UX Audit: Proven way to improve your digital product

Basically, there are tons of digital products. Some of them are just new and fresh to the market and some of them have existed for many, many years.

What's important, and I'd like to pay attention to, is how digital products are created. Very often, if not always, it's impossible to do everything according to the process and good practices - and it's completely normal. Especially since we want to create things as fast as possible.

So, imagine there's your product. You're pouring resources and money into development and marketing, but the conversion rates are not so good, and user engagement... is not better.

Here it's good to make a stop, double check everything, and audit it to look at your product from a big picture perspective. That's where UX Audit comes into play.

What is the UX Audit

Practically speaking, it's a thorough examination of your digital product from different perspectives. And there are many, many things like: usability, UI, UX, user journey, accessibility, heuristic evaluation, competitive analysis, analytics review, journey mapping and other fancy names.

Thing is, they are only tools that aim to help you uncover how you could optimize your product.

Reasons to do UX Audit

At first, let's focus on why would you even think about doing that audit. There can be many different reasons, but generally speaking we are able to categorize them:

Not so good conversion rate

There are conversions in your product, but basically, they have plateaued or are even declining. This may be the sign that users don't find your product intuitive or valuable enough to stay and explore.

We can analyze different metrics here like CTR, bounce rate, low engagement, low time spent and so on.

Negative user feedback

It's painful to see your users hate your app, but on the other hand they treat your product so valuable they decided to leave a negative review for it. It can mean that your product is important to them so much, that they want to fight for it.

Inconsistency

Sometimes your product is growing so fast and so many things are happening that it's impossible to control everything, and that's natural. But sometimes comes the time when you need to check your digital product for inconsistencies in many ways:

• Visual Design
• Content (writing)
• User flows
• Making actions
• Tone of voice
• Behavior

The UX Audit process

First and the most important thing is that the process should be adjusted to the product and budget. There is no one master process and it should always be adjusted. There is no reason to blindly follow the rules because it's wasting the money.

However, we can specify some general stages that are almost always present:

Goal setting and data gathering

Yes, start with why, define clearly what you want to achieve by the audit. Gather data about your users, gather current business problems.

This element is fundamental - when you do something you need to clearly know why you're doing this and what should be the results.

Heuristic evaluation

We can treat them as rules we should inspect the digital product with. It's about consistency, error prevention, user friendliness and many different things. The rules defined for example by Jakob Nielsen are a good starting point to inspect your product.

User testing

It's a very valuable tool because you gather feedback directly from the users and they are... real users. You're biased and subjective in terms of rating your products, but users are the final bosses and in the end of the day they matter.

It can go that way:

• You select particular people to test with
• You prepare scenarios / tasks to complete in your app
• Users think aloud while completing the tasks
• You document everything and try to get insights and repetitive patterns from that

Aside from that you can ask real-time questions, record users completing the tasks and so on - possibilities are endless.

Analysis and prioritization

Ok, right now we've gathered the insights, we know what should be done to make the product better. The key thing right now is to prioritize the ideas of improvement. We could use the Impact / Effort framework where at first we recommend to implement the most impactful ideas requiring least effort.

UX Audit Deliverables

Let's gather things up, after conducting a UX Audit you will usually get these deliverables:

• Step by step analysis of your products
• Key findings and theses
• Actionable recommendations set up in prioritized way

Questions and answers

How long does a UX Audit take?

Usually UX audit takes between 2-4 weeks, but as everything it depends on the size of the project, complexity, scope and so on.

What kind of involvement is needed from me?

We'll need access to your product's analytics data and user feedback. Also, we can ask questions to better understand the business goals and audience. But don't worry, we make it as seamless as possible and your input is crucial.

What's the cost of UX Audit?

It varies widely, but can range from $4,000 to $25,000 or more.

Are you interested? Make the first step!

Just contact us. The first step is a quick consultation about your needs for a user experience audit service. Then, we'll work closely through the process we described above.

FAQ

What is a UX Audit?

A UX Audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a digital product's user experience, focusing on aspects like usability, interface design, user journeys, and accessibility. It aims to identify areas for improvement to enhance user satisfaction and engagement.

Why should I consider a UX Audit for my digital product?

If your product experiences declining conversion rates, negative user feedback, or inconsistencies in design and functionality, a UX Audit can help pinpoint issues and provide actionable recommendations to optimize the user experience.

What are common signs that indicate the need for a UX Audit?

Indicators include stagnant or declining conversion rates, negative user reviews, high bounce rates, low user engagement, and inconsistencies in visual design or user flows.

What does the UX Audit process involve?

The process typically includes goal setting and data gathering, heuristic evaluation, user testing, and analysis with prioritization of findings. Each stage is tailored to the specific product and budget constraints.

How does heuristic evaluation contribute to a UX Audit?

Heuristic evaluation involves assessing the product against established usability principles to identify usability issues and areas where the user experience can be improved.

What role does user testing play in a UX Audit?

User testing gathers direct feedback from actual users as they interact with the product, providing insights into real-world usability and identifying pain points that may not be apparent through heuristic evaluation alone.

What deliverables can I expect from a UX Audit?

Deliverables often include a detailed report outlining identified issues, recommendations for improvements, prioritized action items based on impact and effort, and possibly user journey maps or redesigned interface elements.

How can a UX Audit improve my product's conversion rates?

By identifying and addressing usability issues, enhancing user satisfaction, and streamlining user flows, a UX Audit can make it easier for users to achieve their goals, leading to higher conversion rates.

Is a UX Audit a one-time process?

No, user experience optimization is an ongoing process. Regular UX Audits can help ensure that your product continues to meet user needs and adapts to changing market trends and user expectations.

Can I perform a UX Audit internally, or should I hire professionals?

While internal teams can conduct UX Audits, hiring experienced professionals can provide an objective perspective and specialized expertise, often leading to more comprehensive insights and effective recommendations.