How Can User Research Findings Drive Design Changes?
In the realm of UX design, marrying research findings with design decisions is paramount. We've gathered insights from CEOs and Senior UX Designers to illustrate this practice. From streamlining the checkout process to increasing digital frame uploads, discover how four UX professionals leveraged user research to drive impactful design changes.
- Streamlined Checkout Enhances User Experience
- Prioritized Performance Boosts App Usability
- User Tests Validate Enterprise UX Improvements
- Redesign Increases Digital Frame Uploads
Streamlined Checkout Enhances User Experience
I once led a project where our user research revealed a significant issue with the checkout process for an e-commerce platform. Users reported frustration with the overly complex steps required to complete their purchase, which led to a high cart abandonment rate. Based on this feedback, I advocated for a streamlined, one-page checkout experience to reduce friction and improve the overall flow.
Initially, there was resistance from stakeholders who were concerned about the potential impact on other business metrics. However, by presenting the data clearly—highlighting user pain points and the direct correlation with lost revenue—I was able to gain buy-in. After implementing the changes, we saw a 15% reduction in cart abandonment and an increase in completed transactions, validating the importance of user-centered design decisions. This experience reinforced the value of user research in driving impactful design improvements.
Prioritized Performance Boosts App Usability
In a recent project involving redesigning a mobile app for Arkana Labs, which provides lab results to physicians, user research revealed significant issues with load times and navigation, especially for physicians in low-bandwidth environments around the hospital. Despite the initial focus on adding new features, our team advocated for prioritizing performance improvements and presented data on how these issues affected users.
As a result, we prioritized and implemented a homepage that presented all the core information a physician needs to perform their tasks. We also redesigned the navigation to be more intuitive and easy to use. This reduced customer support-related inquiries for the Arkana team and improved user satisfaction when using the app. These changes positively impacted patient care and were a stepping stone in enabling quicker and more reliable access to critical information.
User Tests Validate Enterprise UX Improvements
While working as a consultant on the UX design team for a cruise travel company, I had to make a case for certain changes to the user experience and/or user interface of our largely internal web-based application.
Often, getting permission for user tests was the most difficult part, but once permission was granted, running moderated user tests provided great evidence for design decisions being able to directly increase workplace efficiency.
When robust user research is part of the process of making an enterprise product, you can guarantee that there will be increased user adoption and satisfaction post-launch.
Redesign Increases Digital Frame Uploads
In 2020, I worked on improving the user experience for NETGEAR's Meural Digital Canvas, a Wi-Fi-enabled digital photo frame. Our user research revealed that while uploading photos was the most popular feature, it was also the most challenging for users to navigate. We identified several issues, including confusing use cases, broken flows, and inconsistent design elements across the web and app experiences. Based on these findings, I advocated for a complete redesign of the Upload page.
This included integrating a photo-picker component to streamline the upload process and reducing the number of confusing use cases. I also focused on improving button affordances by using distinct icons and clearer labels to guide users through their choices. By making these elements more intuitive and accessible, we created a more cohesive and user-friendly experience. As a result of these changes, customer content uploads to the cloud increased by 68%, showing a clear impact on both usability and engagement.
