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Project Overview

This project focuses on the systematic evaluation and redesign of the Weather.com user interface using Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. The goal was to assess how effectively the interface supports user tasks, identify specific usability violations, and propose concrete, heuristic-driven redesigns that improve clarity, consistency, and overall user experience.

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Rather than proposing cosmetic changes or subjective improvements, the work emphasizes analytical reasoning, evidence-based critique, and principled design decisions grounded in established usability standards.

Objective

The primary objectives of this project were to:

  • Evaluate an existing, widely used application using formal usability heuristics

  • Identify both compliant and non-compliant interface behaviors

  • Redesign identified problem areas to resolve usability violations

  • Demonstrate how heuristic-based evaluation leads to measurable improvements in usability

Methodology

The project followed a structured, three-phase approach:

1. Heuristic Evaluation

Weather.com’s interface was evaluated using Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics, focusing on at least five principles. For each selected heuristic:

  • Areas of compliance were identified and documented

  • Areas of violation were identified, explained, and clearly annotated

Each observation was supported by screenshots with visual markers highlighting relevant UI elements.

2. Violation Analysis

For each documented violation:

  • The specific heuristic being violated was explained

  • The impact on user experience, task flow, or clarity was analyzed

  • The issue was framed as a usability problem, not a functional defect

This ensured that proposed changes were justified by heuristic principles rather than personal preference.

3. Interface Redesign

All identified violations were addressed through redesigned interface components. Redesigns were:

  • Created using Pencil, a rapid UI prototyping tool

  • Presented side-by-side with the original interface for direct comparison

  • Annotated to clearly demonstrate how each change resolves the heuristic violation

Tools & Artifacts

Pencil – High-fidelity UI prototyping and redesign

Annotated Screenshots – Highlighting heuristic compliance and violations

Formal Design Report (PDF) – Consolidated analysis, redesigns, and explanations

Key Design Principles Applied

  • Visibility of system status

  • Consistency and standards

  • Error prevention and recovery

  • Recognition over recall

  • Minimalist, task-focused design

All redesign decisions were explicitly tied back to the heuristic being addressed.

Key Takeaways

  • Heuristic evaluation provides a repeatable, objective framework for identifying usability issues

  • Small interface changes can significantly improve clarity and task efficiency

  • Usability analysis benefits from treating interfaces as systems, not isolated screens

  • Evidence-based redesign leads to clearer implementation guidance for engineers

Artifacts & Documentation

​The following supporting materials accompany this project:

Outcome

This project demonstrates the ability to analyze existing systems, identify usability risks, and design principled improvements based on established standards. It reflects a systems-oriented mindset that values clarity, consistency, and user-centered design as integral parts of reliable software development.

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