UX Checklist | Nadia Mackay

The ultimate UX principles and heuristics checklist

Before you start

▢ User opportunity / problem

▢ Business goals + relevancy

▢ User journey

▢ Context of user

▢ Begin with the end in mind

Design with intent

1. Is it…

▢ Useful

▢ Usable

▢ Desirable

▢ Findable

▢ Accessible

▢ Credible

▢ Contextual

▢ Learnable

▢ Efficient

▢ Intuitive

2. No need = no build

3. Data matters

What data do you have to backup / inform design decisions?

4. Zoom out to see the big picture. Zoom in and think about each step

Cognitive Load

1. Miller’s Law

The average person can only keep 7 (+/- 2) items in their working memory

2. Serial Position Effect

Users have a propensity to best remember the first + last items in a series

3. Reduce need to recall information

'Don’t make me think'

Information Architecture

1. Ask…

▢ Where am I?

▢ What can I find here?

▢ Where can I go from here?

2. Sense of…

▢ Scale

▢ Direction

▢ Location

3. Funnel Optimisation

Reduce minimum steps
Simplest, fastest, logical route
Linked resources should not pull user out of funnel

4. How do you want to guide user?

Flexibility + efficiency of use
Each step in sequence is apparent to user
Fitt’s Law
- Time to target = distance x size
Hick’s Law
- Time to make a decision = number x complexity
Jakob’s Law
- Learnt usability patterns = user experience expectations
Occam’s Razor Law
- On an equal playing field - the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected
Pareto Principle
- Most common / important functions = easiest to find
- 80/20 principle

5. Is the user in control?

Postel’s Law
- Robustness principle = Accept liberally + Send/Do conservatively

UX Copywriting

1. Simpler + shorter!

BASKET! principle = to the point
Titles are clear + descriptive
Avoid vague + obtuse language

2. Only the information needed is shown

Additional info available on demand
Minimal explanatory text

3. Consistent + familiar terminology

4. Be human

Show some character
Personalise the experience
No kitchey / inauthentic tropes

UI, Visual + Interaction Design

1. Aesthetic Visibility Effect

Usable design = user perception x aesthetically pleasing design

2. UI is appropriate to user context

3. Design Standards / Patterns vs Creativity

4. Function vs Aesthetics

5. Consistency

6. Minimal = Less is more

7. Visual cues

Law of Prägnanz
- Ambiguous / complex images = simple interpretation = least cognitive effort
Visual hierarchy
Contextual to system
Clear for new users

8. Affordance

Cue / sign communicated by the object

9. Gestalt Law

Hierarchy of influence between elements is apparent
Law of Common Region
- Elements seen as groups = sharing area w/ clearly defined boundary
Law of Proximity
- Objects near / proximate each other = grouped together
Law of Similarity
- Similar elements = complete picture group even if separated
Law of Uniform Connectedness
- Visually connected elements = more related than elements w/ no connection
Von Restorff Effect
- The black sheep in a flock
- “Isolation effect” = the one that differs most from the rest = most likely to be remembered

10. Scannability

11. Accessibility

Symbol / text meets minimum size, space and contrast requirements
Consider the environment and context of user interacting w/ product

Feedback Loops

1. Clear metaphor between control + real world

2. Visibility of system status

Tesler’s Law
- Law of conservation of complexity = certain amount of complexity cannot be reduced
Can the user understand the error?
Clear and effective

3. Doherty Threshold

Productivity = (computer + user interacting) - waiting time

4. Parkinson’s Law

Task completion = inflation of time x available time

5. Zeigarnik Effect

Uncompleted / Interrupted task memorability vs completed

Error Handling

1. Leave room for user error

2. Design for error prevention

Provide easy reversal of actions
Help user recognise + recover from errors

3. Help + support are readily available

NADIA MACKAY.

UX Researcher