Game for aNy heuristic evaluation (G4NHE): a generalization of the G4H gamification considering different sets of usability heuristics

Abstract

Many initiatives have promoted collaborative heuristic evaluation to avoid discrepancies between evaluator’s ratings. This paper presents G4NHE (Game for aNy heuristic evaluation), a card game proposed to increase the engagement of different evaluators in an evaluation process based on heuristic evaluation. G4NHE is a generalization of previous work (the G4H gamification) to be applied to different usability heuristics. G4H was designed to support Nielsen’s heuristics only. The main goal of G4NHE is to provide an engaging and ludic way to consolidate collaborative heuristic evaluation. It can also be used by students and professionals to coordinate the tasks of heuristic evaluations. Several usability heuristics were analyzed to identify the common characteristics and how these characteristics demand changes in the rules of original G4H generic gamification named G4NHE. G4NHE can be used as complementary material to HCI courses. This paper presents the steps used to create G4NHE and a guide to enable any HCI professional or student to use G4NHE gamification with any usability heuristic. As a result, this work enables gamification non-specialists to create a gamification based on G4H (a gamification built for Nielsen’s heuristics) to any usability heuristic. G4NHE still needs to be fully evaluated, but the expectations are that it can take advantage of the engagement, ludic teaching, and participation satisfaction already present in G4H by using any usability heuristic.