Heuristic Evaluation

By April Dreeke

Description System Location Heuristics Violated Severity

"How to create useful text alternatives" link Add a photo screen #3 User control and freedom
results in a loss of a users post 3
Links in the body of the message will open in the Add a Post screen #9 Error recovery
same page and erase the post 3
Page linked to "How to create useful text Add a photo screen #10 Help and documentation
alternatives" is technical and for designers 2
After deleting a post and using the back button on Post screen #3 User control and freedom
the browser, there is an error message: "Page not 2
found." There is a link to go back to the
homepage. There is not an option to go back to
the discussion page, where I was. The user would
then have to look for the course, look for
discussion and then look for the correct thread.

When uploading an image to a post, if the user Add a photo screen #2 Match between system and the real world
does not include a description of the image in the 1
box provided, a warning message came up saying
to agree that it has "no contextual value."

Icon for inserting code is not easily recognizable Post formatting bar #4 Consistency and Standards
#2 Match between system and the real world 1

Function of code sampling is unclear, even after Post formatting bar #4 Consistency and Standards
submitting the post. This does not allow the user #10 Help and documentation 1
to learn the system. Help documentation is not
provided.

No confirmation that a post was made, Add a Post screen #1 Visibility of system status
ambiguous follow-up page 1
After deleting a post, the user is returned to a Post screen #1 Visibility of system status
blank page, with no confirmation. 1
Numbered and bulletted items do not allow the Post screen #7 Flexibility and efficiency
user to continuously create a list by hitting return. 1
The user must keep hitting the icon for each item.