Heuristic Evaluation
An expert eye catches problems users shouldn't have to discover.
What is it?
Heuristic evaluation is an expert review method where evaluators assess a product against established usability principles (typically Nielsen's 10 heuristics). It quickly identifies usability issues without recruiting participants.
When to use it
Use heuristic evaluation as a quick, low-cost quality check before usability testing, during design reviews, or when evaluating competitor products.
How to do it
Select 3-5 evaluators with UX expertise.
Define the scope: which flows, screens, or features to evaluate.
Each evaluator independently reviews the product against the 10 heuristics.
Document issues with severity ratings (cosmetic, minor, major, catastrophic).
Consolidate findings and prioritize based on impact and frequency.
Pro tips
Multiple evaluators catch more issues. One expert finds about 35% of problems.
This is a complement to usability testing, not a replacement. Experts aren't users.