Heuristics is one of those words that sounds extremely academic, but whose meaning is refreshingly simple. Essentially, heuristics refer to rules of thumb, mental shortcuts -- or the kinds of decision-making frameworks that we engage in every day. Sometimes we do so consciously, other times, we act in a more automatic manner, based on past experience. 

In the world of website UI/UX, heuristics are often discussed from the perspective of a website’s “must haves,” and they can serve as very helpful guidelines for ensuring that all bases are covered when developing a site.