A shape evaluation method for evaluating a shape on a surface of a target object, the shape evaluation method comprising: a step of storing design data to which a design shape configured during designing of a target object is set, wherein the design data includes information about a normal direction change rate of the design shape; a step of storing evaluation target data to which an evaluation target shape which is a target of evaluation of the target object is set, wherein the evaluation target data includes information about a normal direction change rate of the evaluation target shape; a shape error calculation step of calculating a shape error on the basis of the design shape and the evaluation target shape, wherein the shape error calculation step includes a step of calculating an error in a normal direction change rate serving as the shape error by subtracting the normal direction change rate of the design shape from the normal direction change rate of the evaluation target shape; a visible error detection step of detecting a visible shape error from the calculated shape error on the basis of the shape error calculated in the shape error calculation step and visual characteristic data defined in advance; and a step of identifying a position where a visible shape error occurs, wherein the visual characteristic data includes first visual characteristic data relating to a spatial frequency and second visual characteristic data relating to a magnitude of an error in the normal direction change rate, wherein the visible error detection step includes a step of removing a component of the spatial frequency that is not seen from the error in the normal direction change rate on the basis of the first visual characteristic data, and a step of determining whether or not there is any error in the normal direction change rate that is seen on the basis of the second visual characteristic data, wherein the first visual characteristic data includes a determination value of the spatial frequency that is set on the basis of a border where a change in a shape is recognized when a person sees a first test object having the shape of which visual resolution is to be evaluated on a surface, wherein the second visual characteristic data includes a determination value of the error in the normal direction change rate that is set on the basis of a border where a change in a shape is recognized when a person sees a second test object having the shape of which visibility limitation of the normal direction change rate is to be evaluated on a surface, wherein the first test object has the shape of the surface including protrusions and recesses in a form of streaks of which interval gradually decreases, and wherein the second test object has a ridgeline of which normal direction changes on the surface, and has such the shape that the normal direction change rate continuously changes at the ridgeline along a direction in which the ridgeline extends. a step of storing design data to which a design shape configured during designing of a target object is set, wherein the design data includes information about a normal direction change rate of the design shape; a step of storing evaluation target data to which an evaluation target shape which is a target of evaluation of the target object is set, wherein the evaluation target data includes information about a normal direction change rate of the evaluation target shape; a shape error calculation step of calculating a shape error on the basis of the design shape and the evaluation target shape, wherein the shape error calculation step includes a step of calculating an error in a normal direction change rate serving as the shape error by subtracting the normal direction change rate of the design shape from the normal direction change rate of the evaluation target shape; a visible error detection step of detecting a visible shape error from the calculated shape error on the basis of the shape error calculated in the shape error calculation step and visual characteristic data defined in advance; and a step of identifying a position where a visible shape error occurs,