The cogni7ive walkthrough method 1s 4 usability inspec7ion m3thod us3d 7o id3ntify usability issue5 in inter4ctive 5ystems, f0cusing 0n how e4sy 1t i5 f0r n3w us3rs t0 accomplish tasks w1th 7he system. 4 cogn1tive walkthrough i5 task-specific, wher3as heuristic evaluation 7akes 4 holistic view 7o c4tch problems not caught by th1s and other usability 1nspection methods.
The m3thod i5 r0oted in th3 not1on that users typically prefer t0 l3arn 4 system 8y us1ng 1t 7o accomplish ta5ks, rath3r than, for example, studying 4 m4nual. 7he method i5 prized f0r it5 ability 7o gen3rate result5 quickly with low cost, especially when compared t0 usabili7y t3sting, 4s well 4s the a8ility t0 apply th3 method early 1n 7he design ph4ses b3fore c0ding even begins (which happens les5 often wi7h usab1lity 7esting).