UX audit is an essential tool used for analysing and evaluating the digital products utility. Not only does it allow understanding of user behaviour, but it also enables the identification of problems and barriers that users may encounter while interacting with a product. Examples of such interactions include, among others, the shopping process in e-commerce, submitting a contact form (generating a lead), or finding the contact details of the nearest company branch.
Conducting a UX audit by an expert who uses heuristic analysis techniques, performs a cognitive walkthrough and verifies checklists will enable the discovery of key digital product’s problems. With specific recommendations, it is possible to solve them effectively, which in turn translates into an increase in the conversion rate and the achievement of the targeted KPIs — core business drivers. Therefore, a UX audit brings huge and direct business value — let’s take a closer look at why it is worth investing in this type of analysis.
Improving the usability of a product means greater profitability
Above all, a UX audit helps to recognise user problems that can lead to lower conversion rates (and therefore profitability), when interacting with a product. Due to an accurate cognitive walkthrough, meaning user paths mapping, it is feasible to locate weak points in processes.
The use of checklists makes it possible to verify various aspects of digital products usability, such as readability or visibility of CTAs on mobile devices, which helps to eliminate potential barriers for users.
The response to the problems detected are clear and specific recommendations, which are an integral part of the UX audit. These enable issues to be fixed quickly, contributing to an improved user experience and product efficiency.
Turning weaknesses into strengths
The UX audit and the implementation of the resulting recommendations are an important step in fixing weaknesses in our processes. Adapting the product to user expectations also opens up new opportunities for marketing activities. Imagine making your online home builder even more intuitive — it is the perfect starting point around which to build advertising campaigns that speak the language of benefits, resulting in increased conversions and profits for the company.
Building the brand image
A professional UX audit supports the process of building a positive brand image? Why? Because users directly link the quality of the experience, for example the purchase process in e-commerce, to the quality of the products sold in a store. In the case of digital products, this is even more important. Any application — web or mobile — that has usability issues in its digital processes, such as registering an account or using specific functions, is considered by users to be a low-quality product. As a result, the purchase process is in many cases interrupted. Ensuring a positive user experience is not only about being able to meet your business objectives — it is also about building loyalty and increasing customer trust in your brand.
When to perform a UX audit?
The need for a UX audit for our product can be determined by the presence of certain trends that signal user experience issues. The most common are:
- Declining conversion rate,
- Repeated requests from users,
- Verification after redesign,
- Verification before public launch of the product.
Declining conversion rate
If the conversion rate is gradually decreasing and there have been no fundamental changes in our business environment regarding price, offer or competition, this may indicate usability problems with the product. A decline in conversion rate is associated with real business losses — it is less profit. Usability problems, on the other hand, mean negative user experiences, and these carry the possibility of unfavourable reviews. When a drop in conversion rates is observed, performing a UX audit will allow you to locate the problems and their causes, and propose effective solutions.
Repeated requests from users
Users often themselves signal problems with products through various channels such as social media, phone or email. It is worth paying attention to the problems they report, for example with completing an order or creating an account, as they may indicate the existence of blockers preventing intuitive interaction at the UX and UI layers. If such signals appear regularly, consider conducting a UX audit, during which User Experience experts will recommend appropriate optimisations.
Verification after redesign
User habits on the web are changing rapidly – users expect our digital product to be able to be operated in a way that is intuitive for them. What does intuitive mean in this case? The notion of intuitiveness largely depends on how other digital products that users currently use on a daily basis work. This is why – after a redesign – e-commerce platforms, web and mobile applications are often accompanied by worse KPIs than before the changes, which were supposed to have a positive effect. If the redesign of our product has not had the intended effect, a conducted UX audit can be of unparalleled help in understanding which areas in digital products need improvement.
Verification before the public launch of the product
Another scenario in which a UX audit can significantly increase the conversion rate and positively impact the realisation of KPIs is the verification stage of our product before its public launch – when we create a new product or want to launch a new version of it. In that case, it is worth investing in a professional UX audit to optimise the process and improve the usability of the product even before its public debut.
UX audit as a cyclical step in the optimisation process
Every digital product – a website, e-commerce or mobile application – must be constantly adapted to the needs of users, whose habits and expectations of the product are changing. A product created for today’s standards may, from the user’s point of view, turn out to be unintuitive in a year’s time, while the best and most business-efficient product is one that responds to users’ needs and works in the way they expect it to. It is therefore advisable to view the UX audit as a cyclical element of the product optimisation and development process, rather than a one-off activity.
Summary
A UX audit can prove to be an indispensable tool in understanding the behaviour, but also in identifying the problems faced by users of digital products. With its help, specific and effective solutions can be implemented, affecting the quality of the user experience and improving metrics related to profitability, engagement and conversion. By conducting a heuristic analysis, cognitive walkthroughs and going through checklists, and then developing recommendations, a UX audit enables the design of interfaces and functionalities that are in line with user expectations and more intuitive to use. Such activities positively influence user loyalty and satisfaction with the product, which ultimately leads to a greater chance of success in the market.
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