Worksheet

Heuristic Evaluation Scorecard

Score an existing interface against ten usability principles

Use this when: Reviewing a product you already have
Time needed: 60–90 minutes per pass
Who’s involved: 1–3 reviewers, working on their own first
You end up with: A prioritized list of usability problems

How to use it

Walk through your interface one task at a time, judging it against ten well-worn usability principles. Rate the severity of each problem you find. Do a pass on your own first, then compare with a colleague. People notice different things, and the disagreements are useful.

0: Not a usability problem
1: Cosmetic: fix if time allows
2: Minor: low priority
3: Major: important to fix
4: Catastrophe: fix before release

The ten principles

Principle	What to check	Severity	Issues found, and where
1 Visibility of system status	Does it keep users informed with timely feedback?
2 Match with the real world	Does it speak the user’s language, not internal jargon?
3 User control and freedom	Are there clear exits, undo, and a way back?
4 Consistency and standards	Do similar things look and behave the same way?
5 Error prevention	Does it prevent mistakes before they happen?
6 Recognition over recall	Are options visible rather than memorized?
7 Flexibility and efficiency	Are there shortcuts for experienced users?
8 Aesthetic and minimalist design	Is anything irrelevant competing for attention?
9 Help users with errors	Are error messages plain, specific, and constructive?
10 Help and documentation	Is help easy to find and tied to real tasks?

Catastrophes (4): 0
Major (3): 0
Minor (2): 0
Cosmetic (1): 0

Used in Audit & Quick Wins, Website Redesign · PDF version