Heuristic Evaluation of FirstCry App

The objective of this case study is to conduct a heuristic evaluation of the FirstCry mobile app, identifying usability issues based on Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics. The aim is to provide actionable recommendations for improving the user experience and optimizing the app's interface.

My Role

Research, Define, Evaluation Deliver

Founded

2010

Industry

E-commerce

About Firstcry

FirstCry has been a prominent player in India’s e-commerce market, especially for baby and maternity products. The app is popular for its wide selection of goods, including diapers, toys, feeding products, apparel, and more. Users can access exclusive discounts and personalized recommendations.

The 10 Usability Heuristics by Jakob Nielsen

Customer Review Analysis

Conclusion

User reviews from the App Store and Play Store reveal key usability issues affecting the FirstCry app’s experience:

Returns & Refund Challenges – Difficult and slow return process.
Delayed Customer Support – Unresponsive service causing frustration.
Navigation Issues – Cluttered layout, hard-to-find products.
Product Inaccuracy – Size mismatches and misleading descriptions.

Visibility of System Status

Priority-High

Problem:

Users do not see the total amount (including taxes, shipping, and discounts) until the final purchase step, causing frustration and potential cart abandonment.

Problem:

Users do not see the total amount (including taxes, shipping, and discounts) until the final purchase step, causing frustration and potential cart abandonment.

Problem:

Users do not see the total amount (including taxes, shipping, and discounts) until the final purchase step, causing frustration and potential cart abandonment.

Solution:

Transparent Pricing: Display a clear breakdown of the total cost (product price, discounts, taxes, and shipping charges) early in the checkout process, ideally right after the user adds a product to the cart.

Solution:

Heuristic Violated

User Control and Freedom

Priority-High

Problem::

Once users add an item to their cart, there’s no immediate option to undo the action, causing frustration and inconvenience.

Problem::

Once users add an item to their cart, there’s no immediate option to undo the action, causing frustration and inconvenience.

Problem::

Once users add an item to their cart, there’s no immediate option to undo the action, causing frustration and inconvenience.

Solution:

Implement a clear “Undo” option when an item is added to the cart.

Solution:

Implement a clear “Undo” option when an item is added to the cart.

Solution:

Implement a clear “Undo” option when an item is added to the cart.

Heuristic Violated

Error Prevention

Priority-High

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Solution:

Confirmation Step: After users update their address, provide a confirmation screen that allows them to review the new details before saving them.

Solution:

Confirmation Step: After users update their address, provide a confirmation screen that allows them to review the new details before saving them.

Solution:

Confirmation Step: After users update their address, provide a confirmation screen that allows them to review the new details before saving them.

Heuristic Violated

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

Priority-High

Problem::

The home screen feels visually overwhelming due to excessive promotions, banners, and product categories, making it harder for users to focus on key actions.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Solution:

Simplify design by prioritizing the search bar and category navigation.
Reduce visual noise by minimizing and optimizing promotional banners.
Use rotating banners or a minimalistic layout to enhance clarity.

Solution:

Simplify design by prioritizing the search bar and category navigation.
Reduce visual noise by minimizing and optimizing promotional banners.
Use rotating banners or a minimalistic layout to enhance clarity.

Solution:

Simplify design by prioritizing the search bar and category navigation.
Reduce visual noise by minimizing and optimizing promotional banners.
Use rotating banners or a minimalistic layout to enhance clarity.

Heuristic Violated

Aesthetic and Minimalist Design

Priority-High

Problem::

The cart section is cluttered with promotional images and ads, distracting users from reviewing their order and completing the purchase.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Solution:

Streamline the cart by removing or reducing promotional content.
Focus on essential details like product summary, pricing, and checkout actions.
Separate promotional content into a less intrusive area, such as a banner at the top or bottom.

Solution:

Streamline the cart by removing or reducing promotional content.
Focus on essential details like product summary, pricing, and checkout actions.
Separate promotional content into a less intrusive area, such as a banner at the top or bottom.

Solution:

Streamline the cart by removing or reducing promotional content.
Focus on essential details like product summary, pricing, and checkout actions.
Separate promotional content into a less intrusive area, such as a banner at the top or bottom.

Heuristic Violated

Recognition Rather than Recall

Priority-Medium

Problem::

Users must remember product details manually to re-purchase or find previously viewed items, as there is no easy way to access recently viewed products or order history from the homepage.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Problem::

Users cannot review or confirm address changes before saving, increasing the risk of incorrect details being finalized without an easy way to undo mistakes.

Solution:

Order History & Reorder Option – Create an easy-to-access section for past purchases with a one-click reorder feature, ideal for recurring items like diapers and baby food.
Recently Viewed Products – Display recently viewed items for quick reference.
Streamline navigation to reduce search effort and improve convenience.

Solution:

Order History & Reorder Option – Create an easy-to-access section for past purchases with a one-click reorder feature, ideal for recurring items like diapers and baby food.
Recently Viewed Products – Display recently viewed items for quick reference.
Streamline navigation to reduce search effort and improve convenience.

Solution:

Order History & Reorder Option – Create an easy-to-access section for past purchases with a one-click reorder feature, ideal for recurring items like diapers and baby food.
Recently Viewed Products – Display recently viewed items for quick reference.
Streamline navigation to reduce search effort and improve convenience.

Heuristic Violated

Recognition Rather than Recall

Priority-Medium

Problem::

The app does not save recent searches, requiring users to manually re-enter search terms each time, leading to frustration and inefficiency.

Problem::

The app does not save recent searches, requiring users to manually re-enter search terms each time, leading to frustration and inefficiency.

Problem::

The app does not save recent searches, requiring users to manually re-enter search terms each time, leading to frustration and inefficiency.

Solution:

Add “Recent Searches” below the search bar for quick access.
Auto-save search terms and display them as suggestions.
Provide a “Clear Search History” option for privacy control.
Implement Image Scanning (like Google Lens) for finding products via images.
Introduce Voice-Integrated Search for hands-free product discovery.

Solution:

Add “Recent Searches” below the search bar for quick access.
Auto-save search terms and display them as suggestions.
Provide a “Clear Search History” option for privacy control.
Implement Image Scanning (like Google Lens) for finding products via images.
Introduce Voice-Integrated Search for hands-free product discovery.

Solution:

Add “Recent Searches” below the search bar for quick access.
Auto-save search terms and display them as suggestions.
Provide a “Clear Search History” option for privacy control.
Implement Image Scanning (like Google Lens) for finding products via images.
Introduce Voice-Integrated Search for hands-free product discovery.

Heuristic Violated

Consistency and Standards

Priority-Low

Problem::

The app uses multiple fonts inconsistently for headings, subheadings, and body text, making it difficult for users to distinguish key information from secondary content.

Problem::

The app uses multiple fonts inconsistently for headings, subheadings, and body text, making it difficult for users to distinguish key information from secondary content.

Problem::

The app uses multiple fonts inconsistently for headings, subheadings, and body text, making it difficult for users to distinguish key information from secondary content.

Solution:

Standardize fonts by using a consistent typeface for headings, subheadings, and body text.
Use font weights effectively (e.g., bold for headings) instead of multiple font styles.
Ensure consistent sizing and spacing to enhance readability and navigation.

Solution:

Standardize fonts by using a consistent typeface for headings, subheadings, and body text.
Use font weights effectively (e.g., bold for headings) instead of multiple font styles.
Ensure consistent sizing and spacing to enhance readability and navigation.

Solution:

Standardize fonts by using a consistent typeface for headings, subheadings, and body text.
Use font weights effectively (e.g., bold for headings) instead of multiple font styles.
Ensure consistent sizing and spacing to enhance readability and navigation.

Heuristic Violated

Help and Documentation

Priority-Low

Problem::

The app does not provide easily accessible help or support resources, requiring users to go through multiple steps to find customer support information.

Problem::

The app does not provide easily accessible help or support resources, requiring users to go through multiple steps to find customer support information.

Problem::

The app does not provide easily accessible help or support resources, requiring users to go through multiple steps to find customer support information.

Solution: