---
title: "Heuristic evaluation"
source: 18F Guides
source_url: https://github.com/18F/guides
licence: CC0-1.0
domain: engineering
subdomain: 18f-guides
date_added: 2026-04-25
---

## How to do it{#how-heuristic-eval}

1. Recruit a group of three to five people familiar with evaluation methods. These people are not necessarily designers, but are familiar with common usability best practices. They are usually not users.
1. Ask each person to individually create a list of “heuristics” or general usability best practices. Examples of heuristics from Nielsen’s “10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design” include:
    1.  The website should keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
    1.  The system should speak the user’s language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms.
1. Consider what hazards the service or product might hold for its users, and include heuristics to evaluate whether the site protects against possible harms.
1. Ask each person to evaluate the website against their list and write down possible problems.
1. After individual evaluations, gather people to discuss what they found and prioritize potential problems.

<section class="method--section method--section--additional-resources" markdown="1">

## Additional resources{#add-heuristic-eval}

- [10 usability heuristics for user interface design — Nielsen Norman Group](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/)
- [USDA Digital Strategy tools — Research — Heuristic review template](https://www.usda.gov/digital-strategy/tools){.usa-link .usa-link--external}
- [18F accessibility checklist](https://guides.18f.gov/accessibility/checklist/)

</section>

<section class="method--section method--section--government-considerations" markdown="1" >

## Government considerations{#con-heuristic-eval}

No PRA implications, as heuristic evaluations usually include a small number of evaluators. If conducted with nine or fewer members of the public, the PRA does not apply, 5 CFR 1320.5(c)4. If participants are federal employees, the PRA does not apply. See the methods for [Recruiting]({{ "/methods/fundamentals/recruiting/" | url }}) and [Privacy]({{ "/methods/fundamentals/privacy/" | url }}) for more tips on taking input from the public.
</section>
