Heuristic Analysis
As you work with teams on Actionable Research Question, and better Development Cycle Coupling, you may not have the time to conduct live research or product testing, and can look to employ other forms of thoughtful, rigorous evaluation.
The challenge
External constraints (time, budget, skill, will) can push products and services to deliver sub-optimal experiences. Organizations move on to the next project before going back and filling in the gaps—even when known. Over time these issues, breakdowns, and rough edges accumulate. And there’s never enough time to understand the implications of it all on the user experience.
The approach
Consider what we already know about basic product principles: usability, information architecture, platform convention, and visual design best practices. Many problems in existing services can be uncovered with a focused eye and thoughtful evaluation.
Therefore, conduct heuristic analyses on products or services you work with. Do this as a matter of course for projects you are new to, to learn the product and become critically familiar. Use heuristic analyses as quick spikes when time is short, and for any service that has been subject to a continuously fast team, or no team at all.
As a result of insights uncovered, you may employ Bug & Defect Tracking. To build shared understanding and spark action, use Effective Reporting and add your results to Public Project Index.
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