Published: May 16th, 2025

A heuristics evaluation is a structured way to assess websites against practical usability guidelines. This framework has been developed specifically for assessing legal aid triage and intake flows. It combines established UX best practices with specialized criteria for legal services, drawing from both the Stanford Design Lab's Design Review Checklist and Jakob Nielsen's widely-used heuristics principles.

The framework was designed to identify issues across various dimensions of user experience, from basic usability to legal-specific concerns. We used this framework in partnership with Legal Aid Chicago and Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) to conduct a comprehensive heuristic evaluation of their "Get Legal Help" tool.

These heuristics were used alongside specialized SMS heuristics to provide comprehensive evaluation coverage of both website and SMS channels.

The Heuristics 

The heuristics at a glance:

1. Optimize Performance Across Devices

2. Ensure Technical Accessibility

3. Present Clear and Readable Content

4. Guide Users Through Clear Pathways

5. Design Intuitive Interactive Elements

6. Create Clear Visual Hierarchy

7. Optimize for Legal Aid Context

8. Organize Content for Clear Understanding

Each section contains:

• A category heading that describes the area of focus

• A brief description of what we're evaluating in this category

• Specific heuristics to check during evaluation

1. Optimize Performance Across Devices

Ensure the site works efficiently and effectively across desktop/mobile devices and connection speeds

1. Content is readable on mobile screen sizes without zooming

2. Click zone/tap targets are sufficiently sized for mobile interaction

3. Forms are usable on mobile devices

4. Pages load quickly on slow connections

5. All functionality works on mobile devices

6. Users can recover from making mistakes/being in the wrong place

2. Ensure Technical Accessibility

Make content and functionality accessible to all users regardless of abilities or language preferences

1. All functionality can be accessed via keyboard navigation

2. Color contrast meets WCAG AA standards

3. Font sizes, alt tags, and header flow all follow accessibility standards

4. Language switching is prominent and consistent

5. Language attributes are properly defined in code of the page

6. Links use descriptive text instead of generic "click here" phrases

3. Present Clear and Accessible Content

Ensure content is understandable, inclusive, and empathetic for users of all backgrounds

1. Instructions are available in plain language

2. Content accommodates different literacy levels

3. Abbreviations are consistently formatted with periods where appropriate

4. Content remains accessible when images are disabled

5. Reading levels are appropriate for target audiences

6. Technical terms and jargon are consistently explained

7. Form fields use inclusive options and language

8. Forms and processes use active voice and clear directives

9. Language choices respect dignity and agency (e.g., "person experiencing homelessness" rather than "homeless person")

10. Terminology is consistent with community preferences (e.g., respecting preferences between terms like Hispanic/Latino/Latinx)

11. Content avoids stigmatizing or outdated language

12. Person-first language is used appropriately

13. Language acknowledges user challenges while maintaining dignity

4. Guide Users Through Clear Pathways

Provide clear navigation and next steps for all user scenarios

1. Site purpose is immediately clear on landing

2. Clear calls to action guide users forward

3. It’s always clear to the user what’s going on

4. Navigation labels clearly convey what you'll see when you go there

5. The user is able to find their way to a specific page/section again or know where they are in the process

6. Users can easily find next steps

7. Crisis/emergency paths are prioritized

8. It’s easy for a user to tell approximately how long a website process is, where they are in the process, how far they have left to go, and what to do next

9. Dead ends are eliminated and the visitor is presented with alternative actions

10. Users can easily start over if needed

11. Functionality works in the same way as similar functionality on other sites

12. Success and error states are clearly communicated; error messages are clear and helpful

13. Set expectations about legal assistance availability (e.g. users may not get to speak to a lawyer right away)

14. Clear communication about when users can expect contact

15. Provide options for what to do if expected contact doesn't occur

5. Design Intuitive Interactive Elements

Make forms, buttons, and other interactive elements easy to understand and use

1. Form fields clearly indicate required information

2. Form validation prevents common mistakes

3. Help text is available when needed

4. Field labels are clear and descriptive

5. Complex forms are broken into logical steps

6. Form fields follow a natural completion order

7. Field formats are clearly indicated (e.g., date formats)

8. Allow the user to move back reasonably seamlessly, and undo

9. It’s clear whether an interaction was successful or not

6. Create Clear Visual Hierarchy

Use design elements consistently to guide users and highlight important information

1. Important actions are visually prominent

2. Headers establish clear visual hierarchy

3. Interface elements have consistent styling

4. Visual noise and clutter are minimized

5. Critical content appears above the fold

6. Icons follow standard web conventions

7. Important UI elements stand out from the rest of the page

7. Optimize for Legal Aid Context

Ensure the system effectively serves legal aid-specific needs.

1. At the start of the process or before user invests time, geographic service boundaries and service limitations are clearly communicated

2. Eligibility criteria are explained upfront

3. Terms for legal organizations and services in plain language

4. Crisis resources are prominently displayed

5. Privacy, confidentiality and how/when a user’s information will be shared and with who is clearly explained

6. Alternative resources are provided when users don't qualify

8. Organize Content for Clear Understanding

Present information in a logical, digestible way that prioritizes user needs and comprehension

1. Legal concepts are explained to the user clearly and with enough detail that they can accurately answer questions

2. Content hierarchy reflects user priorities

3. Related resources are clearly grouped and linked

4. Processes are explained step-by-step

5. Lists are organized in logical, user-centered order