What are some common recognition rather than recall errors or violations in heuristic evaluation?

1 Hidden or inconsistent labels

One of the most frequent recognition rather than recall errors or violations is hiding or inconsistently labeling important elements of the UI, such as menus, buttons, icons, or forms. This forces the user to guess or remember what each element does, which can lead to confusion, frustration, or errors. For example, if a menu icon is only visible when the user hovers over it, or if a button has a different label in different contexts, the user may not be able to find or use it easily. To avoid this error or violation, the UI should use clear, visible, and consistent labels for all elements and follow common conventions and standards.

2 Lack of feedback or confirmation

Another common recognition rather than recall error or violation is failing to provide adequate feedback or confirmation to the user after they perform an action or enter information. This can make the user unsure or uncertain about the outcome or status of their action or input, which can cause anxiety, doubt, or errors. For example, if a user submits a form and does not receive any feedback or confirmation, they may wonder if the form was sent successfully, if they need to do anything else, or if they made any mistakes. To avoid this error or violation, the UI should provide clear, immediate, and appropriate feedback or confirmation to the user after every action or input.

3 Excessive or irrelevant information

A third common recognition rather than recall error or violation is presenting too much or irrelevant information to the user, which can overload their cognitive and visual capacity and make it harder for them to focus, understand, or remember the essential information. This can also reduce the visibility and clarity of the UI elements and functions. For example, if a UI displays too many options, features, details, or notifications, the user may feel overwhelmed, distracted, or confused and may miss or ignore the important ones. To avoid this error or violation, the UI should follow the principle of progressive disclosure, which means that it should only show the necessary information at each stage and provide ways for the user to access more information if needed.

4 Poor navigation or search

A fourth common recognition rather than recall error or violation is designing a poor navigation or search system that makes it difficult for the user to find what they are looking for or to move between different parts of the UI. This can result in frustration, dissatisfaction, or abandonment. For example, if a UI has a complex or unclear hierarchy, structure, or layout, or if it does not provide clear and consistent cues, indicators, or links for navigation or search, the user may get lost, confused, or stuck and may not be able to reach their goals. To avoid this error or violation, the UI should follow the principle of information scent, which means that it should provide clear and relevant clues and signals that guide the user towards their desired destination or result.

5 Inflexible or unfamiliar inputs

A fifth common recognition rather than recall error or violation is requiring the user to enter information in a specific or unfamiliar format or manner, which can increase the user's cognitive and physical effort and make them prone to errors or mistakes. For example, if a UI asks the user to enter a date in a certain format, such as YYYY-MM-DD, or to use a keyboard shortcut that is not common or intuitive, the user may not be able to remember or recognize the required input and may enter it incorrectly or incompletely. To avoid this error or violation, the UI should follow the principle of flexibility and efficiency, which means that it should allow the user to enter information in different ways and formats and provide hints, suggestions, or autocomplete features that help them complete their inputs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?