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Heuristic evaluation

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IDC IIT Bombay
IDC IIT Bombay

The document summarizes the process of conducting a heuristic evaluation of the "Be the Change" radio website. Key points: - Heuristic evaluation is a usability inspection method where evaluators judge a user interface against recognized usability principles (the "ten heuristics"). - An evaluation of the BC radio site was conducted, identifying several usability problems related to navigation, flexibility, consistency and providing feedback. - Problems were prioritized based on their severity and impact on usability, with major issues like non-working links and unclear status feedback given high priority for fixing.

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Heuristic Evaluation
What is Heuristic Evaluation? Heuristic evaluation is the ¡®discount¡¯ usability engineering method developed by usability consultant Jacob Nielsen. As compared to formalized user testing, this evaluation method proves fast and easy in discovering numerous usability problems, as it does not require access to real users or specialized labs or equipment.
What is Heuristic Evaluation? 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. Nielsen¡¯s Ten Heuristics
Product Info Who made it? ¡°Be the Change¡± Radio was started by a close group of musicians. What for? The web radio station was setup to promote the vast Indian musical talent. What is offered? The website boasts of various music genres like heavy metal, rock, funk, regional music, various music festivals and music channels. Who offers it? The bands that featured are mostly fresh and are not of main stream (Bollywood) music of India.
Our Goal Broad Goal To prepare a prioritized list of usability problems. Main Focus This evaluation focused on the core functionality of BC radio interface, i.e. playing, selection, navigation and sharing songs.
Process Interviews Spoke to users and a cofounder of BC Radio. Usability Goalsetting Tool As per the interviews, filled the UGT. Problems First time users, users who had been exposed to the product a little earlier and users who frequently used the product carried out tasks and listed problems, doubts and expectations from the product. Heuristic Evaluation The problems were then viewed in light of the 10 Heuristic Principles and UGT forms.
Prioritization of Problems Severity Rating Definition Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available on project Usability ca- tastrophe: imper- ative to fix this before product can be releasedMajor usability problem: impor- tant to fix, so should be given high priority Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority I don't agree that this is a usability problem at all 0 1 2 3 4
¡°What do the first 2 icons represent?¡±
¡°Can't find homepage link.¡± Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4: User control and freedom Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
¡°I like this artist. I want to know more about him.¡± User can't explore more about song/artist easily. A link was expected, the tiny facebook page link went unnoticed.
¡°Who are they?¡± About Us content is vague and fails to convey information about the purpose or the makers of the site.
The links of "Business Dev", "Design & Social Media", "Artist Relation", and "Web Coding" are not working. There isn¡¯t any indication in the design show them as dead links. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 1: Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
¡°I¡¯m interested exclusively in Heavy metal.¡± Categories are inflexible to user needs. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 7: Flexibility and efficiency of use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions.
¡°I¡¯m interested exclusively in Hevy metal.¡± Categories are very broad and inflexible to user needs. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 7: Flexibility and efficiency of use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. ¡°I¡¯ like a little of everything. Please surprise me¡± FM won¡®t start unless user chooses a category of music. But playlist stick to only one category. Defies the serendipity of radio.
¡°What¡¯s going on? Has it started? Or what?¡± Page loading takes time but users don¡¯t know the system¡¯s status. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 1: Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
¡°Oh, yeah bhi hai? I didn¡¯t notice it.¡± Even after using it for two days user¡¯s missed the navigate accordian.
Explore by genre Are the same as the categories on the hompage, but users are unable to make the connection due to inconsistancy in labelling and icons. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4:Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
¡°Which one¡¯s the name of the band and which one¡¯s the name of the track?¡±
¡°There¡¯s this awesome track I heard on this radio, but how to search for it now?¡± Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4:Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
¡°I don¡¯t exactly remember the name of that band...¡±(search for band by entering its name on the URL) Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 6: Recognition rather than recall Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
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Heuristic evaluation

  • 2. What is Heuristic Evaluation? Heuristic evaluation is the ¡®discount¡¯ usability engineering method developed by usability consultant Jacob Nielsen. As compared to formalized user testing, this evaluation method proves fast and easy in discovering numerous usability problems, as it does not require access to real users or specialized labs or equipment.
  • 3. What is Heuristic Evaluation? 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. Nielsen¡¯s Ten Heuristics
  • 4. Product Info Who made it? ¡°Be the Change¡± Radio was started by a close group of musicians. What for? The web radio station was setup to promote the vast Indian musical talent. What is offered? The website boasts of various music genres like heavy metal, rock, funk, regional music, various music festivals and music channels. Who offers it? The bands that featured are mostly fresh and are not of main stream (Bollywood) music of India.
  • 5. Our Goal Broad Goal To prepare a prioritized list of usability problems. Main Focus This evaluation focused on the core functionality of BC radio interface, i.e. playing, selection, navigation and sharing songs.
  • 6. Process Interviews Spoke to users and a cofounder of BC Radio. Usability Goalsetting Tool As per the interviews, filled the UGT. Problems First time users, users who had been exposed to the product a little earlier and users who frequently used the product carried out tasks and listed problems, doubts and expectations from the product. Heuristic Evaluation The problems were then viewed in light of the 10 Heuristic Principles and UGT forms.
  • 7. Prioritization of Problems Severity Rating Definition Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available on project Usability ca- tastrophe: imper- ative to fix this before product can be releasedMajor usability problem: impor- tant to fix, so should be given high priority Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority I don't agree that this is a usability problem at all 0 1 2 3 4
  • 8. ¡°What do the first 2 icons represent?¡±
  • 9. ¡°Can't find homepage link.¡± Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4: User control and freedom Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
  • 10. ¡°I like this artist. I want to know more about him.¡± User can't explore more about song/artist easily. A link was expected, the tiny facebook page link went unnoticed.
  • 11. ¡°Who are they?¡± About Us content is vague and fails to convey information about the purpose or the makers of the site.
  • 12. The links of "Business Dev", "Design & Social Media", "Artist Relation", and "Web Coding" are not working. There isn¡¯t any indication in the design show them as dead links. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 1: Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
  • 13. ¡°I¡¯m interested exclusively in Heavy metal.¡± Categories are inflexible to user needs. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 7: Flexibility and efficiency of use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions.
  • 14. ¡°I¡¯m interested exclusively in Hevy metal.¡± Categories are very broad and inflexible to user needs. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 7: Flexibility and efficiency of use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. ¡°I¡¯ like a little of everything. Please surprise me¡± FM won¡®t start unless user chooses a category of music. But playlist stick to only one category. Defies the serendipity of radio.
  • 15. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Has it started? Or what?¡± Page loading takes time but users don¡¯t know the system¡¯s status. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 1: Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
  • 16. ¡°Oh, yeah bhi hai? I didn¡¯t notice it.¡± Even after using it for two days user¡¯s missed the navigate accordian.
  • 17. Explore by genre Are the same as the categories on the hompage, but users are unable to make the connection due to inconsistancy in labelling and icons. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4:Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
  • 18. ¡°Which one¡¯s the name of the band and which one¡¯s the name of the track?¡±
  • 19. ¡°There¡¯s this awesome track I heard on this radio, but how to search for it now?¡± Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 4:Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
  • 20. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly remember the name of that band...¡±(search for band by entering its name on the URL) Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 6: Recognition rather than recall Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. Neilson¡¯s Heuristic Principle 9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.