Creating evaluation criteria

Every design audit needs clear criteria to be effective. Like a quality checklist for manufacturing, evaluation criteria create consistent standards for assessing design elements. They transform subjective opinions into measurable observations.

Key aspects include:

• Usability standards: Apply Nielsen's heuristics by creating specific questions for each principle. For example, turn "Error Prevention" into "Does the system prevent errors in critical user flows?"
• Accessibility guidelines: Break down WCAG requirements into testable criteria like contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility
• Design system rules: Check how components follow defined styles, spacing, and behavior rules. Document deviations from standards
• Performance metrics: Define baseline metrics for load times, interaction speed, and animation smoothness
• User success metrics: Track completion rates, error occurrences, and time-on-task against set benchmarks

Well-defined criteria help teams focus on what matters most while ensuring different evaluators reach consistent conclusions.