“Fail often, fail fast,”
―
How I have implemented testing in my process
As a seasoned UX designer/director, I have consistently emphasized the importance of testing in our design processes. Testing serves as the cornerstone for validating design decisions, understanding user preferences, and iterating towards more effective solutions.
Let me take you through the journey of of implementing testing within my team and the importance of doing just that. I will explain the significance of testing, particularly A/B testing, Moderated Testing, and User testing, and how their implementation has propelled my team’s maturity in delivering exceptional user experiences.
Why Testing Matters
Testing is integral in ensuring that our design solutions align with user needs and preferences. It enables us to gather data on user interactions, preferences, and pain points, which in turn informs iterative improvements. Without testing, we rely solely on assumptions, risking the creation of products that fail to resonate with our target audience.
Implementing A/B Testing
A/B testing, also known as split testing, involves comparing two versions of a design to determine which one performs better. To harness the power of A/B testing, I collaborated closely with the Analytics team, pairing my designers and there Analyst together to come up with test ideas and hypothesis’s that we would then act on regularly. These collaborations facilitated rapid ideation and implementation of A/B tests, ensuring continuous improvement of our digital products. By analyzing metrics and user feedback, we could identify winning design variations and iterate towards more effective solutions. This iterative approach has resulted in tangible improvements in key performance indicators and user satisfaction metrics.
Example Tests
Almost no one knew their full meter name – At least 8 out of 12 participants did not know the name of their meters without looking this up or physically going to their meter to check.
Observations
- Overall article layout was appreciated – Participants overall liked the installation article (here and via the prototype), stating the layout was clear and flowed well.
- Value in TOC – Almost all liked and voiced value in the Table of Content links as this allowed them to easily click to the content they needed from here.
- Imagery was appreciated – Participants also liked the clear imagery on this page as it helped them see what they needed to do for each step.
Findings (Severity: Moderate)
- Lack of clarity around different account types – Similar to past rounds of research, participants reported confusion around the three different types of account here.
- Few were able to articulate what all three accounts were or why they were here.
- As well as multiple billing accounts – Several participants also stated they didn’t know why they had multiple accounts under Billing Accounts, especially if they only had one meter.
Example Tests
× Few reported that they would be likely to purchase on the site as many still had questions or ran into other barriers around a lack of information.
× Desire for more guidance from Pitney Bowes to identify what meter would be best for participants and their company.
Observations
About half came in to Pitney Bowes via the homepage – Only 7 out of 12 participants (desktop and mobile) came into Pitney Bowes via the homepage, while other participants arrived on other landing pages via Google.
Hero image – 3 of these participants clicked on the CTA on the hero image.
Navigation – 3 participants used the navigation from the homepage (1 clicked Shipping>SendPro; 1 clicked Mailing>View All; 1 clicked Mailing>Postage Meters header).
One clicked a CTA on one of the tiles on the homepage “Try mailstation2 now”.
What needs improvement
×Differences between machines were not always clear, prompting many participants to want more definitions and highlighting of key aspects across products.
× line of credit and credit card fees were points of abandonment during registration.
Leveraging Moderated Testing
Leveraging Moderated Testing
Moderated testing involves observing users as they interact with prototypes or live products in a controlled environment. Partnering with my CX colleague, I conducted moderated testing sessions, about 2-3 a year. They focused on key areas identified through our customer feedback form. These sessions provided invaluable insights into user sentiments and preferences, guiding our roadmaps for the coming year. By observing real users interact with our products, we could address usability issues and refine our designs to better align with user expectations.
Embracing User Testing
User testing entails gathering feedback from representative users through surveys, interviews, or usability tests. By soliciting direct input from our target audience, we gain invaluable perspectives on usability, accessibility, and overall satisfaction. I have each designer taking ownership of user testing, conducting tests before handing off designs to developers. This final check ensured that our designs are intuitive and user-friendly, minimizing friction for end-users. By leveraging platforms like UserTesting, we could delve into the “why” behind user actions, complementing quantitative data with qualitative insights to inform design decisions. Embracing user testing has fostered a culture of empathy and user advocacy within our team, ensuring that our design decisions are grounded in user needs.
Example Tests
After watching UserTesting tester get frustrated with trying to entering a password on the old checkout, the team showed the UserTesting videos to the development team and they helped create a better password verification tool, which greatly reduced friction, contributing to a 17% increase in conversation for SendPro Online.
Based on feedback from UserTesting, we saw that customers looking to renew were confused when they landed on a contract page from a link. They said in the videos that they thought there was an offer to view. Adding a single offer page was one of the contributing factors to the new design doubling the renewals program.
By using UserTesting, we were able to get instant feedback on a new checkout design. One such thing we heard was clients thought that the PB Credit Line would take a long time to fill out. Even though approval is instant, we didn’t realize the client didn’t know that. That lead to us adding a new phrase that increased the user click through rate into the Credit Line flow.
Progressing in UX Maturity
Through the implementation of A/B testing, moderated testing, and user testing, my team has witnessed a significant progression in UX maturity. We have transitioned from subjective design decisions to data-driven iterations, resulting in more user-centric and effective solutions. By fostering collaboration between design, analytics, and customer experience teams, I have cultivated a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Moving forward, I remain committed to refining our testing practices and elevating our UX maturity to new heights.