Despite the increasing availability of groupware, most systems are not widely used. One main reason is that groupware is difficult to evaluate. In particular, there are no discount usability evaluation methodologies that can discover problems specific to teamwork. In this research study, I adapt Nielsen's heuristic evaluation methodology, designed originally for single user applications, to help inspectors rapidly, cheaply, and effectively identify usability problems within groupware systems. Specifically, I take the Gutwin and Greenberg's (2000) mechanics of collaboration and restate them as heuristics for the purposes of discovering problems in shared visual work surfaces for distance-separated groups. As a secondary objective, I revise existing Locales Framework heuristics and assess their compatibility with the mechanics. I evaluate the practicality of both sets of heuristics by having individuals with varying degrees of HCI and CSCW expertise use them to uncover usability problems in two groupware systems. The results imply that practitioners can effectively inspect and evaluate groupware with the mechanics of collaboration heuristics where they can identify obstacles to real-time interactions over shared workspaces. The Locales Framework heuristics are not as promising: while inspectors do identify problems inhibiting groupware acceptance, their practicality is limited and they require further improvements.
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