Watch
Usability testing vs heuristic evaluation 0:44
A 44-second explainer of Usability testing vs heuristic evaluation, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Usability testing vs heuristic evaluation demo
What this video covers
Usability testing watches real users tackle tasks; heuristic evaluation is expert review against established usability principles.
Run the experts and they flagged the contrast and consistency issues fast - but sailed past the wrong word and the missed button that only real users hit. Run the test and you caught those, but not the principle violations the experts spotted in minutes. Neither method saw everything; together they did. That's the whole case for using both.