{"id":7398,"date":"2019-06-04T12:01:24","date_gmt":"2019-06-04T19:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/?p=7398"},"modified":"2023-07-07T01:37:25","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T08:37:25","slug":"data-driven-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/data-driven-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Data-Driven Design: What It Is and Why It Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of creating a user-friendly product must be guided by information about what works and what doesn\u2019t. Features that look good on paper may end up being impractical or confusing, preventing users from achieving their desired outcomes. That\u2019s where data-driven design comes in. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-driven design can be defined as \u201cdesign that is backed by data and helps [users] understand the target audience.\u201d It \u201cproves that your work is on the right track\u2026 reveals the users\u2019 pain points and opportunities while unearthing new trends, and\u2026 improves your designs by adding objectivity.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, we\u2019ll cover everything you need to know about data-driven design. You\u2019ll learn which types of data should be prioritized and what kinds of techniques can be used to collect data. We\u2019ll also explore some case studies showing where data-driven design has succeeded. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Should We Care About Data-Driven Design?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failing to consider data (or using data in an ineffective way) can have serious implications for the success of a project. If you rely solely on instinct or best practices to make decisions without performing any data-driven investigation, you risk wasting money on changes to design choices that are ineffective (or even harmful).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using data effectively can lead directly to improved business outcomes. Research by MIT\u2019s Center for Digital Business <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/files.technologyreview.com\/whitepapers\/Google-Analytics-Machine-Learning.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found that<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201ccompanies in the top third of their industry in the use of data-driven decision making were, on average, 5 percent more productive and 6 percent more profitable than their competitors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many examples of cases where data-driven UX techniques have delivered a tangible improvement on ROI. For example, in 2014, airline Virgin America <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toptal.com\/designers\/ux\/roi-of-ux-redesign-case-studies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">used A\/B testing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to redesign a new, responsive website. This led to:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 14% increase in conversion rates<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20% fewer support calls<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customers booking nearly twice as fast, across devices<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toptal.com\/designers\/ux\/e-commerce-responsive-web-design\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interesting example<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> comes from e-commerce website Music &amp; Arts, which used usability testing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/heuristic-evaluation-in-ux\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/heuristic-evaluation-in-ux\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">heuristic evaluation<\/a> to inform a website redesign. Upon the conclusion of the project, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toptal.com\/designers\/ux\/roi-of-ux-redesign-case-studies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">their online sales increased<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about 30% year over year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-Driven Design: Onboarding Stakeholders<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/what-does-a-ux-designer-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5182\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UX designer<\/a> or aspiring practitioner, you may be used to thinking quite a bit about data-driven product design, and may already be convinced of its merits. However, in order to successfully execute your project, you will have to bring many different members of your team on board as well.\u00a0Below are some tips for presenting data to stakeholders.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use Case Studies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When introducing new information to stakeholders, you may want to leverage case studies like those mentioned above to show the ROI value of data-driven UX research. With this clear proof of effectiveness, you can demonstrate value in a concrete way.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1.jpg\" alt=\"ROI of data-driven UX\" class=\"wp-image-7399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-700x466.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image1-380x253.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/statistics-marketing-business-data-3580659\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Present Data Visually<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visuals are convincing. In fact, a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4340450\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2014 study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealed that over half of all respondents considered themselves to be at least partially \u201cvisual learners.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the marketing world, the use of visuals has become a popular way to stand out and capture attention\u201480% of social media marketers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.socialmediaexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Industry-Report-2018.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using visual assets as part of their strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By adding visuals to stakeholder-facing presentations, you can captivate your audience and clearly convey your message. A slide deck with graphs and charts can go a long way.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"556\" height=\"516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image4-1.jpg\" alt=\"adding visuals to stakeholder-facing presentations\" class=\"wp-image-7400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image4-1.jpg 556w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image4-1-400x371.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image4-1-380x353.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image4-1-380x353.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pie-chart.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-Driven Design Thinking: An Important UX Philosophy<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve gotten your stakeholders on board, it\u2019s time to start thinking about collecting data. But how should you go about doing this?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-driven design thinking isn\u2019t just about gathering as much data as possible. Ideally, you\u2019ll want to develop a plan for collecting data in accordance with your UX and business needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establishing Realistic Goals<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While data is an important part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/what-is-ux-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/what-is-ux-design\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UX design<\/a> process, it\u2019s not the only factor in decision-making. You\u2019ll have to consider feasibility, cost, timing, and other factors when applying the information you have gathered.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, perhaps your product has already launched, and you\u2019re looking to design a new iteration of it with some improvements. Your data-gathering process will look very different than that of someone creating a new product from scratch. It might not always be realistic or cost-effective to overhaul your entire product or business concept.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ideally, you\u2019ll want to make data-driven decisions right from the very beginning. But realistically, you\u2019ll need to consider the unique needs of your organization when deciding how data can help you.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design Ethics<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When developing designs to test, you\u2019ll want to consider reputation, branding, and ethics, as well as quantitative results.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, using hidden fees or misleading links on a website might cause those options to perform well in the testing phase. However, by using those kinds of tactics, you risk alienating your target audience and damaging your brand\u2019s credibility, leading to a reduction of ROI in the long run. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The short-term gains may not be worth the long-term risks. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-Driven, Data-Informed, and Data-Aware Design<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the book \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books\/about\/Designing_with_Data.html?id=oHFxngEACAAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designing with Data<\/span><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Rochelle King, Elizabeth Churchill, and Caitlin Tan, the authors present a layered model of \u201cdata-driven,\u201d \u201cdata-informed,\u201d and \u201cdata-aware\u201d design. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uxdesign.cc\/becoming-a-data-aware-designer-1d7614ebc3ed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A UX Collective article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Aaron Gitlin further explains this model.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2202\" height=\"1106\" src=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM.png\" alt=\"Designing with Data\" class=\"wp-image-7405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM.png 2202w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-400x201.png 400w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-1200x603.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-768x386.png 768w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-1536x771.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-2048x1029.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-380x191.png 380w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-700x352.png 700w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-11.43.09-AM-380x191.png 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2202px) 100vw, 2202px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Source: Screenshot, <a href=\"https:\/\/uxdesign.cc\/becoming-a-data-aware-designer-1d7614ebc3ed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UXdesign.cc<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The model describes three different philosophies for using data in UX design work.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data-Driven Design<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By King, Churchill and Tan\u2019s definition, \u201cdata-driven design\u201d refers to making design decisions based solely on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/data-analytics\/quantitative-data\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"7707\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">quantitative data<\/a>. Within this framework, data is of primary importance.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A purely data-driven approach may be appropriate when the main goal of the project is performance optimization.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data-Informed Design<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cData-informed design\u201d is a somewhat more flexible approach. In this case, additional factors such as qualitative information, instinct, and experience might be prioritized, alongside quantitative data. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data-Aware Design<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A data-aware design team would put quantitative data on an equal footing with other decision-making factors. This kind of team views data from UX testing as just one of many potential sources of valuable information.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When deciding which of these three approaches is right for you, it&#8217;s important to consider the individual dynamics of your team, as well as the circumstances of your particular project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"bg-leaf-50 p-4 my-3\"><h4 class=\"fw-bold text-center\">Get To Know Other\tDesign Students<\/h4><div class=\"row row-cols-1 row-cols-lg-3\"><div class=\"col\"><div class=\"card success-story-card h-100 d-flex justify-content-between mb-0\"><div class=\"flex-grow-1 text-center\"><a class=\"d-inline-block rounded-circle\" href=\"\/success\/amber-hicks\" style=\"width:125px;height:125px;overflow:hidden\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/springboard-images\/image\/upload\/v1629203193\/Student%20Success\/Amber_Hicks_125x125.png\" alt=\"Amber Hicks\" style=\"object-fit:contain;max-width:170px;height:125px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"fw-bold mb-0\">Amber Hicks<\/p><p class=\"text-muted lh-1\">UX Designer at Norfolk Southern<\/p><\/div><div class=\"w-100 d-block d-md-none mt-3\"><\/div><p class=\"mb-0 mx-auto text-center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary mx-auto\" href=\"\/success\/amber-hicks\">Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"col d-none d-md-block\"><div class=\"card success-story-card h-100 d-flex justify-content-between mb-0\"><div class=\"flex-grow-1 text-center\"><a class=\"d-inline-block rounded-circle\" href=\"\/success\/nicky-arthur\" style=\"width:125px;height:125px;overflow:hidden\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/springboard-images\/image\/upload\/v1635255723\/Student%20Success\/Nicky_Arthur_125x125.png\" alt=\"Nicky Arthur\" style=\"object-fit:contain;max-width:170px;height:125px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"fw-bold mb-0\">Nicky Arthur<\/p><p class=\"text-muted lh-1\">UX Designer at International Baccalaureate<\/p><\/div><p class=\"mb-0 mx-auto text-center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary mx-auto\" href=\"\/success\/nicky-arthur\">Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"col d-none d-md-block\"><div class=\"card success-story-card h-100 d-flex justify-content-between mb-0\"><div class=\"flex-grow-1 text-center\"><a class=\"d-inline-block rounded-circle\" href=\"\/success\/allyssa-van-camp\" style=\"width:125px;height:125px;overflow:hidden\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/springboard-images\/image\/upload\/v1698782111\/Allyssa_Van_Camp.jpg\" alt=\"Allyssa Van Camp\" style=\"object-fit:contain;max-width:170px;height:125px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"fw-bold mb-0\">Allyssa Van Camp<\/p><p class=\"text-muted lh-1\">Student at Springboard<\/p><\/div><p class=\"mb-0 mx-auto text-center\"><a class=\"btn btn-primary mx-auto\" href=\"\/success\/allyssa-van-camp\">Read Story<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-Gathering Procedures: Best Practices<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you\u2019ve planned how to use your data, it\u2019s time to conduct tests to gather the hard numbers you need. Below, we\u2019ll discuss the process of planning for a UX research experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating a Hypothesis<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the previous section, we spoke about establishing goals for your project (what will your data eventually be used for?). Once you&#8217;ve done this, you can turn your attention to developing a hypothesis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating a hypothesis for a UX experiment is much like creating one for a science experiment. Many of the same rules apply.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biology department at California State University, Bakersfield, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.csub.edu\/~ddodenhoff\/Bio100\/Bio100sp04\/formattingahypothesis.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has this to say<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about hypotheses (emphasis theirs):<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA useful hypothesis is a <\/span><\/i><b><i>testable <\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">statement, which may include a prediction. A hypothesis should not be confused with a theory. Theories are general explanations based on a large amount of data.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They go on to give the following example of a \u201cformalized hypothesis\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><b><i>If<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> skin cancer is <\/span><\/i><b><i>related<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ultraviolet light, <\/span><\/i><b><i>then<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> people with a high exposure to UV light will have a higher frequency of skin cancer.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The statement has two parts: If X condition is met, then Y result will occur. It refers to a cause-and-effect relationship between two factors.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When creating a UX hypothesis, however, it\u2019s necessary to go a little bit further. Beyond just discussing the cause and effect, we need to explain which users our hypothesis applies to, and why we think the result will occur.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An example of a formalized hypothesis for a UX research project can be seen below:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>If the color red creates a sense of urgency in users, then making the \u201ccheckout\u201d button on our website red will increase conversions among users browsing our product pages. <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, the UX hypothesis is slightly longer than a scientific hypothesis. It contains all the information we need to test and answer the question. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring a Sufficient Sample Size<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve created a hypothesis, you\u2019re ready to begin your experiment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When conducting an experiment, there are certain best practices to keep in mind. One is that you need a sufficient sample size to ensure results are significant. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your sample size is too small, the value of any data you gather will be questionable. For this reason, it&#8217;s important to ensure that your organization has a method of finding and incentivizing UX testers to participate in the experiment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eliminating Confounding Variables<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll want to eliminate confounding variables as much as possible when planning your experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, in the above \u201cred button\u201d example, it might not be a good idea to redesign your entire website, then test the old version of the website with the former button color and the new version with the red button. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In that case, users might be tempted to purchase because the new overall design makes the website look more trustworthy<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014the results could have nothing to do with button color.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX Data Collection Techniques<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many different UX techniques you can use to collect both qualitative and quantitative UX data. Below are just a few examples:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quantitative Data Collection<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A\/B Testing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A\/B testing is also known as split testing. Hubspot <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/how-to-do-a-b-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">defines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A\/B testing as:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c&#8230; [an] experiment wherein you \u2018split\u2019 your audience to test a number of variations of a campaign and determine which performs better. In other words, you can show version A&#8230; to one half of your audience, and version B to another.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When performing an A\/B test, it is important to ensure that only one variable is changed (whenever possible), and that the control and experimental groups are similar in size.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surveys<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX surveys are a key source of both quantitative and qualitative data in UX research. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good survey should have well-designed questions<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ensure that your questions are not leading and that the purpose of the question is clear. You should also try to limit the number of questions (no more than 10 to 15) so that users don\u2019t abandon the survey halfway through. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Analytics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your product is a website or app, tools such as Google Analytics are a great source of quantitative data (click-through rate, bounce rate, etc.) to help you make decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heat Maps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"998\" height=\"811\" src=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1.jpg\" alt=\"heat maps\" class=\"wp-image-7402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1.jpg 998w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1-400x325.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1-768x624.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1-380x309.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1-700x569.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/image2-1-380x309.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 998px) 100vw, 998px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>(Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rosenfeldmedia\/10910197294\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Flickr<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heat maps use eye tracking to understand where users are looking on a screen. If heat maps from multiple users indicate a pattern, this could prove valuable when re-organizing content assets or redesigning your website or app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qualitative Data Collection<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Competitor Analyses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In UX, a competitor analysis involves examining another company\u2019s product to identify any comparative strengths, weaknesses, or areas for improvement. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to tread carefully when doing a competitor analysis. Simply imitating competitors is not always an effective solution. Instead, it is best to use competitor analyses as a means of gaining inspiration, with the understanding that what works for others may not always work for you. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Interviews<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interviews are a great way to gather qualitative data from users. Although time or budgetary constraints might limit the number of interview subjects, the insights gathered through a phone or in-person conversation will be more in depth than what you could get from a survey alone. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">User Journey\/User Flow<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating a model, such as a user journey or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/user-flow\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/user-flow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user flow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, can be a helpful way to conceptualize how users are interacting with your product. The information you gather from your user flow can help you identify potential weak areas, providing a starting point for further investigation through A\/B testing or interviews.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Related<\/strong>:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/ux-design-principles\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/design\/ux-design-principles\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">16 Important UX Design Principles for Newcomers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of your goals, data-driven design can help improve product performance and increase conversions. Hopefully, the information presented here can help you create an effective plan for data collection that fits your organization\u2019s needs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"rm has-background\" style=\"background-color:#efeff6\"><strong>Since you&#8217;re here<br><\/strong>If you want to work in design, you can. It\u2019s that simple. With our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/courses\/ux-career-track\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UX Bootcamp<\/a>, we&#8217;ll help you launch your design career in 9 months or less. Browse our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/resources\/guides\/ux-design-salaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free UX salary guide<\/a> to see what you could be making<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The process of creating a user-friendly product must be guided by information about what works and what doesn\u2019t. Features that look good on paper may end up being impractical or confusing, preventing users from achieving their desired outcomes. That\u2019s where data-driven design comes in. Data-driven design can be defined as \u201cdesign that is backed by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":7624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[123],"tags":[],"marketing_tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7398","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-design"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7398"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47490,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7398\/revisions\/47490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7398"},{"taxonomy":"marketing_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/marketing_tags?post=7398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}