Introduction to usability heuristics
I want to kick off this course with Jakob Nielsen’s ten usability heuristics. Yes, they might sound familiar. Maybe even a little too familiar. But these ten principles are still one of the best foundations for building usable interfaces.
You can find the full breakdown in the NNGroup article. What I’ll do here is walk through each one — with extra context and real examples.
Because honestly, even though these ideas seem basic, we break them all the time.
And the funny part? These heuristics don’t just live inside software. : highlightWavyYou’ll see them in the real world too.
Visibility of System Status
At a bank, when you take a queue ticket, it tells you how many people are ahead — so you know what’s going on. That’s visibility.
Match between system and the real world
When a trash icon looks like a real trash can — that’s the system mimicking the real world. We understand it instantly.
Consistency and standards
Just like houses are built using standard-size bricks and doors, interfaces rely on familiar patterns — like consistent button styles and predictable navigation.
Error prevention
When deleting a file, you’re asked: ‘Are you sure?’ That little moment prevents big mistakes.
Recognition rather than recall
You don’t memorize every app icon — you recognize it by shape and color. That’s why good design favors recognition over memory.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
Keyboard shortcuts. Saved filters. Custom dashboards. Flexible tools adapt to how users work — not the other way around.
Aesthetic and minimalist design
Nowadays minimalism is a trend in interior design. People are tired of visual clutter. They try to manage their cables, create nice workplaces, and so on.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Typed the wrong PIN? The ATM tells you it’s incorrect — and lets you try again. That’s clear feedback and recovery.
Help and documentation
Tooltips, onboarding tips, and search bars — even great UIs sometimes need a little help on the side.