“Everything looked perfect on paper, so why did the design let us down?”
UX teams across the globe may have found themselves in this situation at some point in their journey, and that’s okay; it is part and parcel of the design process. But, do you know why this happens? Overlooking the importance of leveraging reliable UX data and analytics in the decision-making stage leads to weak assumptions that do not yield the desired outcomes. In short, if credible UX data doesn’t back your design, you are setting yourself up for failure.
It is also worth noting that UX design isn’t solely about the aesthetics, but a combination of accessibility, functionality, and a data-driven approach that come together to create a winning product. As the push for harnessing data in UX design and development becomes increasingly stronger, UX teams must first introspect whether the data they use is relevant and, more importantly, credible.
This article examines what makes UX data trustworthy and the importance of using UX analytics to make informed decisions and create improved user experiences.
We begin by understanding the importance of data in the design process.
Why is data crucial in the design process
Data is considered the new currency in today’s hyper-connected digital world, primarily driven by giant strides taken by data science and analysis. While the existing UX design techniques and processes have laid a solid foundation for UX development, they can be significantly optimised and improved by harnessing the power of data.
A data-driven approach enables UX teams to make better decisions across every stage of the development process instead of blindly trusting their instincts.
Here’s what happens when you decide to leverage data to design.
- You are actually addressing the pain points of your target audience based on their inputs and feedback.
- You can measure the impact of every product decision you make.
- You can say, “I changed the CTA because 85% of people wanted that”, instead of, “I changed the CTA because I think it looks better”.
Now, let’s understand what separates generic data from credible and relevant UX data.
Key ingredients of trustworthy UX data
While we emphasise the importance of making data-backed decisions, UX teams must first understand and determine the quality of data they rely on. Relying on misleading or vague insights can lead to poor UX decisions and wasted resources.
Therefore, it becomes imperative to work with credible and trustworthy UX data that serves as the backbone of a great product.
Let’s look at the main ingredients that come together to form trustworthy UX data.
1. Relevant user groups
Imagine this. You are thinking about changing the layout of your master bedroom. Now, would you ask your neighbours to pitch in while brainstorming ideas or the members of your household? The latter, right? Similarly, you need to ensure you collect accurate and relevant UX data from the right users for that particular design project or task at hand.
Collecting data from the right demographic is also critical to uncover patterns you may easily miss. For example, a food delivery application tested only for English users may ignore the pain points and needs of Arabic-speaking users. You can also read our recent blog to learn the need for focusing on the local context instead of blindly adhering to the global UX practices.
2. Methodology
Gathering data from relevant user groups is one of many key ingredients of trustworthy UX data. It is worth noting that while collecting data from the right users is important, the methodology used is equally important to ensure your UX data is credible. In short, the approach matters since the wrong research or data collection methodology leads to inaccuracies and possibly introduces bias.
The good news is that there is a dazzling array of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and tools at your disposal. These include usability testing, surveys, A/B testing, multilingual research, field studies, and more. The key is to embrace a mix of various research methods to ensure your UX data is a true reflection of user expectations and not mere assumptions.
Check out some of the best user research tools that can help you gain precious and relevant insights for your next UX project.
3. Data collection stages
A significant number of UX teams, especially inexperienced teams, believe that collecting data at the beginning of the design process is sufficient to create a top product. However, that is far from the reality. The best part about the UX design process is that you can collect valuable UX data at every stage of the cycle, allowing you to uncover precious insights as product development progresses.
The idea is to minimise the guesswork as much as possible and build products backed by credible UX data collected by deploying continuous research. This ongoing process of data collection at various stages of the design cycle paves the way for credible and informed UX data.
4. Transparency and documentation
One of the most important rules some of the best UX teams worldwide live by is to ensure that their UX data is well-documented and transparent. This means that every minor to major aspect of the user research process, including the number of participants, the type of participants, the research process, and other details, is well documented across the cycle.
This clarity not only plays a pivotal role in improving the data’s credibility but also helps all the relevant stakeholders to assess the context of the study and understand that the results are backed by credible data. Clear and well-documented research lays a solid foundation for future projects, ensuring efficiency throughout the design process.
Final words
This article highlights the key pillars of credible UX data and why the best UX designs are often data-driven. Today, data is at the heart of every minor or major decision across all industries, and the UX space is no exception. Credible UX data ensures every product decision is closer to user expectations, rather than assumptions.
The type of research participants, methodology, transparency, and focus on ongoing data collections across the design cycle are some of the key ingredients that ensure your UX data is trustworthy. That said, it is always a good idea to remind yourself that UX is dynamic and every project or task requires a fresh outlook that can draw inspiration from historic experiences, but adapt to the evolving user expectations.
This is where platforms like User Q step in, empowering UX teams to streamline their research and data collection process by providing a host of remote UX testing tools. From UX researchers, designers, marketers, and product teams, User Q offers the perfect solutions that ensure you are building the right product for the right audience, backed by reliable and credible UX data.
Get started by requesting a free demo today.
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