I’ve had it in mind for years and have consistently applied it. Based on what I just checked on Google, no one has articulated it, neither in Spanish nor in English.

So, I can declare that this heuristic is mine. It’s Bustelo’s Heuristic.

Si obligás a tu usuario a comportarse como el pajarito de Homero Simpson, deberías rever tu enfoque.
If you’re forcing your users to behave like Homer Simpson’s drinking bird, you should rethink your approach.

Principle: Interfaces should free users from repetitive tasks by leveraging computers’ ability to automate processes. Failing to do so wastes the potential of the digital medium and hampers user efficiency.

Example: The interface shown below, which my bank imposes on all its customers, force us to click for every single receipt we need to download.

When it’s time to close the fiscal year, that’s 72 careful clicks to avoid missing anything: 2 cards x 12, 3 accounts x 12, and a year of investments. And that’s assuming you don’t have loans, not to mention the clicks required to switch between tabs.

All of this, while being careful with each click and scrolling slowly to avoid losing your place (since there’s no distinction between clicked and unclicked icons).

The process could take up to an hour, which could easily be avoided by providing a “download all” link or button. That is, by applying the Digital Nature usability heuristic: the principle that computers are designed to efficiently handle repetitive tasks. This heuristic emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology to automate and streamline processes, ensuring that systems and interfaces are optimized for repetitive actions, thus enhancing user efficiency and reducing the likelihood of error.

 

Santiago Bustelo
May 2024