TTTH6204

Seminar 3

Heuristic Evaluation
HTC Website www.htc.com

By
SABARINA BINTI OTHMAN
GP02158

1.0

Introduction

HTC is one of the largest cellular companies which share the information of
its products and its latest innovation through its corporate website. HTC has
successfully deliberated one whole website that acts as a one stop centre for
their customers all over the world. Customers can always find any answer about
HTC product here. As a website that functions as a one stop centre, HTC supports
their users by providing the frequently concern matters over its products such as
how to use, problem report for the product, warranty section, and also a build
career with HTC section. It really sounds great to me.
One more thing about this website, they dont sell anything except
providing information of its products for free. Also, the website has thoughtfully
provided the list of their outlets or retailers where customers can find the original
parts and products of HTC. Thus, customers could avoid being cheated by
irresponsible seller.
To state the reason why did I choose this website as my heuristic
evaluation is simplistic. This is because I am a former HTC customer. I depended
direly on this website while using their HTC One X cell phone. Thus, I want to
know how well the functionality and usability of this website using the heuristic
evaluation. Other than that, I can also improve my design skill by doing this
evaluation.

Figure 1.0: HTC main homepage

2.0

Heuristic Evaluation

A heuristic evaluation is a usability inspection method for computer software

that helps to identify usability problems in the user interface (UI) design. It
specifically involves evaluators examining the interface and judging its
compliance with recognized usability principles.
Here a check list using heuristic for HTC website.

2.1

Visibility of System Status

From 29 questions provided for this section, 23 questions were adhering to the
heuristic evaluation, one question was not adhering and five questions dont
cater for the evaluation.
HTC website seems to have high visibility of system status where it always keep
their user informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback within
reasonable time.
From the home page, HTC website provide timing bar for each pictures they
display. The pictures also contain main information for user. Therefore, user
might know there will be a next picture will be loaded for view and how long it
takes to watch the moving pictures.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Visibility of System Status

17%
3%

YES
NO
NA
79%

2.2

Match between System and the Real World

This evaluation here means that the system should speak the users language,
with words and concepts that are familiar to the user. HTC website is using
concrete and familiar icons from the website. This makes users easy to
understand all the information.
HTC also provide multiple languages for users with different mother tongues.
This has made the website more user friendly in terms of content.
Next, 17 out of 24 questions are adhering to its match between system and the
real world whilst, 7 are not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Match Between System and the Real World

YES
NO
N/A

2.3

User Control and Freedom

As for users are provable to make mistakes, there is a dire needs for and
emergency exit for users to get back to where they want to be, as fast as
possible. This is what user control and freedom are all about.
From the checklist evaluation, 13 questions are adhering to the appraisal given in
the checklist whilst 4 are against it and the other 6 are not applicable.
Users can go back in the previous menu easily and then they can change to the
earlier menu choices. This system provides options or emergency exit to users
who need to reverse or undo the action.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

User Control and Freedom

YES
NO
NA

2.4

Consistency and Standards

For this part, it is imperative that a system has continuity across its platform. In
much simpler concept, users should not have to wonder whether different words,
situations, or actions mean the same thing.
In relation to this, the result shows that out of 51 questions, 43 are adhering to
the appraisal and 4 are against it whilst another 4 are not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Consistency and Standards

YES
NO
N/A

2.5

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose and Recover from Errors.

Error messages should be expressed in a plain language which means no codes

appear to the users in order for them to truly understand or distinguish the error
they have made.
Referring to the checklist, out of 21 questions, 18 are adhering to the appraisal
and 2 are against it whilst only one is not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover From Errors

YES
NO
N/A

2.6

Error Prevention

The best website designs not only have great error recovery, but also help to
prevent users from making the first error.
In relation to this, out of 15 questions, 8 are seemly to adhere to the appraisal
and 1 is against it whilst 6 are not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Error Prevention

YES
NO
N/A

2.7

Recognition Rather Than Recall

Systems should minimize the users memory load by making objects, actions and
options more visible. In simpler concept, visibility of objects, actions and options
are crucial. The users not need to remember information from one part of the
dialogue to another as the system will retrieve and collect basic prior data. This
ease users when trying to fill in dialogue box the second time. Instruction to use
the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.
For this part, result shows that out of 40 questions, 36 are adhering to the
standards and 2 are against it, whilst 2 are not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Recognition Rather Than Recall

YES
NO
N/A

2.8

Flexibility and Minimalist Design

System should incorporate accelerators, which are unseen to the novice user,
but that allow the expert user to navigate faster with frequent actions. In relation
to this, HTC website has efficient and well-organized images that allow users to
easily observe and decipher the information served. Other than that, the
provision of shortcut keys eases the actions of filling in form served in the
website.
For this part, out of 16 questions, 11 are adhering to the appraisal and 3 are
against it whilst another 2 are not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Fexibility and Minimalist Design

YES
NO
N/A

2.9

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

Dialogues box should not contain irrelevant information. This means every extra
units of information in a dialogue competes with relevant units of information
and diminish their relative visibility. This is true as HTC users can distinguish the
bold lines, objects, pictures and also the icon served in the website. In plain
words, the HTC website design is simple but still has aesthetic value.
In relation to this, out of 12 questions, all 11 checklists are adhering to the
appraisal and only 1 is not applicable.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

YES
NO
N/A

3.0

Help and Documentation

Last but not least, even though the system can be used without documentation,
it may be necessary to provide it. This is true as any information should be easy
to be searched, focused on the users task, list concrete steps to be carried out,
and not be too large.
Reflecting on the checklist, out of 23 questions, 22 are adhering to the standards
while 1 is against it.
Provided below is the information presented in a percentage format.

Help and Documentation

YES
NO
N/A

3.0

Conclusion

HUERISTIC EVALUATION
Visibility of System Status
Match Between System and the Real World

User Control and Freedom

Consistency and Standards

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and
Recover From Errors

YES

NO

N/A

TOTAL

23

24

17

17

13

17

43

47

18

20

36

38

Error Prevention

Recognition Rather Than Recall

Flexibility and Minimalist Design

11

14

10

10

22

23

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

Help and Documentation

Table 1.0

SUMMARY OF HUERISTIC EVALUATION FOR HTC WEBSITE

Help and Documentation
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
Fexibility and Minimalist Design
Recognition Rather Than Recall
SUMMARY OF HUERISTIC EVALUATION FOR HTC WEBSITE Adherence
Error Prevention
Adherence

Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover From Errors

Consistency and Standards
User Control and Freedom
Match Between System and the Real World
Visibility of System Status
0.00%

50.00%

100.00%

Table 1.0 above shows the whole evaluation statistic for HTC website. Data
shown are presented in a percentage format. Note that the non-applicable items
were not count during the calculation of the percentage. Referring to the above
bar chart, it is seen that graphical designs are the solid foundation of attraction
in influencing users to continuously navigate the website. The aesthetic and
minimalist design was found to be the X-factor or the key that attracts users to
constantly navigate the website with the indication of 100 per cent par through
the evaluation whilst match between system and the real world also share the
same per cent with aesthetic and minimalist design; 100 per cent. Both, of these
two parts are shown to be the strongest element in this HTC website.