Creating a Valuable User Experience from Data: How to Combine UX and Analytics
People often underestimate how valuable real data can be in the quest to improve the user experience of digital touchpoints. I have observed that many decision-makers do not harness the full potential of this data, even though user data is a direct source for the continual optimisation of a website or an online shop. Bit by bit, companies can learn more about the people visiting their website. This requires analytics and UX experts to work together. For our client Schulthess Klinik, I joined forces with our analytics team to analyse and interpret user data and optimise the user journeys on the website.
Better Services for Users
schulthess-klinik.ch supports patients and referring healthcare professionals in finding answers to specific questions on their customer journeys. The responsive website is the central touchpoint for the clinic’s digital services. Patients can intuitively find relevant content such as information on symptoms, conditions and treatment options. The digital registration process facilitates communication with the clinic.
To better understand the needs of the two target groups, we collected, aggregated and interpreted real user data. We proposed and tested a number of working hypotheses and also analysed user flows. This enabled us to draw an ever-clearer picture and initiate targeted measures for optimisation.
Improving our services to better suit our target groups is key for us. The insights we gained on the user journey with the support of Unic help us optimise the website for the needs of patients and referring healthcare professionals in the best possible way.
Deborah Bucher
Head of Communications & Marketing, Schulthess Klinik
Testing Working Hypotheses
The starting point was a comprehensive set of hypotheses on user journeys. One of the hypotheses covered the mobile use of the website: “We have seen an increased use of the contact form by users via smartphone in the past year because they use the website in acute situations.”
We were able to confirm this hypothesis by analysing user data: The number of website visits from a mobile device increased by 67% compared to the previous year. The number of appointments booked from a mobile device also increased by 13% in the same time span.
The data supported our interdisciplinary team’s proposal to optimise the website for all mobile devices. We presented these and other findings to the decision-making body and received the go-ahead for a number of different optimisation measures: For instance, the form process, the next best click and the structure of content modules were consistently optimised for use on a mobile device.
Analysing User Flows
Another way to analyse user data is by interpreting user flows. This data shows the conversion of target groups and provides an insight into their user journeys. This helped us identify the subjects that interest patients, depending on the season and context.
The findings from the user flow analysis exceeded my expectations. For the first time, I had answers to key UX questions based on data:
Is the Home page really used extensively?
Which pages do users frequent to obtain information?
What does the user journey to booking an appointment look like?
From my UX perspective, I was intrigued by this finding: Users who have visited the website before come back to learn about specific treatments. I gained valuable insights into users’ behaviour on the website:
Patients who want to book an appointment access the website via the Home page.
But patients also access the website via specialist areas such as shoulder or elbow surgery or specific treatments before making an appointment.
Referring healthcare providers navigate from the Home page or access the digital referral form directly.
By analysing the user flow, I gained valuable insights into user behaviour.
Katja Dreher
Senior User Experience Architect
Combining UX and Analytics
A website can be improved step by step using empirical user data. This requires both the analytics and the user experience perspective to create real user stories which can serve as a basis for targeted optimisation.
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Book an appointmentAre you keen to talk about your next project? We will be happy exchange ideas with you.
