Heuristic Evaluation of Arrive's Legacy Document Uploader System
I wasn't initially familiar with heuristic evaluations until my director introduced me to the concept. Intrigued by its potential, I made it a quarterly goal, allocating time in my sprints to conduct one on our document uploader. While the tool functioned well, but lacked flexibility for iteration when business requirements filtered down from product leaders. The evaluation revealed usability issues and provided valuable context for improvement, helping us better align with user needs. I’m excited to apply this process to future products.
What is a Heuristic Evaluation?
The heuristic evaluation is a structured analysis of a software application, using usability metrics to measure its alignment with Arrive Logistics' best practices and industry standards.
Evaluation Factors:
→ Visibility of System Status
→ Match Between System and User’s World
→ User Control and Freedom
→ Consistency and Standards
→ Error Prevention
→ Recognition Rather Than Recall
→ Flexibility and Efficiency of Use
→ Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
→ Help Users with Errors
→ Help and Documentation
Why is a Heuristic Evaluation Important?
A thorough analysis identifies and categorizes the system's strengths and weaknesses. By pinpointing inconsistencies or obstacles that may hinder users, we can assess the product's intuitiveness and design quality. This analysis serves to inform current and future internal stakeholders on the product’s performance against usability metrics.
Grading Categories:
A = Meets usability requirements and performs well.
B = Baseline is good; needs some cleanup work.
C = Critical problems need to be addressed.
D = Design and functionality need to be reconsidered.
F = Fails to meet modern UX standards.
Visibility of System Status
This means providing users with clear, real-time feedback on the current state of the system, ensuring they are informed and can make decisions based on up-to-date information.
Grade: D – Design and functionality need to be reconsidered
The system doesn’t communicate files with exceptions—only Triumph Pay does (e.g., wrong POD).
Once a load is in "delivered" status and a document has been uploaded, the UI lacks a timer indicating how much time remains until documents are sent to Triumph Pay.
Triumph Pay can delete a file, but the UI doesn’t reflect this action, requiring accounting to reach out to the carrier.
The system doesn’t communicate whether a file has been successfully removed from the upload modal.
The system doesn’t confirm that a file has been successfully added before the user clicks “upload.”
The system doesn’t notify the user that closing the modal will reset the file selection.
Match Between System and User
This means the system should resemble experiences users already have. It should follow real-world conventions, presenting information in a natural and logical order. The design should speak the users' language, using words, phrases, and concepts that are familiar to them.
Grade: C – Critical problems need to be addressed
The trash bin icon can represent the removal of a file, but using words like "remove" or "delete" would be clearer. Users might expect to view their deleted files to restore them.
When a user is unsure about a file they selected, they cannot view or download the file in the modal to verify it is the correct one.
A document uploader should not be buried in a tab.
When a load is in "booked" or greater status, users are forced to jump or scroll to a Documents Tab, hoping they notice it's time to upload files.
The dismissible banners are disconnected from the upload experience.
The banner information is useful and should not be dismissible.
User Control and Freedom
This means users should be able to reverse their actions if they make a mistake. Users often perform actions by mistake, so they need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted action without going through an extended process.
Grade: B – Baseline is good; needs some cleanup work
When a user deletes a file, they cannot undo the action.
When a user uploads files, they cannot remove an unwanted file.
Consistency and Standards
This means similar system elements should look similar. The system or product should never confuse users by using different words, actions, designs, or situations to convey the same meaning.
Grade: D – Design and functionality need to be reconsidered
The design should not use two primary buttons in a modal.
There is a banner inconsistency; the product should use one style consistently, not multiple.
The banner content may train users to overlook important information.
The feature placement and overall design hierarchy appear disorganized.
Error Prevention
This means mistakes are inevitable, but it’s the designer’s job to minimize them. Good error messages are important, but the best designs focus on preventing problems from occurring in the first place.
Grade: C – Critical problems need to be addressed
There is no consideration for when a user cannot download a rate con.
The feature does not check for required documents before they’re sent to Triumph Pay, only settling the load once all are approved.
A user’s file may remain in pending status and not be approved if the dimensions of a PNG or DOCX file exceed the acceptable size.
The system does not prevent users from sending files that may be denied by Triumph Pay.
The feature does not allow users to remove unwanted files after they’ve been uploaded.
Recognition Rather than Recall
This means users should be able to interact with the system without prior information or context. Minimize the user's memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. Users should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for system use should be visible or easily retrievable when appropriate.
Grade: B – Baseline is good; needs some cleanup work
The system should allow users to begin their file search where they last left off, but instead, it forces users to start over.
When a user is selecting a file from the finder window, the UI does not communicate that only one file can be opened at a time.
Flexibility and Efficiency of Use
This means both new and experienced users should be able to use the system efficiently.
Grade: C – Critical problems need to be addressed
The jump link is new and may go unnoticed by novice users.
The feature should not use a dismissible banner if it reappears after a page refresh. Creating a new dismissible banner would undermine users’ trust in the dismissal (e.g., Pendo guide).
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
This means decluttering as much as possible because less is more. Interfaces should not contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed. Products that go the extra step to provide a pleasing experience through appealing visual design and cleanly organized screens are rewarded both in sales presentations and user loyalty.
Grade: D – Design and functionality need to be reconsidered
The user experience is not tailored to align with the user’s current stage in the booking process.
The drag-and-drop experience is hidden behind a tab.
The design wouldn't need a jump link if the upload experience weren’t behind a tab; additionally, the jump link clutters the side-rail.
Payment approval instructions should be placed higher on the page, so users read them before attempting to upload files. The same applies to the table component.
Help Users with Errors
This means making error messages understandable and suggesting ways to fix the issue. Clearly communicate what’s wrong and how to resolve it. While helping users recognize and recover from errors is important, the best systems also prevent errors from occurring in the first place. Proper screen instructions, help documentation, and intuitive design reduce user frustration and costly mistakes.
Grade: C – Critical problems need to be addressed
When the connection fails between our service and Triumph Pay's service, and a file doesn’t go through, the feature does not provide accurate error messaging. It incorrectly labels it as a network error, though it’s likely a service error.
The feature does not provide clear instructions on acceptable PNG or DOCX file dimensions for sending to Triumph Pay.
The feature does not offer clear instructions when files are denied by Triumph Pay; the status remains in pending.
The feature overuses network errors as a generic error, which may not help users identify specific issues.
There is no failure read-back when a rate con cannot be downloaded.
Help and Documentation
If users have difficulty interacting with your product, ensure help is easily accessible. No matter how strong your UX is, some users will still be confused, and that’s not a reflection of poor design. People make mistakes and need support. Help and documentation should provide information focused on the user’s task, be easy to search, concise, and offer clear steps to complete tasks.
Grade: D – Design and functionality need to be reconsidered
The “Learn how to upload documents” Pendo guide exists but has not been implemented in the live environment.
The feature should provide informational tips regarding payment approval language.
The system is unclear about what Arrive expects and why specific artifacts are needed. The language is too industry-specific.
The feature falls short for new or novice portal users who may not be familiar with Arrive’s accounting processes. It was built under the assumption that users have prior experience uploading documents via email.