Increased App Task Completion by 41.6%
Introduction
ThriveHive’s mission is to guide businesses to achieve extraordinary marketing results using the right blend of software, data, and people. ThriveHive helps businesses do what they love by combining actual human guidance with easy-to-use technology to make marketing their business easy, effective, and affordable.
The Challenge
ThriveHive's marketing solution offers bite-sized, actionable opportunities tailored for local businesses to help them get found, get chosen, and connect with customers and prospects. However, one of our biggest UX challenges was increasing engagement once a small business owner was in the app. We needed to increase task completion rates.
The Approach
In 2018, I implemented weekly design sprints to encourage rapid iteration. This process leveraged UserTesting.com and the methodologies outlined in Jake Knapp's book "Sprint," consisting of six steps over five days.
Initial UX Testing
We began by investigating whether a scrolling wall of content would engage users more effectively. Our hypothesis was that prioritizing the best tasks and optimizing relevant content would increase app usage. We explored several key questions:
What’s the right balance of content (volume)?
What content is important (substance)?
Would users engage in a conversation?
Additionally, we tested UI preferences by presenting users with two options and asking them to select one and share why.
Other tests and surveys aimed to gauge:
Likelihood of task completion
Identification of problem areas
Insights and Adjustments
Through weekly testing, we gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. We intentionally leaned into directional indicators over statistical significance. For instance, if 13 out of 15 testers agreed that “Respond to Customers” should be the top section, and 14 out of 15 agreed that “Today’s Top Priorities” should be the second section, we knew we were on the right track. Watching UserTesting videos provided additional qualitative insights, revealing new opportunities, and frustrations that led to future feature development.
Ultimately, these feedback cycles directed us to move the task list forward and present it as a "to-do" list. We had confidence in our UX/UI decisions because our Users indicated that they were familiar with the concept and that it would help orientate them within the application.
Benefits of Testing and Rapid Iteration
The iterative testing process provided several UX benefits that significantly improved the quality and success of our product:
Improved Usability: Iterative testing ensured the design evolved based on actual user feedback, resulting in a product that better meets user needs and expectations.
Reduced Development Costs: Identifying and addressing issues early prevented costly redesigns or major overhauls later in the development cycle.
Increased Innovation: Regular feedback and testing cycles fostered a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
Better Alignment with User Needs: Continuous user feedback ensured the product remained aligned with user needs and preferences.
Faster Time to Market: Rapid iteration enabled quicker adjustments and improvements, accelerating the overall development timeline.
Increased Stakeholder Confidence: Frequent testing and iteration provided visible progress to stakeholders, boosting their confidence in the project’s direction and outcomes.
Outcome
At ThriveHive, I directed a team responsible for conducting 100+ annual tests and audits, generating both quantitative data and qualitative insights. Through observation, experimentation, and rigorous testing, the product team was able to dramatically improve engagement, demonstrating the power of iterative design and user-centric development.
By implementing this rigorous testing and rapid iteration process, ThriveHive increased app task completion by 41.6%. The cycle of feedback and insights led to continuous improvements that enhanced user satisfaction and engagement, ultimately contributing to the success of the app.