Expert Review
usability testing expert review contextual inquiry

Expert reviews, also called “heuristic evaluations,” use a set of heuristics, or guidelines, to assess the usability of a product. Because the assessment is conducted by usability experts, rather than users, it is commonly called an “expert review.”

We conduct an expert review by considering first the most appropriate list of heuristics, or guidelines for the interface, then coordinating an inspection or review of the interface with several experts who are trained in our process. Expert reviews work best when the client provides the user profile and scenario of use, which then allows each expert to walk in the shoes of the user while conducting the inspection.

Following each person´s independent review, the team lead conducts a meeting with the reviewers to collate the findings. This is an effective strategy in providing discussion of points that may have been missed by a single expert.

The report following this meeting tells the client where specific issues lie and what the severity of these issues is likely to be.

Expert reviews are sometimes done as the only inspection at a particular stage of product development. However, they are most effective when paired with a user evaluation. The best approach to combining usability testing with expert review is to conduct an expert review first, clean up the interface to the extent possible, then conduct a usability test to combine the view of experts with the view of users.

As is frequently the case in using this process, the issues uncovered in an expert review, if addressed before user testing, can eliminate a number of problems the user might experience during user testing. Once these are eliminated, the user can focus on some of the potential “show stopper” issues.

Advantages of an expert review:

• Fast (scheduling can be done quickly with experts working independently)
• Economical (doesn´t require special equipment)
• Systematic approach to analysis of design, in light of consistency, navigation, match between the system and the real world, and user control and freedom
• Feedback provided on issues that could affect the user experience, ranging from mild annoyances to major problems

Why it makes sense to do both an expert review and usability testing:

Expert review has the advantage of speed and it can catch a lot of problems. But users will be the real judge of the usability. Combined, these two aspects of a user-centered design process give you two perspectives that work hand in hand. To learn more, read the article in The UPA Voice, the Usability Professionals Association newsletter.

Disadvantages of an expert review:

• Review by usability experts, who may not represent the actual users
• For highly technical products, may require orientation by the product manager before the review can be performed
• When used as the sole source of product feedback, can miss some major show stoppers that users will experience, as well as identify “non-issues” for users