Heuristic Evaluation Revisited#

We return to heuristic evaluation here. This is such an important method in interaction design it warrants revisiting and seeing its multiple dimensions. The following reading is worth going through in depth.

• Reading: Interaction Design - Preece, pg. 501-508, 16.2.1 Heuristic Evaluation

Task#

• Consider the following design guidelines for information design listed below. For each guideline suggest examples (real or imaginary) of how this could be applied to the design of a dictation or speech-to-text function in an app like Word (give examples of a good design and a bad design):
• Good graphical design is important. Reading long sentences, paragraphs, and documents is difficult on screen, so break material into discrete, meaningful chunks to give the website structure.¹
• Avoid excessive use of color. Color is useful for indicating different kinds of information, i.e. cueing.²
• Avoid gratuitous use of graphics and animation. In addition to increasing download time, graphics and animation soon become boring and annoying.Download time for smartphone apps must be short.
• For this task you should consider what kinds of interaction make sense here and why. You are dealing with speech-to-text or a conversational interface. Consider how heuristic evaluation differs for this kind of interface.