Proven methodology to audit and improve your site's user experience
A UX audit identifies frictions in your user journey and provides concrete recommendations. This guide details our UX audit methodology: Nielsen heuristics, user testing, data analysis, improvement wireframes.
UX Audit Methodology
Nielsen Heuristics (10 Principles)
System visibility, mental matching, user control, consistency, error prevention, recognition vs recall, flexibility, minimalist design, error help, documentation.
User Testing
5-8 real users, typical scenarios, thinking aloud, behavior observation, satisfaction measurement, blocker identification.
Quantitative Analysis
Google Analytics 4 (journeys, abandonments, duration), heatmaps (Hotjar, Crazy Egg), conversion rate, engagement metrics.
Wireframes & Recommendations
Detailed report, impact/effort prioritization, improvement wireframes, costed action plan, quick wins vs redesign.
The 10 Nielsen Heuristics
The Nielsen heuristics are 10 proven UX principles to evaluate interface usability:
- Visibility of system status: The system must always inform the user of what's happening (loading, confirmation, error).
- Match between system and real world: Use familiar language and concepts to the user.
- User control and freedom: Provide "emergency exit" (cancel, undo) for mistaken actions.
- Consistency and standards: Follow platform conventions and maintain internal consistency.
- Error prevention: Prevent errors before they occur (validation, confirmation).
- Recognition rather than recall: Make options visible, avoid forcing users to remember information.
- Flexibility and efficiency: Shortcuts for expert users, adaptable to all levels.
- Aesthetic and minimalist design: Keep interfaces simple, show only essential information.
- Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors: Clear error messages with constructive solutions.
- Help and documentation: Provide accessible help when needed.
User Testing Protocol
User testing is essential to validate design hypotheses with real users:
1. Recruitment (5-8 users)
- Define representative profiles (age, tech comfort, goals)
- Diversify profiles for diverse feedback
- Recruit via email, social networks, specialized platforms
- Offer incentive (gift card, discount, free service)
2. Scenario Creation
- 3-5 typical scenarios representing real use cases
- Example: "You need to find a blue jacket size M and add it to cart"
- Avoid leading scenarios, let users find their own path
3. Test Session (30-60 min)
- Introduction (5 min): Explain thinking aloud, no right/wrong answers
- Scenarios (40 min): User navigates, verbalizing thoughts
- Debriefing (10 min): Satisfaction, suggestions, open questions
4. Analysis & Synthesis
- Note common blockers (if 3+ users = major problem)
- Measure success rate per scenario
- Identify pain points and frictions
- Prioritize issues by severity (critical / major / minor)
Quantitative Data Analysis
Complement qualitative tests with quantitative data:
Google Analytics 4
- User journeys: Most frequent paths
- Abandonment funnels: Where users leave
- Session duration: Engagement indicator
- Bounce rate: Immediate departures
- Conversions: Conversion rate per page/funnel
Heatmaps (Hotjar, Crazy Egg)
- Click maps: Where users click
- Scroll maps: How far users scroll
- Move maps: Mouse movement zones
- Rage clicks: Repeated clicks (frustration indicator)
Session Recordings
- Watch real user sessions
- Identify unexpected behaviors
- Understand navigation logic
- Spot invisible bugs
UX Audit Deliverables
1. Detailed Report (50-100 pages)
- Executive summary with main findings
- Nielsen heuristic analysis with scores
- User test synthesis with verbatims
- Quantitative data (analytics, heatmaps)
- Issue inventory categorized by severity
2. Prioritized Recommendations
- Quick wins: Fast impact, low effort (0-2 weeks)
- Major improvements: High impact, medium effort (1-3 months)
- Redesign: High impact, high effort (3-6 months)
3. Improvement Wireframes (Figma)
- Annotated mockups with proposed solutions
- Before/after to visualize improvements
- Interactive flows for complex scenarios
- Design system for consistency
4. Costed Action Plan
- Estimated budget per recommendation
- Realistic timeline
- Required resources (design, dev, content)
- Success KPIs to measure impact
When to Conduct a UX Audit?
Ideal Timing
- Before redesign: Identify existing issues, inform specifications
- After launch: Validate design hypotheses, optimize post-launch
- Conversion drop: Diagnose causes, propose solutions
- Periodic audit: Every 12-18 months to maintain UX quality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between UX audit and ergonomics audit?
Often confused terms. Ergonomics = usability (effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction). UX = global experience (emotions, brand perception, value). UX audit includes ergonomics + emotion + desirability + accessibility. In practice, both audits overlap 80%.
How to conduct an effective user test?
Recruit 5-8 representative users. Create 3-5 typical scenarios (eg: "Find product X and add to cart"). Use thinking aloud (verbalize thoughts). Don't intervene except blocker > 2min. Record screen + audio. Analyze common patterns (if 3+ users blocked = real problem).
What tools for a UX audit?
Free: Google Analytics 4 (journeys), Hotjar free (heatmaps, recordings), UserTesting (user tests). Paid: FullStory, Crazy Egg, Optimal Workshop (card sorting, tree testing), UsabilityHub (first click test). Manual: Nielsen heuristic grids, WCAG accessibility checker.
How much does a professional UX audit cost in Morocco?
Heuristic audit alone: 15k-25k MAD. Complete audit (heuristics + user tests + analytics + wireframes): 40k-70k MAD. Enterprise audit (multi-devices, A/B tests, eye-tracking): 80k-150k MAD. Timeline: 2-4 weeks. Deliverable: 50-100 pages report + Figma wireframes.
When to do a UX audit: before or after redesign?
BEFORE redesign: identifies existing problems, avoids reproducing errors, bases specifications. AFTER redesign: validates design hypotheses, measures UX improvement, optimizes post-launch. Ideally: initial audit > redesign > validation audit > continuous iterations (A/B tests).
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