Ten Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design

Heuristics are a set of general principles used in interactive design to ensure usability and provide a relatively simple and quick testing regime to identify problems and possible solutions. Simply stated, heuristic is a fast and practical way to solve problems or make decisions. In user experience (UX) design, professional evaluators use heuristic evaluation to systematically determine a design’s/product’s usability.

Jakob Nielsen’s ten general principles for interaction design are called "heuristics" because they are broad rules of thumb and not specific usability guidelines. They include:

1. Visibility of system status

The system should always show the status of an on-going operation to the users until it is done. So the user will get a clear understanding of the progress of that particular process/activity. Never create a situation where the user is completely confused over certain progress/process.

2. Match Between System and Real World

Interaction with the user is a key point in product success. To make interaction easier between users and product, try using the components that are familiar to them. We can make that done by matching the design system with the real world. We can use texts, icons, illustrations, etc: that are familiar to the end users so that they can relate them with everyday things and easily understand the purpose of each element.

3. User Control and freedom

User needs complete control and freedom over the entire system. The system should help them to undo an action that happened by mistake. Frustrating usability issues would never help to retain users. That is how it is becoming one of the important points in this topic.

4. Consistency and Standard

We should follow the consistency and standard throughout product design. Consistency is not only for colors and button styles, but it is also for the overall experience. Don’t let the users be confused by adding a different kind of experiences on different task flows. If we are choosing popup as a solution to a problem, then use the same solution on all the similar situations. Let them used to it.

5. Error Prevention

Users are humans. Humans tend to do mistakes. So we should always keep an eye to avoid those possible mistakes by giving appropriate suggestions and notifications when needed.

6. Recognition Rather than recall

Try to minimize the use of the user’s memory. Suggest them the options that they might need. Or remind them to complete a certain task that needs to be done soon. Don't let the users think too much or recall her/his memory to complete tasks.

7. Flexibility and efficiency of use

The design should be easier to use for all the user groups. Even though we have only one set of a user group, then there would be novice users and experienced ones. We need to satisfy both those categories. We cannot stick to expert users, because all of them were beginners once.

8. Aesthetic and Minimalist design

This sounds familiar as we are following this as a routine. Aesthetic and Minimalist design is not about adding white space. Its all about giving relevant data and removing all the unwanted things. Grab users attention towards the action need to be done there. Or give exact data that they want to see. Don't put irrelevant data and elements to confuse the users.

Google.com is a perfect example of aesthetic and minimalist design. Also, have a look at the other search engines to see the difference

9. Help users recognize, diagnose and recover from errors

Help the users to identify what is the exact error and suggest a way to get rid of that. If the user is not getting a helping hand on an error, they will definitely move away from the product.

10. Help and Documentation

The presence of a user in the help page indicates that our product is not that intuitive(in most cases). But if we still think that our design is perfect, then we need to put more attention towards those kinds of users. This is why help and documentation are very important for better user experience.

These guidelines are general rules of thumb and will mostly be applicable to any web & mobile application with some exceptions. Always use your judgment to implement these principles or any other UX practices by keeping yourself in end user’s shoes.