8 th Meeting

1. 8th Meeting Heuristic Evaluation

2. Evaluations Human-Computer Interaction A

3. Heuristic Evaluation (HE) Methodology • Experts evaluate the user interface using guidelines • It’s called Inspection Method,because it depends on evaluator’s judgement • It’s also called Discount Usability Method,because it is more efficient as cheaper than regular usability, yet able to find more problems Human-Computer Interaction A

4. How to do Heuristic Evaluation • It’s a systematic inspection of systemWe go through the whole interfeaces of the system • In regular usability evaluation, we only test particular featuresIn heuristic evaluation, we test every single piece of implementation • Results: list of problems, guidelines violated, and proposed fixes • All of the results from this evaluation are the opinion of the expertsIn regular usability evaluations, the stucks of the participants are the indirect indications of the problems. Human-Computer Interaction A

5. How Many Evaluators? Multiple evaluators are better, but research suggests the optima might be 4 Human-Computer Interaction A

6. How to Conduct Heuristic Evaluation • Reference: http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_evaluation.html • Each evaluator inspects interface separately • OK for designer to answer evaluator’s questionsIn CI, the designer or should not give any clues to the participants. • Go through interface several times using heuristics • Can supply evaluators with scenarios of user tasks Human-Computer Interaction A

7. Ten Basic Principles of HE • Visibility of system status • Match between system and the real world • User control and freedom • Consistency and standards • Error prevention • Recognition rather than recall • Flexibility and efficiency of use • Aesthetic and minimalist design • Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors • Help and Documentation Human-Computer Interaction A

8. 202 More Guidelines • Help users plan goals, tasks • Provide a clear model of how users view system in terms of tasks • Help users with system model, metaphors, work context • Design to match user’s conception of high-level task organization • Help users understand what system features exist and how they can be used in their work context • Help users decompose tasks logically • Make clear all possibilities for what users can do at every point • Keep users aware of system state for planning next task • Keep the task context visible to minimize memory load • Help users plan the most efficient ways to complete their tasks • Keep users aware of task progress, what’s been done and what’s left to do • Provide cognitive affordances at the end of critical tasks to remind users to complete the transaction • Provide effective cognitive affordances that help users get access to system functionality • Help users know/learn what actions are needed to carry out intentions • ... These are primarily intended to guide you to a good design, not to be used for evaluation It is listed in UX Book:Chapter 22, Section 13.4 Human-Computer Interaction A

9. Ten Basic Principles of Heuristic Evaluation Human-Computer Interaction A

10. 1. Visibility of system status • Keep users informed about what is going on • Progress bar • At least any indication that users need to wait • What page they are on and what part of a process • Provide appropriate feedback Human-Computer Interaction A

11. 2. Match between system & the real world • Terminology in user’s language • Not computer terminology • Use common words, not “techno-jargon” • Error messagesand feedback refer touser objects • Allow full-length names  • E.g. “Hit any key to continue” Human-Computer Interaction A

12. 3. User control and freedom • Easy to abort: Cancel buttons • Cancel order, cancel changing a profile • Easy to Undo • Web issue: what does “Back” button do? • Example: many sites can get confused if use back button • Users (even experts) will make errors • Designer cannot anticipate every user path through system • Many hyperlinks  Human-Computer Interaction A

13. 4. Consistency and standards • It's quite hard to keep our system theme consistent, especially when we have many people in our team. • Same command always have the same effect  • Locations for information, names of commands  • Where is the OK button • Pick one and stick with the location of OK | Cancel button • Give the user a mental model of the system • Size, location, color, wording, function, sequencing, etc. • E.g., color purple?If we use orange, it's easy to confuse with red. • naming "F#1.C#1" vs. "F#1", "C#1" Consistent order • consistent with industry standards: e.g., Copy Human-Computer Interaction A

14. 5. Error Prevention • Auto-fill in • Confirmation • Avoid modes • Definition: same user action has different results  • ^F in Outlook can be Forward, can be Find, depends on the location the shortcut is activated.^F can be Full Screen^F Find • Make unavoidable modes visible  • E.g. Typing "daytime" to a mail program • Selection rather than entry • Date popups • Dropdown • Remove or gray-outillegal choices  • Not common for web pagesweb page -> gray-outmobile -> remove Human-Computer Interaction A

15. 6. Recognition rather than recall • Make objects, actions, options visible • See and pick it, not generate it • Short-term memory= 7 ± 2 items; 30 sec to 2 min  • unless interrupted  • Menus rather than type-in (but short enough)  • Auto-fill in helps here too • Prompts provide format and limits • Don't require retyping of remembered information  • Pervasive, generic rules (cut/paste) Human-Computer Interaction A

16. Example: prompts in printing Human-Computer Interaction A

17. 7. Flexibility and efficiency of use • Provide Shortcuts • For experienced users • E.g., Command keys • Jump directly to desired location • Reuse previously entered information • Good default values Human-Computer Interaction A

18. 8. Aesthetic and minimalist design • Good Graphic Design and Color Choice • Appropriately direct attention  • Group related objects (alignment, decorations)  • Balance and white space  • Maintain display inertia  • Few fonts and colors (5 to 7 colors)  • Appropriate contrast  • Some people are color blind (8% of males) Human-Computer Interaction A

19. 8. Aesthetic and minimalist design • “Less is More” • Identify what is really needed • If complex to explain/document, then redesign  • Concise language  • Avoid extraneous pictures and information  • Fewer options and menu choices  • Reduces planning time  • Extra options can confuse users • Reduces manual size, etc.  Human-Computer Interaction A

20. 9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors • Help users when they are in trouble  • Opportunities for users to learn about the system  • Clear language; no codes  • Be precise; Not “syntax error”  • Constructively help the user solve the problem • Tell why the error happened and how to fix it • Be polite and not accusing; positive wording:  • Not: “FATAL ERROR”, etc. Human-Computer Interaction A

21. Error Messages • Blame the system, not the user  • “Unrecognized” vs. “illegal” command  • No humor or snide comments  • Easy error recovery • Can have multiple levels of messages • E.g. in XXX product, “can't save file” — why not? Human-Computer Interaction A

22. Bad Error Messages Human-Computer Interaction A

23. Bad Error Messages It doesn’t help user “recover from errors” Human-Computer Interaction A

24. 10. Help and documentation • Good quality writing • Most people will not read documentation • If do, then • First time product is used, or else • In a panic, so need information right away • Help system is an extra feature to learn Human-Computer Interaction A