Developing interactions that provide a positive user experience is crucial when working with UI. It is essential to avoid confusion, demand, or stress that visitors may experience. Instead, designers should aim to create intuitive and effortless user journeys that prevent users from needing external assistance to interact with the product.
In this article, we will discuss about Kaniasty's CARMEL Guidelines that ensure fluid interactions and a good user experience. These human interface guidelines are essential for designers to keep in mind, and they can even be memorized or displayed on walls to verify the usability of the interface. By using these heuristics, designers can make sure that the UI meets the user's needs and is easy to use.
This article will discuss the following heuristic evaluation:
The CARMEL guidelines draw inspiration from Nielsen's usability heuristics, but they also integrate new knowledge and standards that have emerged since Nielsen's principles were introduced more than 20 years ago.
These guidelines include the latest best practices for accessibility, which are crucial for ensuring that user interfaces are usable and accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.
1. Consistency
1.1. Style guides
The design conforms to branding or style guides that prescribe the use of logos, colors, and typography.
1.2. Design patterns
The design patterns behave consistently adhere to a coherent set of human interface guidelines or design patterns.
1.3. Naming conventions
Naming Standards Naming conventions remain consistent across pages and widgets.
1.4. Look & feel
Uniform Look and Feel Layouts and page elements have a consistent appearance and style.
1.5. Interactions
Similar interactions and design patterns behave uniformly.
2. Accessibility
2.1. Font size
The design satisfies the minimum font size legibility requirements.
2.2. Contrast
The design meets the guidelines for the minimum contrast between foreground, text, and background.
2.3. double coding visual information
Double coding visual information information is presented in a way that is accessible to target audience with color blindness or other visual impairments.
2.4. Target size
The design meets the guidelines for the minimum target size for mouse and touch targets.
2.5. Screen Readers
The design complies with W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for users of screen readers.
3. Recovery
3.1. Confirmation dialogs
The design includes confirmation dialogues to minimize errors.
3.2. Undo functions
Undo functions prevent significant data loss and unintended consequences.
3.3. Error messages
Error Messages Error messages include guidance for recovery.
3.4. Version control
Version Control and Archiving Data-intensive or collaborative workflows feature version control, history, or archiving functions.
3.5. System recovery
The system minimizes the impact of catastrophic errors, crashes, and network outages.
4. Memory
4.1. Limited choices
Lists of critical choices (menu options, navigation categories) are visible in a single view or limited to 10 items.
4.2. Automatic calculations
The system automates complex calculations for the user.
4.3. Feedback
Microcopy and microinteractions provide ongoing feedback to the user.
4.4. Chunking and masking
Long strings of text or numbers (security codes, phone numbers) are chunked or masked visually.
4.5. Security practices
Security systems minimize the need for spontaneous recall by following password best practices, utilizing 2-step authentication, or implementing single sign-on.
5. Efficiency
5.1. Shallow navigation
Hierarchy The navigation hierarchy is no more than 3 or 4 levels deep.
5.2. Responsive layouts
Layouts are optimized for the screen size of target devices and are responsive.
5.3. Navigation shortcuts
Navigation breadcrumbs, progress trackers, and keyboard shortcuts enhance findability.
5.4. accelerators improve task speed
Autocomplete, auto-detect, and other accelerators improve task speed task completion or maximize task efficiency.
5.5. Autosave
Auto-save and cookies preserve session state and prevent accidental data loss.
6. Language
6.1. internal language branded vocabulary
Internal language branded vocabulary and marketing jargon are used sparingly and are absent from navigation, menus, and buttons.
6.2. Technical jargon
Technical or system jargon is absent from error messages and other microcopy.
6.3. Acronyms
Acronyms are accompanied by access to definitions and are only used in narrative content.
6.4. Plain language
Plain language technical legal and other potentially difficult-to-understand content is written in plain language.
6.5. Readability level
Content readability level is appropriate for the target audience(s).
Conclusion
Kaniasty's CARMEL heuristic evaluation guidelines are crucial for UX and can enhance your design skills. To prevent future modifications, it's best to incorporate the heuristics into your project from the outset.
Designs that are simple, easy to comprehend, and intuitive can engage users both in online and physical environments. By adhering to Nielsen and Molich's ten heuristics, designers can produce accessible, user-friendly, and intuitive products.
