Ux Heuristics

---
name: ux-heuristics
description: 'Evaluate and improve interface usability using heuristic analysis. Use when the user mentions "usability audit", "users are confused", "form usability", "navigation problems", "Nielsen heuristics", "cognitive walkthrough", or "is this easy to use". Also trigger when reviewing a design for usability issues, improving form-completion rates, or evaluating information architecture and navigation. Covers Krug''s laws, Nielsen''s 10 heuristics, severity ratings, dark-pattern recognition, and accessibility. For visual design fixes, see refactoring-ui. For conversion-focused audits, see cro-methodology.'
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: wondelai
  version: "1.6.0"
---

# UX Heuristics Framework

Practical usability principles for evaluating and improving user interfaces. Users don't read, they scan; they don't make optimal choices, they satisfice; they don't figure out how things work, they muddle through.

## Core Principle

**"Don't Make Me Think"** — every page should be self-evident. If something requires thinking, it's a usability problem. Users have limited patience and cognitive bandwidth, so design for the scanning, satisficing, and muddling-through behavior described above.

## Scoring

**Goal: 10/10.** Audit the interface, rate every issue on the severity scale below, then score the interface from its Quick Diagnostic results: start at 10 and subtract per failed diagnostic row, weighted by the worst severity it triggers (catastrophic/major rows cost ~2, minor/cosmetic ~1). Bands: **9-10** = no severity-3+ issues and ≤1 failed diagnostic row; **6-8** = some major issues or several failed rows; **3-5** = a catastrophic issue or many failed rows; **≤2** = core tasks blocked. Always state the current score, the highest-severity issues, and the specific fixes needed to reach 10/10.

## Krug's Usability Principles

Laws 1-3 are Krug's Three Laws of Usability; #4, the Trunk Test, is his navigation orientation check.
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