

Definitions

1. A usability inspection method where a small group of evaluators examines an interface against a set of recognized usability principles (heuristics), such as Nielsen's 10 heuristics, to identify design problems without user testing.

   In plain English: A quick expert review of an app or website where UX specialists check it against a checklist of good design rules. It's faster and cheaper than user testing, but it catches different kinds of problems.

   Example: "We ran a heuristic evaluation before the beta launch and caught 34 violations — the worst was inconsistent error messages across every form."

Related Terms

• Dark Pattern
• Affordance
• Information Architecture