Comparison of UX evaluation methods through evaluation of UX of the prototype of a matching platform for the rental housing market in Finland – Sopia.

Key concepts of this Master’s thesis are user experience (UX), usability, startup and UX evaluation methods. The research question is how startups should evaluate their website’s UX. To answer it I conducted a study of five UX evaluation methods: heuristic evaluation (HE), cognitive walkthrough (CW), tree testing, system usability scale (SUS), brainstorming through theoretical and empirical analysis. I collected empirical data in two ways. First, I interviewed seven UX field practitioners on their experiences of different UX evaluation methods. Second, I applied the evaluation methods to the website prototype of a digital startup called Sopia. To be able to consistently compare the UX evaluation methods, I created a theory-based framework that includes a set of generic parameters describing evaluation methods, and the constraints of the startup. Based on my findings three UX evaluation methods would be useful in the startup context: heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and brainstorming. Practitioners tend to select flexible, fast and simple evaluation methods. Cognitive walkthrough and brainstorming match these criteria. Cognitive walkthrough when conducted with potential end users, reveals UX mistakes at an early stage of UX design. Brainstorming carried out within the design team afterwards helps to find resolutions for the revealed usability problems. Heuristic evaluation should not be carried out in its traditional definition with usability experts. However, startups should learn 10 heuristics as 10 usability principles to create the ground of good UX. The key contribution of my study is the framework of Minimum Viable UX Evaluation Methods for Startups. The framework represents the list of necessary UX evaluation tools that each startup, despite time, money and human resource constraints, should follow. Each evaluation method, based on my findings, is unavoidable to help the startup to progress with product development