Heuristic Evaluation
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What it is
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a usability inspection method (Jacob Nielsen) where a small number of evaluators independently judge a UI against a set of established usability principles (Unavailable reference)
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Why it works with few evaluatiors
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typically only 3–5 evaluators are needed
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each evaluator works independently, only comparing notes afterward, then findings are aggregated
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no single evaluator finds every problem — a good evaluator finds some issues that are easy to spot and some that are hard to spot, and different evaluators tend to catch different problems, which is why multiple evaluators (not one) are used
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returns diminish as more evaluators are added — a "decreasing returns" curve, so 3–5 is a practical sweet spot rather than needing dozens
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Applicability
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can evaluate anything from a rough sketch to a polished, finished interface
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Distinguish from
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user testing — heuristic evaluation is expert-driven and doesn't require recruiting real users, making it a practical alternative when user testing isn't feasible (e.g. a low-fidelity wireframe, or difficulty finding willing test participants)
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