COSC101-26S1 Working in a Digital World Assignment 1 | University of Canterbury

COSC101 Assignment 1- Nelson’s Heuristics

You will need 10 different examples in total, one for each heuristic. 

• You should focus on digital systems, but up to three of your examples may be from non-digital systems.
• You should have a mix of positive and negative examples.
• You must NOT use any of the examples given in lectures or tutorials, or examples from sites that discuss interface issues.
• Some examples might fit more than one category, but you should only use it as one of your 10 examples. You can use different parts of the same system/software/device as different examples.For each example you must:
• provide an image (unless there's a good reason not to). The image could be a screen-shot or a photo.
• give a one or two sentence explanation of how it illustrates the heuristic. 
• explain what you were doing when you came across the example (which may even be the software you were using to do the assignment,including the Learn site, word processor, or phone/camera).

1. Visibility of System Status 

- The loading bar in Call of Duty Mobile provides immediate feedback, visually indicating progress of the game’s loading process and estimating completion time. This design demonstrates the visibility of system status heuristic by enhancing the user experience through providing clear, real-time information about the systems activity. I ran into this heuristic when I wanted to play the game with a group friends.

2. Match Between the System and the Real World 

- The image representation of the calendar aligns with user’s mental models of how calendars work in the real world, where today’s date is often marked for quick reference and by mirroring this familiar convention the calendar icon bridges the gap between the digital interface and the user understanding of time, making it easy for users to interact with the system. I came across this heuristic when I was checking for the day I have my appointment.

3. User Control and Freedom

- These features entitle users to navigate their editing history, allowing them to undo and redo actions as needed as well as refresh to allow flexibility of updating changes within the digital environment . I came across this heuristic when I was reading some new articles and I was trying to get back to the main page.

4. Consistency and Standards 

- In the weather app the consistent use of familiar icons and color schemes aligns with industry standards and user expectations within sections of the app that make the layout and design appear consistent creating an experience where the user can quickly access and interpret the weather information without encountering confusing interface elements. I came across this heuristic when I was seeing the forecast of the day.

5. Error Prevention

-  The popup illustrates this heuristic by requiring users to confirm their age before proceeding and this measure helps maintain compliance and legal regulations and ensures a safer and more controlled browsing experience for user of all ages. I came across this when I was on the liquor store website.

6. Recognition Rather than Recall

-The bubble appearing to display the name “FaceTime”  and the video camera icon eliminates the need for users to recall the function of the icon as its purpose is immediately recognizable without requiring knowledge. I came across this when I was showing my parents the use of the app.