JISC Digitisation programme meeting Bath, 14-15 February 200

!emma "i#har$son, %he &ationa' (r#hi)es

*eb +sabi'ity ,-pert re)ie./ 0euristi# e)a'uation metho$
Nielsens 10 heuristics www.useit.com

11 2isibi'ity o3 system status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through
appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
21 4at#h bet.een system an$ the rea' .or'$
The system should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts
familiar to the user, rather than systemoriented terms. !ollow realworld con"entions,
making information appear in a natural and logical order.
51 +ser #ontro' an$ 3ree$om
#sers often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked
$emergency e%it$ to lea"e the unwanted state without ha"ing to go through an e%tended
dialogue. &upport undo and redo.
41 Consisten#y an$ stan$ar$s
#sers should not ha"e to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean
the same thing. !ollow platform con"entions.
51 ,rror pre)ention
'"en better than good error messages is a careful design which pre"ents a problem
from occurring in the first place. 'ither eliminate errorprone conditions or check for them
and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action.
61 "e#ognition rather than re#a''
(inimi)e the user's memory load by making ob*ects, actions, and options "isible. The
user should not ha"e to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another.
+nstructions for use of the system should be "isible or easily retrie"able whene"er
appropriate.
71 F'e-ibi'ity an$ e33i#ien#y o3 use
,ccelerators unseen by the no"ice user may often speed up the interaction for the
e%pert user such that the system can cater to both ine%perienced and e%perienced
users. ,llow users to tailor fre-uent actions.
1 (estheti# an$ minima'ist $esign
.ialogues should not contain information which is irrele"ant or rarely needed. '"ery
e%tra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the rele"ant units of information and
diminishes their relati"e "isibility.
81 0e'p users re#ogni9e, $iagnose, an$ re#o)er 3rom errors
'rror messages should be e%pressed in plain language /no codes0, precisely indicate
the problem, and constructi"ely suggest a solution.
101 0e'p an$ $o#umentation
'"en though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be
necessary to pro"ide help and documentation. ,ny such information should be easy to
search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too
large.
0euristi# tas:
http122www.reigatebanstead.go".uk
The stated aim of the 3eigate and 4anstead 5ouncil website is as follows1
63eigate 7 4anstead 4orough 5ouncil pro"ides its website as a comprehensi"e guide to
the 5ouncil's ser"ices together with information on li"ing and working in the borough. +t
also pro"ides a range of online application forms for "arious 5ouncil ser"ices8
#sing the 10 rules pro"ided perform the tasks listed below.
1; Fin$ out about ser)i#es .here I 'i)e
Type in postcode and click the go button 93:1 ;<N=
5lick accept T75s
5lick on house number and press submit
5hose one of the links to find out more information
5lick on back button to return to inde% page
2; Fin$ out ho. to pay a #ar par:ing 3ine
5lick on ways to pay link, top left of screen
5; *hat #onne#tions there are 3rom "eigate train station<
9!rom homepage= 5lick on transport 7 streets in left na"igation
5lick on train tra"el in left na"igation
5lick on &ee what connections> in middle of page
4; "eturn to the home page 3rom the #urrent page
5lick on home in breadcrumb trail
5; Fin$ the Imp'ementing ,'e#troni# !o)ernment re)ie. pane'=s report
5lick on 5ouncil 7 .emocracy in left na"igation
5lick on committee meetings in left na"igation
5lick on committees in left na"igation
5lick on o"er"iew 7 scrutiny in left na"igation
5lick on re"iew panels in left na"igation
5lick on ?00@2A in left na"igation
5lick on +'B scrutiny in left na"igation
&croll for report
6; *hat par:s there are in the borough
5lick on leisure in left na"igation
5lick on parks 7 countryside in left na"igation
5lick on parks 7 playgrounds in middle of page
5lick on directory of parks /left or middle of page0
7; "eturn to the 'eisure page 3rom the #urrent page
5lick on leisure in breadcrumb trail