User Interface Inspection Methods This page intentionally left blank User Interface Inspection Methods A User-Centered Design Method Chauncey Wilson AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Morgan Kaufmann is an imprint of Elsevier Acquiring Editor: Meg Dunkerley Development Editor: Heather Scherer Project Manager: Mohana Natarajan Morgan Kaufmann is an imprint of Elsevier 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA First published 2014 Copyright r 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangement with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-0-12-410391-7 For information on all MK publications visit our website at www.mkp.com CONTENTS Inspections and Walkthroughs ............................................................. ix Chapter 1 Heuristic Evaluation.............................................................1 Overview of Heuristic Evaluation.........................................................2 When Should You Use Heuristic Evaluation? ......................................7 Strengths...............................................................................................8 Weaknesses ...........................................................................................9 What Resources Do You Need to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation?.....................................................................................11 Procedures and Practical Advice on the Heuristic Evaluation Method ...........................................................................................14 Variations and Extensions of the Heuristic Evaluation Method.........24 Major Issues in the Use of the Heuristic Evaluation Method.............27 Data, Analysis, and Reporting ...........................................................30 Conclusions ........................................................................................32 Chapter 2 The Individual Expert Review ............................................33 Overview of the Individual Expert Review .........................................34 Strengths.............................................................................................36 Weaknesses .........................................................................................36 What Do You Need to Use the Individual Expert Review? ...............37 Procedures and Practical Advice on the Individual Expert Review Method ..............................................................................38 Variations and Extensions to the Individual Expert Review...............45 Major Issues in the Use of the Individual Expert Review ..................46 Data, Analysis, and Reporting ...........................................................46 Conclusions ........................................................................................48 vi Contents Chapter 3 Perspective-Based UI Inspection.........................................49 Overview of Perspective-Based UI Inspections ...................................50 When Should You Use a Perspective-Based Inspection? ....................52 Strengths.............................................................................................53 Weaknesses .........................................................................................53 What Do You Need to Use the Perspective-Based Inspection? ..........54 Procedures and Practical Advice on the Perspective-Based Inspection .......................................................................................56 Variations and Extensions to the Perspective-Based Inspection Method..........................................................................59 Major Issues in the Use of the Perspective-Based Inspections Method ........................................................................61 Data, Analysis, and Reporting ...........................................................63 Conclusions ........................................................................................63 Bibliography .......................................................................................63 Chapter 4 Cognitive Walkthrough ......................................................65 Overview of the Cognitive Walkthrough ............................................66 When Should You Use the Cognitive Walkthrough? .........................67 Strengths.............................................................................................67 Weaknesses .........................................................................................68 What Do You Need to Use the Cognitive Walkthrough Method?.......69 Procedures and Practical Advice on the Cognitive Walkthrough Method.....................................................................70 Variations and Extensions to the Cognitive Walkthrough..................75 Major Issues in the Use of the Cognitive Walkthrough......................75 Data, Analysis, and Reporting ...........................................................79 Conclusions ........................................................................................79 Chapter 5 Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough ......................................81 Overview of the Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough ............................82 When Should You Use the Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough?..........82 Strengths.............................................................................................83 Weaknesses .........................................................................................83 Contents vii What Do You Need to Use This Method?.........................................84 Procedures and Practical Advice on the Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough Method.....................................................................85 Variations and Extensions to the Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough Method...............................................................................................94 Major Issues in the Use of the Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough Method...............................................................................................96 Data, Analysis, and Reporting ...........................................................97 Conclusions ........................................................................................97 Chapter 6 Formal Usability Inspections ..............................................99 Overview of Formal Usability Inspections .......................................100 When Should You Use Formal Usability Inspections?.....................101 Strengths...........................................................................................101 Weaknesses .......................................................................................103 What Do You Need to Use the Formal Usability Inspection? .........103 Procedures and Practical Advice on Formal Usability Inspections.....107 Major Issues with Formal Usability Inspections ..............................116 Data, Analysis, and Reporting .........................................................118 Conclusions ......................................................................................121 References.........................................................................................123 This page intentionally left blank INSPECTIONS AND WALKTHROUGHS Inspections and walkthroughs started as software engineering methods for improving the quality of requirements, documentation, and code (Fagan, 1976; Gilb & Graham, 1993). The inspection and walkthrough approaches used in software engineering were partially borrowed by usability practi- tioners in the late 1980s and early 1990s for use in evaluating software and hardware for