In today's competitive market, user experience (UX) plays a crucial role in a product's success. Understanding and effectively measuring UX metrics can significantly impact virtually all business vitals. This includes product activation, retention, and referral rates.
This article delves into what UX metrics are, their types, how to measure them, and how to choose and prioritize the right ones for your product. Let’s dive right in.
What Are UX Metrics?
UX metrics are specific measurements that help evaluate, among other things, the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of a user's interaction with a product.
Another way to look at it is to conceptualize UX as a combination of utility, usability, and desirability. As such, a UX metric would be qualitative or quantitative as to how much utility, usability, or desirability there is in a product.
It’s important to note that UX metrics do not exist in isolation; they are closely linked to higher-level product metrics, particularly those in the AARRR (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue) framework. These metrics have different weight depending on the industry. For example, for SaaS UX, retention is key for sustainable business growth.
UX metrics primarily impact activation, retention, and referrals, although they also influence other metrics indirectly.
Now that we know what UX metrics are, let’s briefly go over why they matter.
The Shift to PLG or Why UX Metrics Matter
Coined in 2016, the concept of product-led growth has been steadily gaining favor. The term was developed in opposition to sales-led growth (SLG). SLG entails the typical division of roles among marketing, sales, and product teams. The way things have always been.
On the other hand, the concept of PLG stipulates that product is what does the marketing and selling. Great products, according to the PLG principles, spread via word of mouth and convert users via exceptional UX.
This approach necessitates a deep understanding and meticulous tracking of all product metrics by UX designers.
Types of UX Metrics
UX metrics can roughly be categorized into three main groups: performance metrics, self-reported metrics, and business metrics. Additionally, we’ll talk about more strategic metrics that are impacted by numerous factors and not only UX.
Performance Metrics
Performance metrics are tied to usability and are typically measured through usability testing. Key performance metrics include:
- Task Success: The percentage of successfully completed tasks.
- Efficiency: How quickly users can complete tasks.
- Time on Task: The amount of time users spend on tasks.
- Learnability: How easily new users can learn to use the product.
- Error Rates: The frequency and types of errors users encounter.
The list is not comprehensive. You’re welcome to come up with your own metrics that make the most sense for your product.
Self-Reported Metrics
Self-reported metrics are based on user feedback and can be gathered through various methods such as user interviews and satisfaction surveys. Important self-reported metrics include:
- Likert Scale Ratings: Users rate their experience on a scale, typically from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7.
- Open-Ended Questions: Qualitative feedback on user experience.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS): Measures user loyalty and likelihood to recommend the product.
Usability testing aside, you may also gather usage metrics for things like drop-off rates, page dwell times, etc. In isolation, these may not offer a lot of insights, however, they are important clues to get you thinking in the right direction.
Behavioral Metrics
Behavioral metrics are less commonly used but provide valuable insights into user interactions. These include:
- Eye Tracking: Analyzes where and how users look at the screen.
- Click Heatmaps: Shows areas of the screen where users click most frequently.
Business Metrics
While not exclusively UX metrics, business metrics like conversion rates, time to first purchase, and lifetime value are significantly influenced by the user experience.
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How to Measure UX Metrics
Performance Metrics
To measure performance metrics, conduct usability testing sessions. Analyze recordings of these sessions to establish a baseline and track improvements over time.
Self-Reported Metrics
Incorporate self-reported metrics into regular processes. Use qualitative interviews to stay in touch with user needs and employ Likert scale questions to gauge satisfaction.
Behavioral Metrics
Although setting up behavioral metrics like eye tracking can be challenging, the insights they provide can be invaluable for refining the user experience.
How to Choose the Right UX Metrics for Your Product
Selecting the right UX metrics involves aligning them with strategic, higher-level product metrics. For instance, if data shows that Slack users who invite at least five team members are more likely to convert to paying users, optimizing and tracking this behavior becomes a priority, especially if better conversion is among the strategic goals of the product.
Strategic goals aside, let’s cover performance, self-reported, and behavioral metrics.
Performance Metrics
Performance metrics require little prioritization. Their value is in creating a baseline for further comparison and in evaluating usability for newly designed flows. As outlined in the previous section, here are a few common performance metrics: task Success, efficiency, time on task, learnability and error Rates.
Self-Reported Metrics
Embed self-reported metrics into your internal processes. Regular qualitative interviews and Likert scale surveys are essential for maintaining user satisfaction. The question is what you should ask.
It’s typical to integrate NPS surveys into the product experience. This should also ensure you’re getting a good number of answers across time.
Behavioral Metrics
While more complex to implement, behavioral metrics provide deep insights into user interactions and can guide significant UX improvements.
How to Prioritize UX Metrics
With UX metrics, the approach we suggest is to prioritize them bottom-up: starting from basic usability and then climbing all the way up to strategic goal. In a nutshell, there’s little sense of long-term strategic decisions without having the basic usability ensured.
Usability Metrics
Prioritize usability metrics first, as a product must be usable before addressing other aspects.
Business Goals
Once usability is ensured, focus on business goals such as profitability and customer retention.
Strategic Goals
Align your metrics with strategic goals that support your business objectives. For instance, if new competition emerges, focus on metrics related to customer retention, such as repeat purchase rates.
Conclusion
In summary, understanding and effectively measuring UX metrics is crucial for any product aiming for success. By categorizing and prioritizing these metrics, and aligning them with broader business goals, you can create a user experience that not only satisfies but delights your users, driving long-term growth and success.
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