CSE 440 - Introduction to HCI - Autumn 2024

Assignment 4.2: Heuristic Evaluation

Due: Thursday, November 14, 3:00pm

This assignment is a component of Milestone 4. Be sure you have reviewed that larger context for this assignment.

The goal of this assignment is to conduct and receive heuristic evaluations as part of rapidly iterating on your paper prototype.

Sign up to provide heuristic evaluation to another group.

Conduct a heuristic evaluation using Nielsen's heuristics:

nielsen-heuristics.pdf

Identify at least 6 potential usability issues. The most important or severe issues you identify should be provided first. If you identify additional issues you want to share with the group you are evaluating, you may provide more.

For each issue identified in evaluation, record:

  • Where in the prototype you identified a potential usability issue. This should include at least one image of the relevant portion of the prototype. Copy that image from the other group's Assignment 4.1 deck into your own Assignment 4.2 deck, being careful you do not accidentally modify the other group's paper prototype. Within your own deck, annotate the image as necessary to highlight the potential usability issue.
  • A heuristic that appears violated.
  • A description of the potential usability issue.

Provide your heuristic evaluation to the group you evaluated.

As your group works toward usability testing, review heuristic evaluations provided to your group to determine how to iterate on your paper prototype. This should include fixing major issues before additional usability tests. If desired, you may also conduct a heuristic evaluation or cognitive walkthrough of your own paper prototype. Keep a detailed record of revisions (e.g., images of the relevant portion of the prototype before and after revision). Assignment 4.3 includes a need to report revisions throughout your iterative design process.

Your tasks and associated stories are likely stable, but revise them if your evaluation reveals a need.

We recommend you work on paper, then capture high-quality images (e.g., avoid shadows). You may alternatively use an informal drawing tool, but be sure you do not adopt a tool that will start to embed unnecessary assumptions or decisions in your design process.

If you use an informal drawing tool, you will need to have physical copies of your paper prototype available for usability testing. You will also need the ability to quickly iterate on your paper prototype.

Submission

Due: Thursday, November 14, 3:00pm

Within the Drive folder for course project files:

  • Sign up for a heuristic evaluation slot of another group.

  • Identify the Slides deck corresponding to Assignment 4.1 for that group. You must not modify that deck, but will use it to review their paper prototype.

  • Identify the Slides deck corresponding to this assignment for that group. There will be multiple decks for this assignment, be sure to identify the deck corresponding to the slot for which you signed up. The deck provides a template for this assignment. Edit the deck in-place, so that group can easily access your heuristic evaluation.

  • Prepare a Slides deck with the following structure:

    • 1 slide: Name of the person conducting the heuristic evaluation.

    • 1 slide for each potential usability issue (at least 6):

      • Where in the prototype you identify a potential usability issue.
      • A heuristic that appears violated.
      • A description of the potential usability issue.

Reminders and requirements:

  • Submission via Canvas is also required, in support of grading.

    • Remove instruction slides and template markings from your deck before submission.

    • Export a PDF of your deck, via the menu: File -> Download -> PDF Document (.pdf).

  • This is an individual assignment. Ensure your name is near the top of your submission.

  • Review and follow guidance on Clarity and Presentation.

The Drive folder for course project files is here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Sm12CpuMNsKBqk6E_Ri875hfFs0A-IRS?usp=drive_link

Submit via Canvas here:

https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1746586/assignments/9793114

Completion Grading

This assignment will be graded on completion of the following components:

  1. Potential Usability Issues

    Identify at least 6 potential usability issues. The most important or severe issues you identify should be provided first. If you identify additional issues you want to share with the group you are evaluating, you may provide more.

    For each issue identified in evaluation, provide:

    • Where in the prototype you identify a potential usability issue, including at least one image of the relevant portion of the prototype. Annotate the image as necessary to highlight the potential usability issue.
    • A heuristic that appears violated.
    • A description of the potential usability issue.

  2. Clarity and Presentation

Prior Samples

Samples are from prior offerings that had different requirements. Samples are also intended only to illustrate a variety of approaches, and were not selected to be ideal or exemplary. These may help to see how prior students approached elements of a project, but be sure to understand and consider requirements and feedback in your own work.