UX Audit Checklist for Founders

The Founder's UX Audit Checklist

This is the checklist I use when auditing products for founders. It's organized by category, with specific questions to ask at each step.

Print this out. Go through your product. Mark issues as you find them.

First Impressions (0-30 seconds)

Homepage/Landing:

☐Is the value proposition clear within 5 seconds?
☐Is there a single, obvious primary action?
☐Does the visual hierarchy guide attention appropriately?
☐Is the messaging specific to your target user?

Trust & Credibility:

☐Is there social proof visible (logos, testimonials, numbers)?
☐Does the design quality match your price point?
☐Are there any elements that feel "off" or unprofessional?

Navigation & Information Architecture

Primary Navigation:

☐Can users find main features in under 3 clicks?
☐Is the navigation consistent across all pages?
☐Are labels clear and jargon-free?
☐Is the current location always clear?

Search & Discovery:

☐Can users find what they need if they don't know the terminology?
☐Are search results relevant and well-organized?
☐Is filtering/sorting available where needed?

Onboarding & Activation

Sign-up Flow:

☐Is the sign-up form asking only what's essential?
☐Are there social/SSO options to reduce friction?
☐Is the value proposition reinforced during sign-up?
☐Is there progress indication if multi-step?

First-time User Experience:

☐Is there a clear first action after sign-up?
☐Can users reach an "aha moment" quickly?
☐Is there guidance without overwhelming tutorials?
☐Can users skip onboarding if they prefer?

Activation:

☐Is the path to value clear?
☐Are there quick wins users can achieve early?
☐Is progress visible and celebrated?

Core User Flows

Task Completion:

☐Can users complete core tasks without confusion?
☐Is the number of steps appropriate for the task?
☐Are there unnecessary decision points?
☐Is the success state clear?

Forms & Data Entry:

☐Are fields labeled clearly?
☐Is validation inline and helpful?
☐Are smart defaults used where possible?
☐Is there autosave or draft saving?

Error Handling:

☐Are error messages specific and actionable?
☐Can users recover from errors easily?
☐Is error prevention in place (confirmations, constraints)?

Visual Design & Hierarchy

Layout & Spacing:

☐Is there consistent spacing throughout?
☐Are related elements grouped visually?
☐Is there enough whitespace?

Typography:

☐Is text readable (size, contrast, line length)?
☐Is there clear hierarchy (headings, body, captions)?
☐Are fonts consistent and appropriate?

Color & Contrast:

☐Does color support the hierarchy (not fight it)?
☐Is there sufficient contrast for accessibility?
☐Are interactive elements visually distinct?

Interaction Design

Buttons & CTAs:

☐Is the primary action visually dominant?
☐Are button labels action-oriented?
☐Is the hover/active state clear?

Feedback & State:

☐Is there feedback for every user action?
☐Are loading states clear?
☐Are empty states helpful?

Responsiveness:

☐Does the experience work on mobile?
☐Are touch targets appropriately sized?
☐Is content prioritized correctly on small screens?

Content & Messaging

Clarity:

☐Is the copy clear and concise?
☐Is jargon avoided or explained?
☐Do headings communicate value?

Tone:

☐Does the voice match your brand and audience?
☐Is the tone consistent throughout?
☐Is there personality without sacrificing clarity?

Performance & Technical

Speed:

☐Does the page load in under 3 seconds?
☐Do interactions feel responsive?
☐Is there perceived performance (skeletons, optimistic UI)?

Reliability:

☐Are there broken links or missing images?
☐Do all features work as expected?
☐Is the experience consistent across browsers?

How to Use This Checklist

1. Go through your product with fresh eyes (or ask someone unfamiliar)

2. Mark issues as you find them

3. Score severity: Critical (blocks users), Major (frustrates users), Minor (annoys users)

4. Prioritize: Focus on critical issues in your conversion funnel first

5. Track fixes: Measure impact after changes

What's Next?

This checklist helps you find issues. Fixing them requires understanding the root cause and designing solutions.

Common next steps:

•User testing to validate which issues matter most
•Competitive analysis to see how others solve similar problems
•Expert review to identify issues you might miss
•Design sprints to prototype and test solutions

Want expert eyes on your product? Book a free 30-minute UX audit. I'll walk through your critical flows, identify the issues costing you conversions, and recommend specific fixes.