Category: Digital products

10 ‘rules of thumb’ to consider when evaluating the usability of a digital product

Two people one shows a graph while the other gives a thumbs up gestureCascade Waddell, Product Operations Analyst at Imperial shares 10 Usability Heuristics developed by Jakob Nielsen and Rolf Molich:

As a Product Operations Analyst with a UX design background, I regularly assess digital products against usability standards. To guide this assessment I rely on the 10 Usability Heuristics to identify usability issues and opportunities for improvement of producst at Imperial. These 10 steps can also be used in all parts of the product lifecycle. 

Here are the 10 Heuristics made simple:

1.      Visibility of system status  

The user should always be aware of their current position in the system. This could be a confirmation message with a tick after completing an application or an order.  It could also be a progress bar at the top of the screen. 

2.      Recognition rather than recall    

The system should help the user to recall previously entered or commonly selected information. For example, a form field that suggests recent entries, so the user doesn’t have to remember or retype data. 

3.      Help users recognise errors  

Errors should use clear, plain language with instructions so that a user can understand it. For example: 404 · Page not found – Return to the homepage 

4.      Flexibility and efficiency of use  

The system should adapt to the user’s preferences so that they don’t spend time recalibrating the system. For example: the system allows the user to hide widgets. 

5.      Aesthetic and minimalist design   

Interfaces shouldn’t overwhelm the user with unnecessary information so that the user can focus on the primary task. For example: using a task centric layout. 

6.      Help and documentation  

Help content should be easy for the user to access and should be written clearly. Ideally, it sits at the top of the screen or in a visible and predictable place. 

7.      User control and freedom  

The user should be able to undo actions, navigate back, save progress, and resume tasks when needed. For example, there is a back button to go back and change previously entered information. 

8.      Error prevention  

The system should prevent mistakes, such as blocking invalid inputs or give the user validation feedback. For example, showing an error if an email address is incorrectly entered. 

9.      Consistency and standards  

Pages should look and behave consistently so the user doesn’t need to relearn the interface on every screen. 

10.  Match between the system and the real world  

The system should use familiar language, icons, and concepts that reflect real-world experiences. For example, using a shopping basket icon to represent online orders helps users immediately understand what actions they have taken within the system. This alignment reduces confusion and makes the interface more intuitive. 

In conclusion  

Using this framework consistently has helped ground assessments in defined heuristics rather than gut instinct. If you’re looking for a strong starting point to evaluate an app or website, this framework is for you. 

Comment down below if you’ve used this framework or any others to assess the usability of a website.  

Additional Reading 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 

Heuristic Evaluations: How to Conduct – NN/G 

Why discovery is essential for effective product operations: 5 insights from an analyst

by Cascade Waddell, Product Operations Analyst, ICT

Too often, product and product operations teams feel pressure to deliver quickly, only to realise later that their solutions do not truly address the real needs of those they serve.  

That is why dedicating time to understanding the problem and conducting thorough discovery of what users need from a product is so important. 

Why discovery matters 

Product operations carrying out discovery on their product teams ensures we build solutions based on what those people need, not just what we assume. Effective discovery should answer: 

  • What is the real problem? 
  • How does it connect an organisation’s goals? 
  • Who feels the pain the most? 
  • Which solutions fit best within our constraints? 
  • How can success be measured? 

By answering these questions, product operations colleagues can validate ideas early, reduce wasted effort, and focus on work that creates measurable impact. 

What drives successful discovery? 

Through my experience working with product teams at Imperial, I have learnt what makes discovery truly effective. 

  1. Define your goals

Start by clarifying the goal of your discovery work and ensuring it aligns with broader company objectives. For example, when creating the ICT Guide, a central resource for department and product information, we set clear goals to meet customer needs and justify our approach to senior stakeholders, all backed by discovery insights. 

  1. Use mixed research methods

Combine different research methods to ensure robust, well-rounded insights. For the ICT Guide, we used customer interviews, surveys, and usability tests. This mix provided quantitative and qualitative data, informing our strategy and helping us design better solutions. We have also applied this approach to our roadmap planning, using customer feedback to shape templates for initiatives and epics. 

  1. Pilot before scaling

Test proposed solutions with a small group before rolling them out widely. Piloting saves time and resources, allowing you to learn what works and what doesn’t. For example, we piloted our Now, Next, Later roadmaps and a feature ideas portal to select product lines. Through their frequent feedback that elements of the process were unclear and often led to incomplete or inconsistent inputs, we created contextual guidance to the form fields to improve the quality of user submissions.  

  1. Share insights visibly

Make discovery insights visible to build alignment and trust. When presenting solutions, we always referenced research sessions and highlighted common themes. This transparency helped shift our approach to be more product-led rather than stakeholder-led, introducing best practices such as hypothesis testing and defining success metrics. 

  1. Measure outcomes, not just delivery

Success is not just about delivering a solution; it’s about the impact it creates. As our Product Operations team has grown, we are exploring new ways to measure outcomes, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and sharing success stories as we become more product-led. 

Reflections

Making time for discovery in product operations is essential. When we take the time to deeply understand the challenges our teams face, we move beyond gut instinct and instead rely on evidence to guide our decisions. This not only leads to better outcomes, but also strengthens collaboration, promotes transparency and builds trust. Overall, it ensures we’re solving problems that truly meet our users’ needs.