The document discusses user experience (UX) and usability heuristics. It defines UX as focusing on user needs and meeting those needs efficiently, rather than just design. It then shares Nielson's ten heuristics for usability, which provide best practices for user interface design, such as maintaining visibility of system status and minimizing memory load. The document emphasizes that UX is about understanding users and creating intuitive, helpful experiences.

1. WTF is UX?
UX == “User Experience”
UX != “Design”... necessarily
- Design's just a facet of it
It's a need-based mentality that has practical
application.
- Remember user stories?

2. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users
informed about what is going on, through
appropriate feedback within reasonable
time.
Examples: Loading bars, graying out
submission buttons
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

3. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Match between system and the real world
The system should speak the users' language,
with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the
user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow
real-world conventions, making information
appear in a natural and logical order.
No technical jargon
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

4. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
User control and freedom
Users often choose system functions by mistake
and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit"
to leave the unwanted state without having to go
through an extended dialogue. Support undo
and redo.
Examples: Maps to show progress in forms,
forms show exactly what fields user is changing.
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

5. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Consistency and standards
Users should not have to wonder whether
different words, situations, or actions mean the
same thing. Follow platform conventions.
Examples: Sitewide vocab, “login” on one page
and “sign in” on another, Rails' “Create” and
“New”
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

6. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Error prevention
Even better than good error messages is a
careful design which prevents a problem from
occurring in the first place. Either eliminate errorprone conditions or check for them and present
users with a confirmation option before they
commit to the action.
Examples: “SUBMIT” | cancel, Google's autofill
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

7. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user's memory load by making
objects, actions, and options visible. The user
should not have to remember information from
one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions
for use of the system should be visible or easily
retrievable whenever appropriate.
Example: Showing fonts before selection
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

8. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Flexibility and efficiency of use
Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may
often speed up the interaction for the expert user
such that the system can cater to both
inexperienced and experienced users. Allow
users to tailor frequent actions.
Example: Keyboard Shortcuts
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

9. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Aesthetic and minimalist design
Dialogues should not contain information which
is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of
information in a dialogue competes with the
relevant units of information and diminishes their
relative visibility.
In short, there is a reason for EVERYTHING on
the page.
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

10. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover
from errors
Error messages should be expressed in plain
language (no codes), precisely indicate the
problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
JarJar Binks error message? Useful if it said
what was actually wrong.
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

11. Nielson's Ten Usability Heuristics
Help and documentation
Even though it is better if the system can be
used without documentation, it may be
necessary to provide help and documentation.
Any such information should be easy to search,
focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to
be carried out, and not be too large.
Examples: Help tips on hover (?), BaseCamp's
help resource
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

12. What does all this mean?
“At its core, UX is about empathy; putting
yourself in the shoes of someone who has a
certain need and has to do something a certain
way. It's about meeting that need in an efficient
way.”
-Erik Evangelista
(victusdesign.net)

13. Additional Resources
http://designingwebinterfaces.com/6-tips-for-a-greatflex-ux-part-5
http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2009/02/18/9common-usability-blunders/
https://dash.generalassemb.ly/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/
http://ux.stackexchange.com/ – (Stack Overflow for
non-coders!)