Welcome Introduction

Deadball Specialist HD

This app is a football-based game that challenges users to hit targets past

a wall of defenders. There are two game modes; Quickfire and Challenges.

In Quickfire mode, the user has to get as many points within 60 seconds. In Challenges mode, the user has

as long as they want, but the targets are harder to hit. The iPad-only (non-universal) game has support for

the OpenFient network, allowing users to compete against their friends and users around the world as well

as sharing their scores to Twitter and Facebook.

Inspection Method

This usability inspection method allows for a quick

and cheap evaluation of an interface. Originally

crafted by Jakob Nielsen, it has grown to become

a popular inspection method due to its versatility

in terms of being able to evaluate interfaces

throughout the entire design phase, from lo-fi

prototypes to published apps.

Nielsen recommends a two pass method of

analysis, with the first pass ‘intended to get a feel

for the flow of the interaction and the general

scope of the system.’ while the second pass

‘allows the evaluator to focus on specific interface elements’. Each issue in the application will be given a

severity rating based on the heuristic it contravenes.

Equipment

Known as a discount usability method, Heuristic Evaluation requires no specific recording equipment,

therefore only the items being tested are necessary. For the inspection, I used the iPad 16GB Wi-Fi..

Device iOS Version Usage

iPad 16GB Wi-Fi 3.2 For completing all the heuristic tests

Severity Rating

While conducting a heuristic evaluation, a severity rating system is vital for the overall success of the

project. During the analysis stage, these ratings will be judged on the three factors suggested by Nielsen;

the frequency of the issue, the overall impact of the problem, and the persistence of the usability flaw.

Rating Description

Low Cosmetic or minor usability issue that can easily be resolved by the user

Moderate A significant usability issue that should be fixed before release as it could affect a large proportion of users

High Usability issue makes the system unusable or will affect the majority of users and must be fixed immediately

Heuristics

For this heuristic evaluation, I will be using Jakob Nielsen’s ‘10 Usability Heuristics.’ Even though they were

designed in the 1990s for desktop computing, these principles are still relevant to modern, touchscreen-

based applications.

ID Heuristic Description

1 Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on,

through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.

2 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.

3 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.

4 Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or

actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.

5 Error prevention Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a

problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone

conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option

before they commit to the action.

6 Recognition rather than recall Minimise 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.

7 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.

8 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.

9 Help users recognise, diagnose, and

recover from errors

Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes),

precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.

10 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.

Heuristic Evaluation Issue 1: Tap to Play screen

Heuristic violated: Aesthetic and minimalist design

Severity Rating: Low

Description

The 'Tap to Play' introduction screen adds unnecessary complexity to the

app loading process. The user has already had to wait 5 seconds for the

app to load, and this additional screen merely slows their progress. If they

decided to open your app, then they clearly wanted to play the game,

making this screen irrelevant.

Recommendation

Remove this screen from the app. After the app has loaded, elegantly transition the user from the splash

screen to the menu.

Issue 2: Disable Tilt and Invert Swerve buttons (Settings Tab)

Heuristic violated: Consistency and standards

Severity Rating: Moderate

Description

The ‘Disable Tilt’ and ‘Invert Swerve’ buttons do not conform to iOS standards. The two buttons effectively

act as an On/Off switch, and the red border after selection does not indicate whether the option is activated

or not. Moreover, these two options look exactly the same as the ‘Credits’ button but act completely

differently.

Recommendation

Remove the buttons and replace with the Switch UI element.

ON

OFF

Disable Tilt

Invert Swerve1

1 Standard iOS switch element. Usersalready know how to interact with thiselement.

2

2 Credits button is now visually differentto the above options. It is clearer to users that this will produce a different result.

Issue 3: Audio Options (Settings Tab)

Heuristic violated: Match between system and the real world

Severity Rating: Moderate

Description

There are no labels on these sound sliders so therefore it is difficult to know what they change. While you

get audio feedback from the one on the right - suggesting this is for the background music? - the left-hand

side slider provides no audio feedback. I can only presume the one on the left changes the sound effects,

but it is still unclear. Moreover, scrubbing does not feel very smooth, and the user has to be very accurate in

selecting the ball to alter the volume otherwise it doesn’t change.

1 3

21 1 What does this symbol mean? It hasnothing to do with sound effects.

2 Is this for music?

3 This symbol means high volume butit is placed at the bottom of the slider.

Recommendation

Make the audio sliders horizontal so more information can be displayed, and place them underneath the

‘Player Name’ box.

Background Music

In-Game Sound Effects

1

2 3

1 Titles make it clearer to users whatthe slider changes.

2 Clearly indicates that moving theslider to that icon will reduce audio.

3 Clearly indicates that moving theslider to that icon will increase audio.

Issue 4: Reset Data screen

Heuristic violated: Consistency and standards

Severity Rating: High

Description

The Reset Data screen can allow for very destructive actions, yet it provides little information concerning

what data will be removed. Moreover, the buttons chosen are incorrectly coloured, as red should be used

for the destructive action; not green.

1

1 The colour green should not be used when the command is destructive. Using green and the tick suggests this action is positive.

Examples of Destructive ButtonsTwitterrific & Notes

Recommendation

Provide more information concerning what data will be removed, change the colour of the buttons and have

the buttons state what action they will do upon selection.

Are you sure you want to delete the data?

You will lose all your top scores

No Delete Data3

2

1

1 Use the word 'Delete' instead of 'Reset' to emphasise what will happen when they confirm the option.

2 Provides some context on what information will be lost.

3 The destructive button is now coloured red to heighten its importance. The button text actually states what the user will doing.

Issue 5: End of Game screen

Heuristic violated: Consistency and standards, Error prevention

Severity Rating: Moderate

Description

The ‘Next Level’ and ‘Exit to Menu’ buttons are visibly similar, yet provide differing actions. One allows the

user to progress through the game, while the other exits that game, sending the user to the main menu

screen. Also, the ‘Exit to Menu’ button is very close to the other two options, possibly allowing for

accidental taps.

1

2

1 The button used to progress to the next level is coloured red; the same colour as the destructive 'Exit to Menu' button.

2 Small gap between the 'Retry' and 'Exit to Menu' buttons. Users could easily select the wrong option and end the game.

Recommendation

Alter the ‘Next Level’ button so that it has a green background and distance the ‘Exit to Menu’ button from

the ‘Next Level’ and ‘Retry’ buttons.

Retry

Next Level

Exit to Menu

1

2

1 The button colour correctly reflects the action. Easily distinguishable from the 'Exit to Menu' button.

2 Button is now a fair distance away from the other two. Will limit the amount of accidentally taps on the 'Exit to Menu' button.