Amazon Echo and Alexa: A Heuristic Evaluation
Jakob Nielsen has a famous list of 10 usability heuristics. Below is my view on how Amazon Echo/Alexa is doing based off of the 10 factors.
#1: Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
The device shows you a light ring on the top to show you the system status. Each color has a different meaning to give you a message as a user. The device doesn’t make the user wait and instead replies very quickly as if you were talking to a real person.
#2: Match between system and the real world
The system should speak the users’ language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.
Alexa does really well in this section since you can talk to her like you would a real person. You can ask her to tell you jokes and she’ll come up with something. You don’t have to use specific weird system-oriented terms when asking Alexa to do something which is good. Alexa can also speak Spanish if that is what you prefer but as of now, she can only switch between English and Spanish.
#3: User control and freedom
Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked “emergency exit” to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
Alexa does have a “Stop” command and if you use this then she will stop listening and you can start over. There isn’t an exact undo since it is like having a conversation with a real person and in real life, there is no undo option when talking.
#4: Consistency and standards
Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
This would go off of how you say something. Alexa can pick up if you are asking a question or making a statement based on how you say something and which words you are using. But other than that it is consistent with how you would normally talk and think.
#5: Error prevention
Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action.
If Alexa doesn’t understand or can’t do something then she will tell you. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question” or “Sorry, I’m having trouble understand you right now” or “Sorry I didn’t quite get that” and a couple of other versions.
#6: Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user’s memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.
Alexa doesn’t really have a way of showing you something through Amazon Echo because there is no screen however, sometimes in the app, there will be visuals to help you. One example can be if you ask Alexa to reorder something or to add something to your shopping cart, then you can go into your shopping cart or orders and check if it is there.
#7: Flexibility and efficiency of use
Accelerators — unseen by the novice user — may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions.
To increase efficiency don’t ask Alexa complicated or too detailed questions. It’s pretty easy to use in the sense of you just need to speak English or Spanish and know that you start off by saying “Alexa” to turn it on.
#8: Aesthetic and minimalist design
Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.
Alexa doesn’t give you extra non-relevant information. She keeps it short and to the point. Alexa will answer the question you give to the best of her abilities.
#9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
When you get an error message it will be displayed by the light shown on the device. If you don’t know what the color means, then you can ask Alexa what the light means or you can go online and look it up. Amazon also has a help center if you need extra help with this.
#10: Help and documentation
Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user’s task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.
Now with everything being online, it is really easy to get help. Amazon has a help section online and a community forum where you can get help and see what other people have previously received help with.
Amazon Echo and Alexa can be helpful for you depending on how you use it. The system is designed pretty well and it seems like it would be easy to use and learn. It’s good for help while cooking or playing music. As well as setting timers or just having a short conversation and asking to hear jokes.
Below are a couple of experiences my friends have had with their Alexa devices to show you examples of things you can do:
Person 1's Experience
I love my Alexa! I use it all the time, especially while cooking. I ask her to play music pretty much all day or help me while trying out a new recipe. There’s no need for me to read the recipe, all I need to do is ask Alexa what the next step is or to repeat a step if I am behind or need a reminder.
Person 2’s Experience
I have multiple Alexa devices in my house. The first one is in the kitchen, then there’s another one in the bedroom, and a third one in the master bathroom. Alexa is there to tell me a joke, play music, read me audiobooks, or tell me the weather. Sure there’s plenty more things she can probably do but this is the main stuff I use her for.
