Nowristics: creating our own heuristics
Develop Nowristics: experience principles designed to evaluate, align, and improve products from an empathetic, strategic perspective consistent with our culture.
Summary version
Every good experience starts with good decisions. We created our own heuristics—the Nowristics—to have a clear, personal, and shared compass. They're 11 principles we use in design, product, and tech to align, evaluate, and grow consistently. They're not commandments, but close enough. And yes: they're alive, they evolve, and they help us think better.
* Some figures and data have been adapted for illustrative purposes to protect strategic and confidential information.
A system of its own
In an environment as dynamic as digital logistics, where different profiles, platforms, and technological maturity levels converge, having clear criteria for making design decisions is key. That's why, from the Product Design, User Research, and Design Ops teams, we created our own system of experience principles: Nowristics .
First, what are heuristics? They are general principles that help us evaluate and improve a user experience. They are not strict rules, but guidelines that guide design decisions. The most well-known were proposed by Jakob Nielsen in the 1990s, and have since evolved and inspired systems across multiple industries.
More than a simple adaptation, Nowristics are a living synthesis of these usability standards, the logistics business, and Nowports' own culture. They are guidelines, not rules. Anchors, not constraints. And above all, they are a way of thinking about design with consistency, empathy, and ambition.
Why did we need our own heuristics?
We work with a complex platform, with a high volume of information, and with users ranging from strategic leaders to time-poor operational professionals. And while we relied on general UX principles, we felt we lacked a compass for the language and specifics of the business.
We wanted principles that:
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They will adapt to our logistical and digital context.
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They could be easily shared between design, product, tech and business.
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They will help us evaluate real experiences, not just prototypes.
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They will foster a more mature and aligned design culture.
The process: from theory to manifesto
We begin by reviewing recognized heuristics such as Nielsen's, the IBM Design System, Material Design, and other guidelines used in complex industries. We then analyze common errors, recurring frictions in the platform, and feedback from users and stakeholders.
From there, the team co-created sessions where we grouped problems, mapped internal best practices, and prototyped in text what our heuristics should sound like. The result was a short, concrete, and actionable set: our Nowristics.
The Nowristics: Our 11 Experience Guides
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Visibility of system status
The platform must always keep the user informed of what is happening. It must show where the user is and how they got there. It must always be clear that they are within the platform, or otherwise make it obvious that they are outside. -
Matching the system to the real world
The platform must use the user's language, with familiar expressions and words. Furthermore, the information must appear in a logical and natural order. -
Freedom and control
Our users should have the option to choose the paths and ways to achieve their goals, with the fewest possible restrictions. We must be able to facilitate the ability to undo, redo, or abandon the undesired state they are in. -
Consistency and standards
It's important to establish internal, commonly used logical conventions in digital products. These should be maintained throughout the product. The user doesn't need to know that different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. -
Prevent errors
Helps the user avoid making mistakes. It attempts to eliminate conditions that lead to errors, or it checks for them and warns the user before confirming the action. The application of the third heuristic is also helpful, so the user has control over undoing and repeating their actions. -
Recognizing is better than remembering
We must make objects, actions, and options visible so that the user does not have to remember information between different sections or pages. -
Flexibility and efficiency of use
Keep in mind that the platform will be used by both new and more experienced users. Therefore, we must optimize our product to minimize the effort required for users to achieve their goals. -
Minimalist and aesthetic design
Eliminate irrelevant or unnecessary information. Any extra information competes with relevant information and reduces its attention and visibility. -
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Error messages should be in clear and simple language, accurately stating the problem and suggesting a solution. -
Help and documentation
While it is best if the platform can be used without assistance, it may be necessary to provide some assistance, and some user-friendly documentation can be implemented. -
Writing for the Internet
Texts and content must be optimized for the internet. We must keep in mind that users skim before reading. Ensure that the font and contrast of the text do not affect user readability.
How we use them
Nowristics has become a cross-cutting tool. Today we use it to:
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Evaluate flows and features in early stages.
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Provide feedback between design and product teams.
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Prepare testing sessions with a focus on experience.
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Measure consistency and quality before releases.
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Align design with other areas such as operations and technology.
A living and evolving framework
We know that experience isn't static. That's why Nowristics isn't a museum document, but rather a guide that we update collaboratively based on what we learn. We iterate on it, we use it, we question it. And that makes it truly useful.
At Nowports, we believe that design doesn't start in Figma, but in the conversation about the experience we want to build. Nowristics is our way of sustaining that conversation with clarity, purpose, and a shared vision.