Good UX can be hard to define, because there are no hard and fast rules that define good UX. A user’s experience is, after all, going to be highly dependent on the user, and one user’s tastes and preferences will almost certainly never match up exactly to another’s. Every user is different. That’s why it’s important to have a set of guiding principles, to inform your UX design.
Luckily, we don’t have to start from scratch; such sets of guiding principles already exist. One such set is Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. Initially developed in 1990, Nielsen refined his list in 1994, and it has remained unchanged since. With 27 years and counting of results behind them, Nielsen’s heuristics provide a solid foundation on which to build your UX design. The following is a summary of Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics.
1. Visibility of system status
Users should be continually apprised of what the system is doing, so that they can make informed decisions about next steps. Feedback should be prompt, and any action that will have consequences to the user should be clearly communicated to them before it is done.
2. Match between system and the real world
Always keep your audience in mind. Make sure that the experience they are having accurately reflects their world. Avoid jargon, and make sure that your information is presented in a logical manner, adhering as strongly as possible to real-world conventions.
3. User control and freedom
Mistakes will happen in any environment, and that is why you should be sure your user has clearly marked “emergency exits.” Users will feel more confident using and exploring your product when they know that their mistakes can be easily undone.
4. Consistency and standards
Your product is not the only one people use. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of what other products they may be using, and follow standards and conventions accordingly. Your user shouldn’t feel like they have to re-invent the wheel when using your product; it should feel familiar and predictable.
5. Error prevention
Just like the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Clear error messages are important, but it’s even better when there are guardrails in place to make sure your users never have to read your error messages in the first place. You can’t prevent every mistake, however, so it’s important to prioritize; concentrate primarily on preventing high-cost errors. This can be done by warning the user, or requiring confirmation before preceding, and goes hand in hand with the first heuristic on this list.
6. Recognition rather than recall
Reduce cognitive load on your users and minimize the amount of information your user has to recall from memory. Instead, make sure tools and information in your interface are easily recognizable, and remain consistent throughout your design.
7. Flexibility and efficiency of use
Just like someone familiar with an area knows all the best shortcuts, advanced users should be able to speed up and optimize their workflow, without compromising usability for novices. Allowing for customization and tailoring is a good way to achieve this.
8. Aesthetic and minimalist design
Focus only on what is essential. This means that your design should place priority on your user’s primary goals, without allowing unnecessary clutter. Too much information can distract your user.
9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
When errors do arise, your user should feel empowered to understand what is wrong and how to fix it. Once again, avoid jargon, and present the error in language your user will understand. Wherever possible offer your user solutions and actions that they can take to recover from the error.
10. Help and documentation
Documentation should be easily searchable and task-oriented. It should be concise, and offer concrete, step-by-step instructions that your user can easily follow.
Keeping these heuristics in mind during the design process will help to ensure a good experience for your users. Of course, these are not set in stone, and, depending on your product, all 10 may not apply. To find out more about the usability heuristics, visit the Nielsen Norman Group’s website.