Domino’s Heuristic Evaluation
CASE STUDY
2021
Our team was tasked with evaluating the usability of an existing digital product using the Jakob Nielsen-developed heuristic evaluation method. After careful consideration, we selected the Dominos Mobile App as our subject for evaluation. Our decision was based on our personal experiences with the app, as well as our desire to improve the user experience for individuals who wish to customize and have their pizza delivered.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
TEAM
Eddy Huynh, Leticia Moraes, Ayo Oluwole
ROLE
Product Designer, UX Research
METHOD
Nielsen Norman Group’s 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design
Figma
TOOLS
TIMELINE
10 Days
What is a Heuristic Evaluation?
A Heuristic Evaluation entails a systematic approach to detect usability issues in a user interface design. It involves a team of experts who scrutinize the interface and evaluate its adherence to established usability principles, commonly known as heuristics.
Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics
Jakob Nielsen’s Rating Scale
Jakob Nielson's heuristic evaluation employs a rating system ranging from 0-4, wherein 0 signifies that no usability problem exists and 4 denotes a significant issue that necessitates immediate attention before product release.
0 = I don’t agree that this is a usability problem at all
1 = Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available
2 = Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority
3 = Major usability problem: important to fix, so should be given high priority
4 = Usability catastrophe: imperative to fix this before product can be released
As a team, we conducted a thorough analysis of the app's main task flow, which involved ordering a pizza, and found several usability issues that could potentially frustrate and confuse users. This was confirmed not only by our personal experiences but also by the negative reviews in the App Store. Instead of simply addressing each individual heuristic violation, we took it upon ourselves to overhaul the entire flow to simplify and reduce the number of clicks required. Our efforts were successful, resulting in a redesigned flow that required only 5 screens, a significant improvement over the original 11 screens.
Heuristic #2 - Match Between System and Real World
Heuristic #4 - Consistency and Standards
Heuristic #10 - Help and Documentation
Heuristic #6 - Recognition Rather Than Recall
Heuristic #5 + #7 - Error Prevention + Flexibility + Efficiency of Use
Success Metrics:
Increased sales conversions
Decrease in the number of users exiting the flow
Increase in positive customer reviews + ratings
Next Steps
Conduct usability testing in order to make changes and improvements
Present it to the Domino’s team to have it evaluated and potentially implemented
Key Learnings
What did I learn?
In the realm of UX design, effective communication is vital to successful collaboration. The evaluation process taught me how to give thoughtful feedback to team members and avoid misunderstandings or conflict by keeping the user's needs and goals in mind.
This experience also underscored the value of conducting a heuristic evaluation and provided me with the skills to do so correctly. By utilizing industry-standard methods such as clear labelling, logical justification, and visual comparison, our team was able to present a persuasive argument to stakeholders in our class.
Interested in learning more?
Let’s chat.