Cognitive walkthrough checklist: persona, action sequence, four questions, fixes

This cognitive walkthrough checklist covers the full project from defining the persona to the prioritized fix list. Use it as a working document — copy it into your project notes, tick off each item as you go, and add comments where the project deviates from the standard flow. The checklist assumes a focused walkthrough on one to three critical first-time tasks with a small cross-functional team (2–6 reviewers); for larger evaluations or several tasks the same items still apply, but plan for one workshop per task and more time for the writeup.

Before

• Confirm the interface is a fit: complex, novel, or walk-up-and-use; not a routine pattern users already know
• Pick 1–3 critical first-time tasks for the session (do not try to cover everything)
• Write a one-page persona: prior knowledge, prior experience, motivation, context, expectations
• Write the task scenario: one-sentence description, starting state, goal state
• Produce the action sequence: one row per click or interaction, in order
• Recruit 2–6 reviewers across roles: at least one UX, one product, one engineer, plus a domain expert if the field is specialized
• Pick a facilitator and a recorder; brief everyone on the four questions and the persona before the session
• Prepare the prototype, build, or screenshots so every reviewer can follow along
• Schedule 1.5–3 hours per task and protect the calendar
• Decide the documentation format (Miro/FigJam workbook, Google Sheets, NN/g template) and share before the session

Execution

• Open the session by reading the persona out loud and confirming the goal state
• Walk through the action sequence one step at a time, in order
• For every action, run the four questions in order: try to achieve, notice, associate, see progress
• Capture a yes / no / maybe verdict and a one-sentence rationale for each question
• End each step with an overall verdict: Pass / Hesitate / Fail
• When the verdict is Hesitate or Fail, tag which of the four questions broke down
• Take a screenshot of the screen at the failure point so the writeup has visual evidence
• Move on within a minute when all four questions answer “yes” with strong agreement
• Redirect any reviewer who slips out of persona (“I would just” / “any designer knows”)
• Stay aware of time; do not let the easy steps eat the budget for the hard ones

After

• Cluster failure points by which of the four questions broke down
• Cluster failure points by screen, so systemic problems become visible
• Score each failure on severity, frequency, and effort to fix
• Pick the top 5–10 failure points for the action plan with concrete recommended fixes
• Tie each recommended fix to the question it answers (goal / visibility / label / feedback)
• Annotate screenshots for the headline failure points
• Write the 5–10 page brief: scope, persona, task list, failure points by cluster, action plan
• Present to design, product, and engineering leads in person; do not email the spreadsheet
• Archive the persona, action sequence, and full failure log so the next walkthrough can reuse the structure
• Schedule a follow-up walkthrough on the revised design once the recommended fixes ship