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Improving Product Finder & Site Search
A 3 month long follow up project after updating Lumen’s Product Finder and Site Search pages. Using user research and UX strategy to identify the problems and determine the proper steps for improvement.
My Role
Remote Lead User Researcher,
UX Strategist
Project Duration
3 - 4
month project
Area of Focus
Site Searching, Product Finding, & Filters
Synopsis
This project comes after updating Lumen.com site search and product finder pages, with the goal of finding which improvements worked and which didn't. Then use those findings to determine what needs to be changed, followed by prioritizing which solutions could be done based off of the resources and goals of the team.
If you want to jump ahead to view the background, different iterations or final design you can click on their respective links below and it would take you straight to that process.
1. Background
2. The Research
3. Research Results
4. Prioritizing Solutions
What are the challenges?
Previously, the Site Search and Product Finder was not up to standards based off of user research and competitive analysis.
What was done?
Improved tools to make filters more robust and convenient to use
Users would have the tools necessary to narrow down the search based off of their preferences.
Internal metadata change, to enhance the search results
Users are able to get the searches that they expected, and not some page that is unrelated to what they are typed in.
After 6 months we came back to see how has the improved Site Search and Product Finder performed.
What we did during our user testing
10 IT Decision Makers as testers
IT Decision makers are our target users.
5 moderated, later 5 unmoderated (due to lack of moderated testers)
Focus on Moderated Test
To allow moderators to assist the testers to clear up confusion but also to obtain more reason behind each answer to action.
Testing on Desktop device
Due to limited time we had, and the data shows that we have more desktop users accessing the two pages than mobile users.
Using UserTesting.com
Standard user testing platform that our team uses, and also the best tool to use for moderated test.
Pages to Test
Lumen's Site Search Page
Lumen's Product Finder Page
Limit to max 45 minutes
Testers would start to experience fatigue around the 30 - 45 minute mark
Primary Testing Goals
What are our user's wants and needs when using the pages.
Which features are either helpful or a determine to their experience?
What are their expectations? Do the tools and features satisfy their expectation and why?
What's the results?
Both pages meets testers expectations!
MAJORITY of testers say the pages and its tools matches with what they expect out of a page that uses search and filter tools.
MAJORITY of testers say the tools, especially the filters, are very detailed, matches with their specific preferences.
MAJORITY of testers liked that the results matches with what is inputted into the search bar or filtered.
Additional comments:
SOME of testers say they like that the size of the search bar is easily identifiable and convenient to use.
SOME of testers find it convenient to have the buttons that remove all filters, no need to click multiple times
But the devils in the details:
MAJORITY of testers expect the results to add when they click on more options in the filters.
MAJORITY of testers find if confusing to click on a button that doesn't affect the filter results in any way.
MAJORITY of testers don't like filters that have "0" next to them are taking space, might as well not show it.
Additional comments:
SOME of testers say they like that the size of the search bar is easily identifiable and convenient to use.
SOME of testers say, on the Site Search, they find no reason for to use the filters as they are not related to what they are finding.
SOME of testers experience, on the Site Search, the results take too long to load.
How can we make both pages more convenient and easier to use while also considering the business needs?
Proposed Solutions:
Based off of pure user testing results, I presented multiple solutions for internal review:
Major changes that are high priority based on user's experience.
Additional changes that are good addition but not needed.
If we take others into consideration
Filters and search bar being used the most
After reviewing click rates and attractive rates in both pages in Adobe Analytics.
Consult with Visual Design team with major UI change
For specific changes like removing components and adjusting the color of page.
Dev team preferred using the same templates
Streamline templates due to the developers being swamped with other projects.
Giving customers as smooth experience as possible
After reviewing the Lumen North Star core values.
Which solutions can we pursue
By splitting the solutions based off of impact and quick ins we were able to figure out which solutions we can conduct right away and which ones we need more time to iron out.
In short streamlining the most of the features between the two pages, allows us solve the most of the user's needs and business needs.
So that does streamlining the features entail?
Remove category buttons and add checkboxes to Tier 2 category filters.
Site Search page already has this feature in the dev specs, it can be use as a template.
Deactivate filters with "0" on all pages that has filter components.
Dev team already has a quick stop gap solution that we can use to quickly implement this solution.
Replicate the large search bar to all pages with search feature.
Site Search page already has this feature, so it can be easily replicate to other pages that has the feature.
Switch the filters logic from "and" to "or" logic
This would take the most time as we don't have any template to go with.
Let's plan out the schedule and team
Here are two different schedules that I choose due to one of the solutions needing more time to work on.
Phase 1: Consult with PM and Team
Present the schedule to the Project Manager, to determine what needs to change and which teams need to be involved.
Iron out the proposed schedule with the Web, Copy, and Visual Design team or any last minute changes.
Phase 2: Initiate the project
UX and Visual designers would work together, with providing wireframes and visual design comps for the proposed solution.
If greenlit by the managers of the change, UX and Visual designer would submit both functional and visual specs to t he developers.
Phase 3: Work with Developers
UX and Visual designers would collaborate with the developers to confirm, review, or answer any questions, or previous the devs present.
Phase 4: User test and analyze results
UX designer would conduct data analytics to see if the engagement rate has improved.
UX Research would also conduct user testing, using dev previews, to see if the changes improved the user experience.
Phase 1: Further Research
Conduct and present competitive analysis, compare Lumen to other competitors and E-commerce filter websites
Whether or not we should pursue changing the logic of the filters.
Phase 2: Consult with PM and Team
Present the schedule to the Project Manager, to determine what needs to change and which teams need to be involved.
Iron out the proposed schedule with the Web, Copy, and Visual Design team or any last minute changes.
Phase 3: Initiate Project / Work with Devs
UX designer would provide functional specs to the developers to follow.
UX designer would work closely with the developer on any changes or questions the developer has.
Phase 4: User test and analyze results
UX designer would conduct data analytics to see if the engagement rate has improved.
UX Research would also conduct user testing, using dev previews, to see if the changes improved the user experience.
What would be the duration?
The image below is a example of what I did to determine how long each of the project would last.
What ended up happening?
These two projects went to vastly different places.
Pages have been updated:
The pages have been updated with the proposed solutions.
Leaving the logic as it is:
The competitors uses a weird combination of "and" and "or" logic in their product search pages.
What I learned?
Need to state the barriers in unmoderated test.
Otherwise they would go off on tangents and not answer the question.
The importance of consulting with other teams
Using Impact and Time to help prioritizesolutions
So that we don't end up having so many solutions to deal with, especially when one team is swamped with work.
Since they are expert at the fields they do, I learned how to ask for their assistance especially big projects such as this.
What I can improve:
Time management in presentations
Especially when presenting is such as short amount of time, due to limited time slots.
Focused on the mobile experience.
Focused more on the tester's experience
I should have focused more on the pages themselves, instead of asking questions in order to build a user persona.
Since the mobile experience has additional features to use, I should conducted the test on mobile rather than desktop.
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