User system interface guidelines are emerging as a tool for user interface design. However, guidelines are relatively new, and the effectiveness of guidelines in their present form is still being debated. Some designers of USI tools are attempting to place guidelines online in browsing systems, often as a part of automated USI design tools. This thesis studies the role levels of abstraction has on the detection of USI guidelines violations in user interface evaluation. Studies of online guidance systems, such as help manuals, have yielded mixed results in comparing performance when using online systems versus hardcopy manuals. This thesis also explores the effect which guideline presentation media has upon guidelines usage.