4. Usability Risk in Product Development

Introduction

Usability risk refers to the challenges users face when interacting with a product. Even if a product provides value and aligns with business goals, it can fail if users struggle to navigate or understand it. Usability issues can lead to frustration, reduced engagement, and increased churn.

This document explores the concept of usability risk, including key considerations for mitigating it, the role of usability testing, and real-world examples from companies like eduK and Gympass.

What Is Usability Risk?

Usability risk addresses whether users can easily and effectively use a product. It covers aspects like:

Ease of use: Can users navigate the interface without confusion?
Task completion: Can users accomplish their goals using the product?
User satisfaction: Does the product provide a positive and intuitive user experience?

A product may fail to meet user expectations even if it solves a problem or offers value, simply because the interface is too complicated, unclear, or unintuitive. Thus, mitigating usability risks is crucial to delivering a seamless and engaging user experience.

Key Questions to Address Usability Risk

To mitigate usability risks, teams need to address the following questions:

1. Can Users Complete Tasks Easily?

The primary focus of usability is ensuring that users can easily complete their desired tasks within the product. This includes assessing whether the interface is intuitive and whether users can find the features they need.

Example Questions:

Are the key features and functionalities easily accessible?
Can users navigate the interface and understand what each element does?
Do users need assistance or get stuck during key tasks?

2. Is the Interface Intuitive?

A good interface should be self-explanatory. Users should understand how to interact with the product without needing extensive onboarding or help.

Example Questions:

Is the design intuitive enough for first-time users?
Are the icons, labels, and buttons clear and descriptive?
Does the design follow common user interface (UI) conventions and patterns?

3. Is There a Consistent User Experience Across the Product?

Consistency is key to reducing user confusion. Inconsistent experiences across different parts of the product can lead to frustration and make the product harder to use.

Example Questions:

Are the design elements (colors, fonts, buttons) consistent throughout the product?
Do users experience a smooth, coherent journey from one section to another?
Are similar tasks handled in similar ways across different parts of the product?

4. Do Users Experience Friction?

Friction in a product occurs when users encounter obstacles or confusion that prevent them from completing their tasks efficiently.

Example Questions:

Are there any steps in the user journey where users get stuck or confused?
Are there unnecessary steps or information that slow down the process?
How much effort is required to complete a key task, like signing up or making a purchase?

Usability Testing: A Key Tool for Mitigating Usability Risk

What Is Usability Testing?

Usability testing is a qualitative research technique used to evaluate how easy a product is to use by observing users as they interact with the product. Participants are given specific tasks to complete while researchers observe and collect feedback.

The goal of usability testing is to:

Identify usability issues and potential points of friction in the user experience.
Understand how users navigate the product and if they can accomplish key tasks.
Gather feedback to inform design improvements and feature enhancements.

Types of Questions Usability Testing Can Answer

Are users able to understand the filters in the search interface?
Why do users stop using the product at a certain step in the funnel?
Are there any features that users find particularly confusing or hard to use?

Types of Questions Usability Testing Cannot Answer

Will changing this feature increase conversions or decrease churn?
Which name, button color, or design option will perform better?
How will user behavior impact specific business metrics?

For these types of questions, data-driven methods like A/B testing, analytics, or metrics analysis are more appropriate.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: eduK and User Engagement

At eduK, a challenge was increasing user engagement and reducing churn. One of the main reasons for churn was low engagement, which meant users were not spending enough time on the platform.

Strategy: The eduK team ran a design sprint, bringing together different departments to brainstorm solutions for improving user engagement, particularly during the onboarding phase. To make the product more engaging, they introduced a chat-based onboarding experience led by a well-known figure, Bernardinho, to guide new users through their first steps.

They conducted usability tests at the end of the design sprint to ensure that users found the new onboarding flow intuitive and engaging. The tests helped identify areas where users were confused, and improvements were made before the final launch.

Example 2: Gympass and Consistency Across the Platform

Gympass faced challenges as it expanded its platform to offer both physical and online solutions. The platform had evolved over time with different teams working on various sections, resulting in inconsistent user experiences across the product.

Strategy: Gympass ran a design sprint to address usability issues and improve the overall consistency of the platform. They focused on aligning the design, colors, and features across different parts of the platform, such as the partner pages, search filters, and booking features.

The result was a more consistent and intuitive user experience across the entire product, making it easier for users to navigate and understand both physical and digital offerings.

Tools and Methods for Mitigating Usability Risk

Usability Testing: A core tool for assessing whether users can easily navigate and complete tasks in a product. It helps uncover friction points and design flaws in real time.
Design Sprints: A collaborative process that brings together stakeholders from across the company to ideate, prototype, and test solutions within a short timeframe. This is particularly useful for tackling larger, more complex usability challenges.
Prototyping and User Feedback: Creating wireframes or mockups allows teams to gather early feedback from users and refine the design before committing to development.
Consistency Audits: Regularly reviewing the product for consistency in design, navigation, and terminology helps prevent confusion and ensures a smoother user experience.
A/B Testing: After initial usability tests, A/B testing can be used to compare different design options to determine which one performs better in terms of engagement and user satisfaction.

Conclusion

Mitigating usability risk is essential to delivering a product that not only works but is easy and enjoyable to use. By focusing on user needs, testing designs through usability tests, and ensuring consistency across the platform, product teams can greatly reduce friction and improve engagement.

The key to managing usability risk lies in combining qualitative research methods like usability testing with design tools like design sprints, ensuring that the product evolves in a user-centric manner. By continuously iterating and gathering feedback, teams can create products that are not only functional but delightful to use.