Usability evaluation with the cognitive walkthrough

The cognitive walkthrough is a technique for evaluating the design of a user interface, with speciaJ attention to how well the interface supports "exploratory learning," i.e., first-time use without formal training. The evaluation can be performed by the system's designers in the e,arly stages of design, before empirical user testing is possible. Early versions of the walkthrough method relied on a detailed series of questions, to be answered on paper or electronic forms. This tutorial presents a simpler method, founded in an understanding of the cognitive theory that describes a user's interactions with a system. The tutorial refines the method on the basis of recent empirical and theoretical studies of exploratory learning with display-based interfaces. The strengths and limitations of the walkthrough method are considered, and it is placed into the context of a more complete design approach.