Our approach to UX strategy 

Are you getting ready to start a new web project? Or maybe you’re looking to optimise the user experience of your current eCommerce store? Either way, focusing on your users and their experience on your website should play a leading role in the process.

That’s why we place a lot of importance on UX.

Our approach to UX is engrained within everything we do, carefully weaved through each and every project stage from research and strategy through to the continuous improvement of your site. As an agency, we care, we’re invested, and we want to help grow your eCommerce business.

When working with our team, here’s what you can expect of our UX centred approach to better eCommerce.

Getting to know your business

The start of a new website project is the ideal time to kick off your UX activities. And where does this all begin? With your business and your users.

With a clear understanding of your website users alongside defined goals and objectives, we review any existing research to spot learnings and see where gaps may be. As part of this process, it’s important to involve your stakeholders. Key to determining requirements and how exactly your website will be used, this can be done through stakeholder interviews and an aims and objectives workshop.

Taking this one step further, competitor analysis is also a great way to gain an understanding of the wider landscape your site and business operates within as well as how user expectations are being met on other eCommerce stores. It’s integral to keep one eye on the competition and the experience your customers are enjoying with them.

Spotting the opportunities

Following on from the above, a UX audit is also a key starting point in those early project days. Allowing us to spot what’s working and what isn’t on your website, we can quickly discover the opportunities for improvement. It can also answer important questions such as:

• What stage do users most commonly leave your site?
• Where are users getting stuck on your website?
• Why are users abandoning their carts?

To really get under the skin of your audience and how they use your website, a UX workshop combined with a UX audit could be just the ticket. Website accessibility is also an important part of this and something we recommend reviewing at this stage.

Understanding user behaviours

With a clear understanding of your business and goals, the real research into your users’ behaviours begins. Using a range of industry tools to support our experts, this phase is all about validating how users interact with your website based on the UX recommendations. This is done through a number of tests, such as:

• Remote usability review
• User interviews
• User surveys
• Onsite feedback surveys
• Remote user testing
• Tree testing of current navigation
• First impression testing and feedback on current site
• First click testing and feedback on current site
• Remote usability review
• Wireframe surveys

Developing your strategy

Making the most of the findings from the discovery and research phases, our experienced UX analysts collate their recommendations to develop a tailormade, data-driven strategy designed to drive site improvements.

But to really get the best result possible, we combine our in-depth understanding of your business and users with additional activities to help us design a streamlined and cohesive user experience. These may include:

User journey mapping

A user journey map visually illustrates how users flow through your eCommerce store starting with the initial discovery all the way through to conversion, loyalty and advocacy. Creating this visual allows you to better understand how your users navigate your site, allowing you to create a friction free journey for them.

Content modelling

A content model includes all the different types of content you have on your website helping you to categorise them in a more logical and relevant way. Content modelling involves breaking down the content types into components before describing them in detail and mapping out how they relate to one another.

Site mapping

Site mapping is crucial to this process, allowing you to form a hierarchical structure of web pages, starting with the home page at the very top. A site map can then be reflected onsite through features like the navigation bar which will help users navigate through the site with ease.

Testing the impact

Armed with the insight from extensive research and with our recommendations validated, we test the impact through visual designs. This allows us to further validate the decisions made before jumping into development to roll out the changes.

Ensuring certainty before investing in development, we can test the changes made to your visual design so you can rest easy in your decision. Testing of visual design changes can be done through methods such as:

• Wireframes​ and mock-ups​
• First impression testing​ First click testing​
• Design surveys​
• Preference testing​
• Prototype testing​

Working with us

Our UX processes are designed around making your customers path to conversion as quick, easy and seamless as can be. Taking this approach allows us to get to know your business and users, spot opportunities and additional requirements and use this insight to create an even better eCommerce store.

We have the expertise and experience to help you improve your online success. If you feel like your business could benefit from our UX strategy or want to know more, don’t hesitate to get in touch.