CO2401 Software Development Lecture 19 Notes

CO2401: Software Development
Lecture 19


Introduction to User Interface Evaluation
1. Purpose of UI Evaluation:
o UI Evaluation is crucial for assessing the effectiveness, efficiency,
and satisfaction with which users can achieve their goals using a
user interface.
o Main Goals:

 Identify usability problems in the design.
 Measure the performance of users in completing tasks.
 Gather feedback to improve user experience.
Heuristic Evaluation
1. Definition:
o Heuristic Evaluation: A method for identifying usability problems
in a user interface by comparing it against established heuristics
(rules of thumb).
o Origin: Proposed by Jakob Nielsen, known as Nielsen’s Heuristics.

o Process:

 A group of experts independently reviews the interface,
identifies problems, and then consolidates their findings.
2. Evaluation Process:
o Multiple Evaluators (3 to 5):

 Each evaluator uses heuristics to examine the interface.
 Typically involves two passes: one to familiarize with the
interface and another to identify issues.
o Reporting:

 Problems are recorded in relation to a specific heuristic.
 Evaluators assign severity ratings to problems based on their
impact on the user.