Usability and user experience review – the council of experts
Sometimes it makes sense to involve experts in the evaluation of digital products. Especially when it is not possible to evaluate problems with the help of user testing, it is important to obtain an objective opinion.
Usability and user experience experts can help assess typical usage scenarios as well as interface design solutions and identify usability weaknesses.
When is the right time?
A usability or user experience review can be used early in the development process. Experts can already provide valuable input on scribbles and wireframes. In the implementation phase, reviews help ensure the level of quality. Several reviews in the development process make results comparable and give a good overview of the state of the application.
Which methods are suitable?
We mainly distinguish between two methods to evaluate an application: the Cognitive Walkthrough and the Heuristic Evaluation. In the Cognitive Walkthrough, we put ourselves in the shoes of the user and play through typical usage scenarios, evaluating processes and the associated user experience. In the heuristic evaluation, we assess the application according to recognized usability principles such as DIN standards as well as findings from studies and research.
What next?
The results are then summarized with problem descriptions and optimization proposals. These can then be discussed with stakeholders and departments in a workshop and transformed into a roadmap for revising the application.
Since the findings of such a review can have far-reaching effects on the development of an application, it is all the more important to have them performed only by proven experts. Experience in the use of evaluation procedures and experience gained through many usability tests are indispensable for valid results. In order to incorporate domain knowledge into this process, it is helpful to involve other project participants in the technical execution.