Hulu Heuristic Evaluation
Goal of Analysis: With over 54 million users interacting with the interface, it is critical that the system is well designed to enhance users’ experiences.
Process: Using Nielson’s 10 Heuristics for User Interface Evaluation, I evaluated Hulu for each of the heuristics in order to assess the system’s performance. The interface was rated on a scale of poor (+0), average(+1), good(+2), and excellent(+3) based on how well it accomplished the overall goal of each heuristic. Below I have listed the 10 Heuristics and the accompanying question I asked pertaining to Hulu specifically.
- Visibility: How well does Hulu keep users informed of current system status?
- Match Between System & Real World: Do the language and concepts of the system mirror what Hulu’s users would expect based on reality?
- User Control & Freedom: Can Hulu users undo or redo actions on the website?
- Consistency & Standards: Does Hulu use familiar design features?
- Error Prevention: Are potential errors by Hulu users prevented?
- Recognition Over Recall: Are Hulu features accessible through recognition?
- Flexibility & Efficiency of Use: Are shortcuts utilized through the interface for experienced users?
- Aesthetic & Minimalistic Design: Is the design of the system simplistic yet visually pleasing?
- Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, & Recover From Errors: If a Hulu user experiences an error, how efficiently is it identified and resolved?
- Help & Documentation: How visible and accessible is it for users to seek help?
Findings: Based on my own personal rating scale, Hulu has an above average, relatively good interface with an overall score of 18. Although the website is designed to be very visually pleasing, fundamental navigation elements are lost in the process.
- Visibility: How well does Hulu keep users informed of current system status?
People having more information about the system leads to better decisions made; therefore, it is important for users to understand the state of the system. Hulu features recent shows watched but it fails to explicitly show the process in each show. Hulu only says the total time duration of the video instead of how many minutes remain. The only indication of a user’s status is “Resume Episode” or “Watch Next Episode.”
In terms of the system’s status as a website, if a video is in the process of loading, a progress bar consumes the entire screen. The photo below shows the entire screen as a black background with the attention on a single loading bar to signal the loading process.
Hulu also utilizes different design features like click registration to indicate that a user’s action was acknowledged. When a user hovers over a video or headline, the video enlarges. After the click, users immediately know the website is processing through loading bars. This aids a user’s experience because they do not need to click excessively.
Overall, Hulu does a good job of having transparency about the system’s status. It is not perfect, but featuring how long is left in a show would make this heuristic excellent. (+2)
2. Match Between System & Real World: Do the language and concepts of the system mirror what Hulu’s users would expect based on reality?
Systems should mimic a user’s perception of reality, and the interface should align with the user’s expectations. For an audience of TV and movie watchers, the system should mirror a movie controller or other streaming service features. Hulu utilizes recognizable buttons like play, fast forward, and rewind; this design feature works well because it mirrors the buttons on a DVD player. In addtion, Hulu does a good job of using common words like “Browse” that are similar to other streaming services that users would know.
In a broader sense, Hulu also matches similar features to other technological devices. Hulu features a “Night Mode” that has recently become a popular characteristic on mobile applications.
Overall, Hulu does an excellent job of matching its interface to different real-life features of a DVD remote and other technologies. (+3)
3. User Control & Freedom: Can Hulu users undo or redo actions on the website?
While looking at an interface, it is important that a system allows undo and redo options to ensure that a user intended the action. Whenever a user adds or removes different videos to their “My Stuff” section, Hulu prompts a message informing them their action; however, there is no undo or redo button. It is good that Hulu informs users of when they remove or add something because then they can possibly go back and re-add it or remove it.
When it comes to navigating the website and not streaming a video, anything that involves updating the account’s profile requires verification. If it was an accident, users are prompted with the option to “Cancel” and go back to the previous page.
Hulu also does a good job of making sure that a user intended to pause or cancel their account. When a user wants to pause their account, they are brought to a new page to gain the user’s attention. If they choose to cancel, they are brought to another page asking users to validate their cancelling. Throughout each page, a user is presented a “back” button, to return to the previous page.
Overall, Hulu does a good job of supporting undo options for their users; every alteration of a user’s account allows a cancel option. To make it excellent, Hulu should offer a simpler feature so users do not need to go back to the original button.(+2)
4. Consistency & Standards: Does Hulu use familiar design features?
Designs should be consistent across different systems outside of Hulu so users have an idea of where to look. According to Jakob’s Law of the Web User Experience, users spend most of their time on other websites; therefore, users want Hulu to function like other websites.
Hulu’s placement of account information in the top right corner makes it easy to find profile features. Since this is the consistency of other websites, users can instinctively go to the corner and make selections.
One of the worst designs on the entire website is when a user tries to get more information about a video. On other similar platforms like Netflix, there is an easy arrow that includes an option to view details of the show when a user hovers the arrow. On Hulu, users must know to click on the small arrow; however, users end up clicking the whole icon, playing the video. When the video is open, Netflix gives users the ability to navigate to the show’s details, but the only way for Hulu users to navigate to details is from the home page. There is no way for users to quickly select a different season or episode without going to a new page entirely.
Another inconsistency on Hulu is the actions required to close a video. Exiting out of most systems is an X in the top corner which Hulu has; however, it does not close the video. Instead, it minimizes the video to the corner of the screen and continues to play. This feature is good to have, but there is already a minimize button. Therefore, users have to press two buttons in two spots to close a video.
Hulu has some consistent features; however, the system does a poor job. In order to improve, Hulu needs to fix the details option so users can access information about shows easily. Also, the minimize button should be placed next to the close button so users can close the video if needed. (+0)
5. Error Prevention: Are potential errors by Hulu users prevented?
While designing an interface, one has to consider users may make mistakes. Slips are mistakenly made by users; therefore, it’s essential that Hulu accommodates this and helps prevent mistakes from happening. While a user searches for a video, Hulu automatically finishes possible searches. That way, users can select the option they are looking for without typing the entire title. When a user types in a full name with a spelling mistake, Hulu fails to present possible results.
The few actions a user could make a mistake doing is not prevented. Users must type in all 16 numbers of a credit card with no spacing which makes it hard to spot an error.
While Hulu has average prevention errors to avoid unconscious slips, the system could improve by showing search results even if something is incorrect. Also, the credit card should be put in in a 4x4 number format. (+1)
6. Recognition Over Recall: Are Hulu features accessible through recognition?
Usability is improved when users recognize items instead of recalling by memory. Interfaces can promote recognition by including functions that are accessible and visible. Hulu features a “Keep Watching” section so users recognize previous titles they were viewing. Despite having a keep watching section, it is not the first thing a user sees. Instead, they need to keep scrolling in order to get to the section.
For when Hulu users do look up things, Hulu saves the eight most recent searches which is good because it allows users to recognize previous videos.
Hulu does a good job of utilizing features that allow users to improve the efficiency by not needing to recall things; however, to be excellent, Hulu should improve the Keep Watching section, so it is more prominent. (+2)
7. Flexibility & Efficiency of Use: Are shortcuts utilized through the interface for experienced users?
For more advanced users, interfaces usually include different features to speed up the interface; usually, keyboard shortcuts are employed on different platforms. On Hulu, different keyboard shortcuts are used for experts aware of the functions. Using the up and down arrows scrolls the site down while pressing the space bar jumps down.
Although there are a few keyboard shortcuts, there is nothing exceptional about them and the efficiency is average. In order to improve, Hulu could implement an advanced search option. (+1)
8. Aesthetic and Minimalistic Design: Is the design of the system simplistic yet visually pleasing?
A user’s brain can process limited information at a time; therefore, an interface can not be too cluttered or use unnecessary colors. A UX design typically follows “above-the-fold.” With this technique, the most important information should be at the top.
Hulu’s opening screen is one random show advertised with four videos below it. However, Hulu fails to say what the videos are: are they trending? New? Suggestions? Instead of the ambiguous shows, Hulu should get rid of the four below the main one and push up the recently watched.
Although the aesthetic of the website is good, Hulu tries too hard and uses excess colors. To improve, Hulu should improve its front page and use less colors. (+2)
9. Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, & Recover From Errors: If a Hulu user experiences an error, how efficiently is it identified and resolved?
When there is an issue on the interface behind the scenes, users should be aware of the error in easy-to-understand language. In addition to indicating the problem, users should be provided with different solutions. During a streaming error, Hulu identifies the error in both language that everyday users will understand and an error code for users who want to look more in depth. Hulu offers a possible solution of restarting the video but after that it doesn’t do anything. There is an OK button for users to use but it only brings users back to the home page and doesn’t do any solving.
Hulu does a good job of identifying different errors are occurring; however, the solutions to them are vague. Hulu could improve by offering more specific error messages or a link to the Help section of the account. (+2)
10. Help & Documentation: How visible and accessible is it for users to seek help?
When designing a successful interface, users should never need a help page; however, if they do, it should be easy to navigate to. Hulu offers two locations for users to seek help: the top right corner and the bottom of the page.
Hulu also offers several ways to seek specific assistance. It utilizes both recognition and recall by providing suggested topics in addition to a search bar with more specific problems. When a user begins to type in an error, Hulu finds similar topics.
Hulu does an excellent job of offering help for users by offering an option to pick out certain topics or search a specific error. (+3)
Conclusion: After scoring each heuristic individually, Hulu received a score of 18 (out of 30 which would presume that each heuristic was scored as excellent). While there are multiple elements that Hulu could update and improve on, the overall website was designed well for users to stream their video with little site navigation required.
