Applying cognitive walkthroughs to more complex user interfaces: experiences, issues, and recommendations

  • Authors:
  • Cathleen Wharton;Janice Bradford;Robin Jeffries;Marita Franzke

  • Affiliations:
  • -;-;-;-

  • Venue:
  • CHI '92 Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • Year:
  • 1992

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Abstract

The Cognitive Walkthrough methodology was developed in an effort to bring cognitive theory closer to practice; to enhance the design and evaluation of use interfaces in industrial settings. For the first time, small teams of professional developers have used this method to critique three complex software systems. In this paper we report evidence about how the methodology worked for these evaluations. We focus on five core issues: (1) task selection, coverage, and evaluation, (2) the process of doing a Cognitive Walkthrough, (3) requisite knowlege for the evaluators, (4) group walkthroughs, and (5) the interpretation of results. Our findings show that many variables can affect the success of the technique; we believe that if the Cognitive Walkthrough is ultimately to be successful in industrial settings, the method must be refined and augmented in a variety of ways.