Steve Krug UX Audit#

Methodology Attribution#

This skill applies Steve Krug's UX audit methodology — a proven approach to evaluating web usability and user-centered design. All core laws, heuristics, and frameworks referenced herein are drawn from Krug's established methodology.

Overview#

Perform a practical usability audit of a website or web app using the principles from Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think, Revisited (3rd Edition, 2014).

This skill evaluates real pages — via browser snapshots, screenshots, or provided URLs — against Krug's core laws, heuristics, and conventions. The output is an actionable audit report, not abstract theory.

When to Use#

• When provided with a URL or local dev path to review
• When evaluating a page design, wireframe, or prototype for usability
• When doing a pre-launch usability check
• When reviewing competitor sites for UX comparison

How to Run the Audit#

Step 1: Capture the Page#

Use the browser tool to navigate to the URL/path and take a snapshot + screenshot. If multiple pages are specified, capture each one. At minimum, always audit:

• The Home page
• One key task flow (e.g. signup, purchase, search → result)

Step 2: The Trunk Test (Chapter 6)#

Imagine being dropped on this page blindfolded. Can you answer these instantly?

QuestionWhat to Look ForWhat site is this?Site ID/logo — top-left, distinctive, recognizable at any sizeWhat page am I on?Page name — prominent, in the right place, matches what you clickedWhat are the major sections?Primary navigation — visible, consistent, well-labeledWhat are my options at this level?Local/secondary navigation — clear subsectionsWhere am I in the scheme of things?"You are here" indicators — highlighted nav items, breadcrumbs**How can I search?**Search box — visible, uses standard pattern (box + button + "Search")

Scoring: For each question, rate as ✅ Clear, ⚠️ Unclear, or ❌ Missing/Broken.

Step 3: Krug's Three Laws#

First Law: "Don't make me think!" (Chapter 1)

Scan the page for question marks — anything that makes users pause and wonder:

• Unclear names: Cute, clever, marketing-speak, or jargon labels instead of obvious ones
• Ambiguous clickability: Links/buttons that don't look clickable, or non-links that do
• Confusing choices: Options that require thought to distinguish (e.g. "RFPs" vs "Fixed-Price")
• Unnecessary mental chatter: Form fields, labels, or flows that make users ask "What do they mean by...?"

Standard: The page should be self-evident (no thought required) or at minimum self-explanatory (a tiny amount of thought). If neither, it fails this law.

Second Law: "It doesn't matter how many times I have to click, as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice." (Chapter 4)

Check all navigation paths and choices:

• Are choices mindless (obvious what you'll get) or do they require thought?
• Is the scent of information strong? (Do links clearly indicate their target?)
• When choices are hard, is there just-in-time guidance (brief, timely, unavoidable)?

Third Law: "Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left." (Chapter 5)

Evaluate text content:

• Happy talk: Introductory/welcome text that says nothing useful ("Welcome to our amazing...")
• Instructions nobody reads: Long instruction blocks instead of self-explanatory design
• Needless words: Paragraphs that could be cut in half without losing meaning
• Wall of words: Long unbroken paragraphs instead of short ones
• Missing bullet lists: Series of items in paragraph form that should be bulleted

Step 4: Billboard Design (Chapter 3)#

Users scan, they don't read. Evaluate the page as a billboard going by at 60 mph:

PrincipleCheckConventionsDoes it follow standard web conventions for layout, navigation, and element appearance?Visual hierarchyAre important things more prominent? Are related things grouped? Is nesting clear?Clearly defined areasCan you play "$25,000 Pyramid" — point at areas and say what they are?Obvious clickabilityCan you instantly tell what's clickable and what's not?Noise levelIs there shouting (everything competing)? Disorganization (no grid)? Clutter (too much stuff)?Scannable textPlenty of headings? Short paragraphs? Bullet lists? Key terms bolded?Heading hierarchyObvious visual distinction between heading levels? Headings closer to their section than the previous one?

Step 5: Navigation Design (Chapter 6)#

Persistent Navigation

• Present on every page (except forms)?
• Contains: Site ID, Sections, Utilities, Search?
• Consistent location and appearance throughout?

Page Names

• Every page has one?
• Prominent and in the right place (framing the content)?
• Matches what user clicked to get there?

"You Are Here" Indicators

• Current location highlighted in navigation?
• Stands out enough? (Multiple visual distinctions — not too subtle)

Breadcrumbs (if applicable)

• At the top of the page?
• Uses ">" between levels?
• Last item is bold and not a link?

Tabs (if used)

• Active tab visually connects with content below?
• Different color/shade from inactive tabs?

Step 6: Home Page (Chapter 7)#

The Big Bang Theory of Web Design — first impressions are critical:

The Four Questions (must answer at a glance)

1. What is this? — Is the site's purpose immediately clear?
2. What can I do here? — Are available actions/content obvious?
3. What do they have here? — Is the offering visible?
4. Why should I be here and not somewhere else? — Is differentiation clear?

Key Elements

• Tagline: Clear, informative, 6-8 words, conveys differentiation? (Not a vague motto)
• Welcome blurb: Terse, prominent description of the site?
• "Learn more" option: Video or explainer for complex propositions?
• Entry points: Clear "where to start" for search, browse, and key tasks?
• Promotional balance: Are promos overwhelming the core purpose (tragedy of the commons)?

The Fifth Question

• Where do I start? — Is it obvious where to begin for search, browse, sign in, or the primary task?

Step 7: How Users Actually Behave (Chapter 2)#

Evaluate the page against the three facts of web use:

1. We don't read, we scan. Does the page support scanning? Or does it assume careful reading?
2. We don't make optimal choices, we satisfice. Will the first reasonable-looking option lead users right? Or will satisficing lead them astray?
3. We don't figure out how things work, we muddle through. Can someone muddle through successfully? Or will wrong mental models cause real problems?

Step 8: Mobile & Responsive (Chapter 10)#

If reviewing mobile or responsive versions:

• Prioritization: Are the most-needed features close at hand? Everything else reachable?
• Affordances visible: Are tap targets obvious? (No hidden gestures, no reliance on hover)
• Flat design tradeoffs: Has visual flattening removed useful affordances?
• Performance: Any signs of bloat that would hurt mobile load times?
• Zooming allowed? Can users zoom if they need to?
• Deep links work? Do shared links go to the right page, not the home page?
• Full site option? Is there a way to access the desktop version?

Step 9: Usability as Common Courtesy (Chapter 11)#

Goodwill Drains (things that deplete trust)

• Hiding information users want (pricing, support phone, shipping costs)
• Punishing users for "wrong" formatting (phone numbers, credit cards)
• Asking for unnecessary personal information
• Faux sincerity / "shucking and jiving"
• Sizzle blocking the path (marketing photos in the way of content)
• Amateurish appearance

Goodwill Builders (things that increase trust)

• Main user tasks are obvious and easy
• Upfront about costs, limitations, shipping
• Saves user steps wherever possible
• Effort clearly put into quality
• FAQs are real, current, and candid
• Graceful error recovery
• Apologizes when inconveniencing users

Step 10: Accessibility Quick Check (Chapter 12)#

Krug's "low-hanging fruit" accessibility checks:

• Text contrast: Sufficient contrast between text and background? No small, low-contrast type?
• Form labels: Labels outside form fields (not floating inside)?
• Text resizing: Does the page respond to browser text size changes?
• Headings: Using semantic heading hierarchy (h1 → h2 → h3)?
• Link distinction: Visited vs unvisited links visually different?
• Keyboard navigation: Can all content be accessed via keyboard?

Output Format#

Structure the audit report as:

markdown

# Krug UX Audit: [Site Name]
**URL:** [url]
**Date:** [date]
**Pages reviewed:** [list]

## Executive Summary
[2-3 sentence overall assessment]
[Overall grade: A/B/C/D/F with brief justification]

## Trunk Test Results
[Table with ✅/⚠️/❌ for each question]

## Krug's Laws Assessment
### Law 1: Don't Make Me Think
[Findings with specific examples]

### Law 2: Mindless Choices
[Findings with specific examples]

### Law 3: Omit Needless Words
[Findings with specific examples]

## Billboard Design
[Findings organized by principle]

## Navigation
[Findings organized by element]

## Home Page
[Four Questions assessment + element review]

## Mobile/Responsive
[If applicable]

## Courtesy & Goodwill
[Drains and builders identified]

## Accessibility
[Quick check results]

## Top 5 Issues (Prioritized)
1. [Most critical — what to fix first]
2. ...
3. ...
4. ...
5. ...

## Quick Wins
[Things that can be fixed in under an hour]

## Recommendations
[Specific, actionable changes ordered by impact]

Key Quotes to Ground the Audit#

Use these Krug principles as anchoring references throughout:

• "If you can't make something self-evident, you at least need to make it self-explanatory."
• "The most important thing you can do is understand the basic principle of eliminating question marks."
• "If your audience is going to act like you're designing billboards, then design great billboards."
• "Clarity trumps consistency."
• "We don't read pages. We scan them."
• "We don't make optimal choices. We satisfice."
• "We don't figure out how things work. We muddle through."
• "The reservoir of goodwill is not bottomless."
• "People won't use your Web site if they can't find their way around it."
• "FOCUS RUTHLESSLY ON FIXING THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS FIRST."

Important Notes#

• Be specific. Every finding must reference a concrete element on the page, not abstract theory.
• Include screenshots/refs. When using browser snapshots, reference specific elements by their ref IDs.
• Prioritize ruthlessly. Krug's mantra: fix the most serious problems first. Don't drown the report in minor issues.
• No jargon without explanation. Krug wrote for everyone, not just UX professionals. Keep the audit readable.
• Suggest, don't just criticize. Every problem should come with a practical fix suggestion.
• Grade on real impact. A beautiful site with confusing navigation is worse than an ugly site that's easy to use.