Running a cognitive walkthrough for usability testing: Guide + template

A cognitive walkthrough is an efficient and cost-effective usability evaluation method that allows UX designers to assess how easily users can complete key tasks within a product. Conducted by a usability expert, this process involves reviewing critical user flows and asking specific questions to identify potential usability issues, such as whether users will know what to do at each step, whether they can see the correct UI elements, and whether they understand feedback and error recovery. The method, which provides early insights into usability problems without involving users, consists of defining the user and key tasks, breaking down steps for each task, asking core questions, adding comments, improving designs, and eventually testing with real users. A free, customizable template is offered to streamline the process, and conducting regular walkthroughs helps refine design intuition, ensuring a polished user experience when real users are involved.