The word “heuristic” carries the idea of “finding.” In practice, it means we systematically look for flaws and gaps on an interface using experience-based rules. No guessing: we walk through a rule set and mark what matches it and what doesn’t.

10 principles that rarely fail (after Nielsen)

Below are the principles with everyday examples—so they’re not just true, but also easy to grasp.

1. Always show system status.
   Loading indicators, progress steps, “Saved” messages. The goal: users shouldn’t wonder whether the site has frozen.

2. Speak human, not system.
   Plain language and familiar icons. For example, “Billing details” instead of “Billing entity.”

3. Give users an escape hatch (control and freedom).
   Undo, cancel, “Are you sure you want to delete?” confirmations. Mistaps are common—especially on mobile.

4. Keep things consistent (and follow conventions).
   Use the same labels and visual patterns throughout. If “Profile” appears elsewhere as “Account” or “Settings,” it’s confusing.

5. Prevent errors where you can.
   Show/Hide password toggles, input masks for phone numbers, block invalid characters while typing.

6. Favor recognition over recall.
   Don’t make people remember. Recent items, suggestions, autofill, “Recently viewed products”—all reduce short-term memory load.

7. Help beginners and speed up pros.
   Shortcuts and power features for experienced users; visible controls and helpful copy for newcomers.

8. Aim for clean, minimalist layouts.
   Every extra element competes for attention. If it doesn’t help with the task, it’s in the way.

9. Errors happen—handle them well.
   Clear messages that say what went wrong and how to fix it: “Phone number is required. Please fill it in.”

10. Provide help and documentation when needed.
    Not every system is self-explanatory. A searchable FAQ or help center can save many support tickets.

Where it shines - and where it tops out

Strengths:

• Fast and budget-friendly. Can be done by an internal team in a short time.

• Laser-focused. Surfaces critical issues quickly.

• Easy to communicate. Findings are understandable inside and outside the team.

• Usable early. Works on wireframes and prototypes—no need to wait for production.

Limitations:

• Requires expertise. Quality varies with the evaluators.

• False alarms are possible. A theoretical issue may not actually hurt in real use.

• Outsider blind spots. Without knowing technical constraints, evaluators may propose impractical fixes.

Step by step: getting the most out of it

1) Set the frame: goals, focus, time, and budget.
Entire system or a critical path? Common focus areas: sign-up, newsletter opt-in, checkout, navigation.
Question: What are we evaluating now—and what will we leave for later?

2) Understand the end user.
Experience level, motivation, typical blockers. New visitors struggle with different things than returning buyers.
Question: Who is this product for?

3) Choose your heuristics.
Don’t let the review drift. Lock in the criteria (e.g., the 10 above, plus product-specific rules).
Question: Which rulebook are we using?

4) Define a consistent rating scale.
For example critical / medium / minor or “red–yellow–green.” Consistency enables prioritization later.
Question: How will we score and label findings?

5) Synthesize, de-duplicate, prioritize.
Merge observations, group by flow or feature, add fix recommendations and severity to each item.
Question: What should we fix first—and why?

A strong baseline, but not a one-man band.

Heuristic evaluation is a great “quick X-ray” of usability. Still, expert opinion can be subjective and influenced by cognitive biases. For best results, combine it with a Cognitive Walkthrough and user interviews / usability testing—so you get both a rule-based view and real usage feedback.

Want a concise, numbers-backed snapshot of your UX? A well-structured heuristic evaluation can show you in just a few days where to tweak so users reach their goals faster and with fewer errors.