Usability inspection is the name for a set of methods where an evaluator inspects a

user interface In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine fro ...

. This is in contrast to usability testing where the usability of the interface is evaluated by testing it on real users. Usability inspections can generally be used early in the development process by evaluating

prototypes A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...

specifications A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is often a type of technical standard. There are different types of technical or engineering specificati ...

for the system that can't be tested on users. Usability inspection methods are generally considered to be less costly to implement than testing on users. Usability inspection methods include: * Cognitive walkthrough (task-specific) * Pluralistic walkthrough * Heuristic evaluation (general), or (domain or culture-specific) * Action Analysis * Guideline scoring or testing

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