Don Norman Principles UX Audit

This skill enables AI agents to perform a human-centered evaluation of usability and intuitiveness for apps, websites, or digital interfaces using Don Norman's 7 fundamental design principles from The Design of Everyday Things.

The principles emphasize discoverability, natural perception, and cognitive load reduction. Use this skill to detect intuitive frustrations (like digital "Norman doors"), improve user experience, and propose redesigns.

Combine with "Nielsen Heuristics UX Audit" or "UX Audit and Rethink" skills for comprehensive audits.

When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when:

Evaluating the intuitiveness of an interface
Identifying usability problems from a human-centered perspective
Assessing how naturally users can discover and use features
Auditing digital products for cognitive friction
Planning UX improvements based on fundamental design principles

Inputs Required

When executing this audit, gather:

interface_description: Detailed interface description (purpose, users, key flows, platform: web/mobile) [REQUIRED]
screenshots_or_links: URLs of screenshots, wireframes, or live site/app [OPTIONAL]
user_tasks: Representative user tasks (e.g., "log in", "add to cart", "navigate menu") [OPTIONAL]
existing_feedback: User comments or pain points [OPTIONAL]

The 7 Principles (Standard Edition)

Evaluate against these principles from Don Norman's revised edition:

1. Discoverability

Can users determine what actions are possible and the current system state just by looking?

The design must make action possibilities visible from the start
Users shouldn't need to hunt for features or guess what's possible

2. Affordance

Do elements naturally suggest their possible use?

Buttons should look pressable
Sliders should invite sliding
Physical or perceived properties that determine use

3. Signifiers

Are there clear signals (icons, labels, colors) indicating where and how to act?

Explicit cues that complement affordances
Visual, auditory, or tactile indicators of what actions to take

4. Feedback

Does the system respond immediately to each action, informing what happened and the new state?

Must be complete, continuous, and understandable
Users should never wonder "did that work?"

5. Mapping

Do controls logically correspond with their effects?

Natural relationships (spatial, analogical) between actions and results
Intuitive layout that matches mental models

6. Constraints

Are possible actions limited to prevent errors?

Physical, logical, semantic, or cultural constraints
Guide users toward correct actions by eliminating wrong ones

7. Conceptual Models

Does the design support a coherent and consistent mental model of the system?

Users should form intuitive understanding of how it works
Align with user expectations and prior experiences

Audit Procedure

Follow these steps iteratively, simulating real user interaction:

Step 1: Preparation

Analyze interface_description, screenshots_or_links, and user_tasks to understand context and flows
Define 3-5 key tasks if not provided
Review the 7 principles listed above

Step 2: Principle-by-Principle Evaluation

For each of the 7 principles:

Examine the interface and tasks thoroughly
Identify compliance or violations with evidence:
- Specific screens, steps, or behaviors
- Quote or screenshot problematic areas
Assign severity:
- Catastrophic: Prevents intuitive use or causes severe errors
- High: Significant friction or frequent confusion
- Medium: Annoying but surmountable
- Low: Minor or cosmetic issue
Propose 1-3 concrete recommendations (e.g., "Add magnifying glass icon as signifier for search")

Step 3: Synthesis and Prioritization

Group related problems (e.g., lack of feedback + poor mapping)
Prioritize by: severity + frequency + impact on critical tasks
Calculate overall score (approximate % of principles well-met)
Suggest next steps: user testing, Design Thinking iteration

Step 4: Final Report Structure

Provide a clear, structured report:

Executive Summary

Main strengths
Key weaknesses
Overall human-centered score (1-10 or qualitative)

Detailed Evaluation by Principle

For each principle:

Compliance level: Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor
Evidence: Specific examples with screenshots/descriptions
Violations found: Detailed description
Severity: Catastrophic / High / Medium / Low
Recommendations: Actionable improvements

Prioritized Issues List

Most critical issues first
Include: principle violated, severity, affected tasks, recommendation

Redesign Suggestions

Concrete design improvements
Quick wins vs. long-term changes
Alternative interaction patterns

Limitations

Note this is an expert evaluation simulation
Recommend validation with real users
Suggest follow-up user testing methods

Example Violations to Watch For

Classic "Norman Doors" in Digital Interfaces:

Discoverability: Hidden navigation, invisible buttons, features users can't find
Affordance: Links that don't look clickable, buttons that look disabled when active
Signifiers: Missing icons, unclear labels, no visual cues for interactivity
Feedback: Actions with no confirmation, loading without indicators, silent errors
Mapping: Controls far from their effects, illogical groupings, counter-intuitive layouts
Constraints: Allowing invalid inputs, no prevention of destructive actions, unclear boundaries
Conceptual Models: Inconsistent behavior, breaking conventions, confusing metaphors

Output Format

Structure your audit report as:

# Don Norman Principles UX Audit Report

## Executive Summary
[Overall assessment]

**Overall Score**: [X/10]
**Critical Issues**: [number]
**High Priority Issues**: [number]

## Principle Evaluations

### 1. Discoverability
**Score**: [rating]
**Violations**: [list]
**Recommendations**: [list]

[Repeat for all 7 principles]

## Prioritized Issues
1. [Issue] - [Severity] - [Principle]
   - **Impact**: [description]
   - **Recommendation**: [action]

## Redesign Suggestions
[Concrete improvements organized by impact]

## Next Steps
[Recommended actions for validation and improvement]

Best Practices

Be Specific: Use concrete examples, not vague statements
Show Evidence: Reference specific UI elements, flows, or interactions
Prioritize Ruthlessly: Focus on issues that truly impact usability
Propose Solutions: Don't just identify problems—suggest fixes
Consider Context: Mobile vs. desktop, novice vs. expert users
Stay Objective: Base findings on principles, not personal preference
Validate: Recommend user testing to confirm findings

Combining with Other Audits

Nielsen Heuristics: For comprehensive usability evaluation
WCAG Accessibility: For inclusive design compliance
7 UX Factors (IxDF): For holistic experience assessment
Cognitive Walkthrough: For task-specific deep dives

Reference

Based on Don Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things" (Revised Edition) Principles: Discoverability, Affordance, Signifiers, Feedback, Mapping, Constraints, Conceptual Models

Adapted for digital interface evaluation in alignment with modern UX standards (2026).

Version

1.0 - Initial release

Remember: This is a simulated expert evaluation. Always validate findings with real users through usability testing, interviews, and analytics.

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