Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics
Jakob Nielsen's ten general principles for interaction design — the heuristic-evaluation checklist behind the UX Snapshot's usability lens.
This rubric is the transparent basis for the UX Index methodology.
1.Visibility of system status
The design should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate, timely feedback.
2.Match between the system and the real world
Speak the users' language with familiar words, phrases, and concepts; follow real-world conventions so information appears in a natural, logical order.
3.User control and freedom
Users need a clearly marked emergency exit — undo and redo — to leave an unwanted state without an extended dialogue.
4.Consistency and standards
Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing; follow platform and industry conventions.
5.Error prevention
Even better than good error messages is a careful design that prevents problems from occurring in the first place.
6.Recognition rather than recall
Minimize memory load by making elements, actions, and options visible; the user should not have to remember information from one part of the interface to another.
7.Flexibility and efficiency of use
Accelerators — unseen by the novice — can speed up interaction for the expert so the design serves both inexperienced and experienced users.
8.Aesthetic and minimalist design
Interfaces should not contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed; every extra unit of content competes with the relevant units.
9.Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Error messages should be expressed in plain language, precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
10.Help and documentation
It is best if the system needs no documentation, but help may be necessary — easy to search, focused on the user's task, and listing concrete steps.
Cite this framework
Reference this page in your own research, design docs, or audits:
TYPENORM. "Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics." TYPENORM Frameworks Library. https://typenorm.com/labs/frameworks/heuristics
Explore the rest of the frameworks library or see how these lenses produce a score in the UX Index methodology.