UX Heuristic Reviews, also known as Expert Review, are a good way of assessing digital journeys against established best practices, UX heuristics, and expert knowledge of customer behaviour.
However, while they offer valuable insights, nothing beats speaking with real users from your target market!
The Limitations of Heuristic Reviews
Heuristic Reviews offer a structured approach to identify potential usability and user experience issues based on established principles and guidelines.
However, like anything, they have limitations. These reviews rely on the expertise of the reviewer and may not always capture the full range of unique user perspectives and behaviours. Additionally, they are more susceptible to bias and may overlook issues that are only apparent through direct user interaction.
A recent project at Creative CX has proved to be a stark reminder to why moderated research is so important for gaining the most accurate understanding of your Usability and User Experience issues.
A Retail Case Study
In a recent mobile-focused Moderated Usability Testing project for one of our retail clients, before testing we initially conducted a Heuristic Review of their website. Based on our experience in the market, we naturally had some assumptions about what the problems would be.
For instance, product descriptions lacked proper formatting, information about size and fit was scarce, and there were no product reviews on the website!
All these issues would have certainly made it into our UX Heuristic Review findings, and would have been very high on the list of priorities for experimentation.
But how many of these proved to be actual issues for users… None!
This particular retailer specialises in selling clothes at an incredibly affordable price, and as a result user behaviour was radically different to what we had expected.
Instead of agonising over the details such as size, fit, material quality, or how other people found the product, users were happy to add items to their basket without much consideration at all.
Because of the low prices, users didn’t need a lot of the supporting information that we assumed was critical.
They instead valued speed and convenience above all else.
The Danger of Assumptions
This experience not only demonstrates the importance of running well moderated research with your users, but also the danger of making assumptions, and making changes to your website, or app without a firm understanding of user behaviour.
While UX Heuristic Reviews provide valuable insights for potential issues, they must be complemented by real-world interactions with your target audience.
Direct user engagement through moderated research provides invaluable insights into user behaviour, preferences, and pain points. By observing multiple users interacting with a digital product in real-time and gathering feedback, researchers can uncover insights that may not be clear through Heuristic Reviews alone.
Moderated research allows researchers to ask questions, as well as observe the non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, our faces are extremely expressive and able to convey countless emotions without saying a word. This direct engagement helps to validate any assumptions, identify usability issues, and prioritise the important improvements that align with the user needs and preferences.
Understanding user behaviour through moderated research is not just a best practice; it’s a safeguard against assumptions that could potentially misguide your digital strategy.
Triangulating Research Methods
This also demonstrates the importance of adopting a triangulated approach to your user research. Without this, you risk becoming susceptible to cognitive bias and ending up with blind spots that can prevent you from actioning some of the biggest customer problems.
By triangulating your findings through the use of a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies that provide both behavioural and attitudinal insights, you can avoid these pitfalls.
Qualitative methods, such as moderated usability testing and interviews, provide in-depth insights into user behaviour, attitudes, and motivations. These methods are invaluable for understanding the “why” behind user actions and preferences.
Quantitative methods, such as surveys and analytics, provide broader insights into user behaviour at scale. These methods help to identify patterns, trends, and correlations that can inform decision-making and prioritise areas for improvement.
This will increase the reliability of your results to provide the most accurate picture of the user experience, and give you the ability to solve your problems effectively.
Conclusion
While UX Heuristic Reviews provide valuable insights, they are most effective when integrated into a broader research framework that includes direct user engagement. Moderated research provides a much deeper understanding of user behaviour, preferences, and pain points, enabling organisations to make informed decisions that resonate with their target audience.
At Creative CX, we understand the importance of merging Heuristic Reviews with Moderated research. By embracing a triangulated approach to user research, which combines qualitative and quantitative methods, we enable our clients to gain in-depth insights into their users’ needs and preferences. This holistic approach ensures that we have a clear understanding of the customer problems we’re helping our clients to solve through experimentation. And that we’re helping to design and develop digital experiences that not only meet, but exceed user expectations.
