01 / OVERVIEW
User Experience (UX) Metrics
User Experience (UX) – Metrics continued the study of conducting user surveys and utilizing the data to create a report explaining the findings.
One of the electives of the UCSD-Extension program was this course. It was incredibly helpful in visualizing the data and providing insight to why it’s important to engage with potential users of a product, website, or app.
I took this course during the Fall of 2021. During the course, I conducted a user survey exploring a health app currently in production and created a User Study report based on the findings.
02 / CONTEXT
How it Went
The purpose of this study is to understand the major pain points users experience while using the Ryse app for the first time as well as measure how well users are able to accomplish their tasks within the app. Understanding these pain points while using the app and how they can contribute to such issues as inaccuracy in adding entries, interaction issues, frustration, finding support, and how the app is different from competitors like My Fitness Pal.
I used usability testing to follow the user’s experience while using the Ryse app and the obstacles they encounter while interacting with the app and especially focus on new user on-boarding and getting support. We will be using research techniques to better understand their experience and the challenges they face while accomplishing outlined tasks.
After a small/false start with another app for user testing, I reached out to the developers of the Ryse App to ask for permission to use their app for my study.
03 / USABILITY TESTING
Test Objectives, Goals, and Success Metrics/KPIs
Objectives:
Interaction: Understand and learn how users add in their daily meals, exercise, weight, and water. How many different ways are there? Can you meal plan? How do you add in a goal? Is there visual progression to it? How do users adjust their info and goals? Lingo and App Specific wording: Do the users understand in app lingo such as the Recovery option. How do they find out more about them? How does this effect the process? Can it discourage the user from using it?
User Reasons: Since Ryse is more of a social media app with fitness as a primary focus, how can that make user interactions easier? Is it easier to make posts?
Pain Points: Evaluate pain points the user experiences while using the app. Is it easy to get support? What are the steps taken to get support in the app? How does a user see their calories and intake?
Competitive Analysis: Learn about competitor apps and if the users tested use one or more fitness apps. If they use more than one, why? What is missing in these fitness apps? Which one is your favorite and why? Would having a community or social aspect (like Instagram) make a difference when it comes to fitness? How is it different from Competitors like Fitocracy and My Fitness Pal?
Success Metrics:
I gathered information about how the user interacts within the app. Other metrics included task success and efficiency, errors, NPS/Satisfaction, Learnability, self-reported metrics, and also focused heavily on on-boarding.
I used these statistics and measurements to better understand how and where Ryse works well and where there is room for improvement. This will be visually represented with graphs (line graphs and bar graphs most likely,) and a distillation of what the user experiences when they interact with the app.
Goals:
To provide a in-depth new user report on a how well the user experience is with new users of the Ryse app. Provide guidance on ways to improve this experience to the developers of the app.
04 / CONDUCTING A USER SURVEY
Plan Methodology
Research Scope & Focus Areas:
For this study, I conducted a 30-45 minute test to evaluate the user experience of the Ryse app. This included a couple questions with on-boarding, interaction, navigating within the app, pain points, reasons for use, and competitive analysis.
Study Methods:
Timed online tasks and survey and followed up 1 to 1 phone/in person interviews with a select number (up to 5) participants.
Plan Participant Profiles:
Participant profiles included the following relevant information with the following factors:
• New users of the Ryse app, current users of My Fitness Pal.
• New users who haven’t used any fitness apps and are new to using them to track calories and exercise.
• Age and Demographics – Adults from 20 – 50 years old, active and inactive users of social media apps on mobile phones. Prospective new users of the Ryse app, active and inactive users of other fitness apps.
• Reasons behind using the app – Restrict test participants to people wanting to lose any amount of weight or maintain their current weight, and not pro-athletes who may skew the statistics/numbers.
• Recruitment – I recruited participants through Facebook groups, friends and family, company slack channels, and some fitness related discord servers. Each participant is offered a $5 Starbucks Gift Card for their time and attention.
Plan Test/Task Scenario:
Participants will be asked to imagine the following while taking the test/survey: You’re seeking a fitness app that can integrate into your very busy lifestyle, one that is effortless and easy to use. You don’t want to have to think about what you’re doing, but be excited about adding to your profile dashboard, food/exercise log, and interacting with others in your fitness community. You’d also like to find an easy way to just enter in your food and exercise, understand your fitness level, and gauge caloric intake.
Test Tasks:
Tasks will measure how well new users navigate and interact within the app. This will include the following:
1. Initial Takeaways: Setting up the app and getting familiar with it. Creating a profile and adjusting the user dashboard.
2. Food Logging and Analysis: Adding in food and exercise, analysis of this interaction.
3. Adjusting Goals and Caloric Intake: Monitoring caloric intake, adding in water and sleep. Adding in Exercise Goals and what exactly is Recovery.
4. Getting Help: Navigating to support and asking for help.
5. Competitive Analysis: My Fitness Pal Interactions and Comparison.
Equipment:
Users will be asked to use their own equipment including an internet accessible mobile phone and computer to take notes/take the test. They will be asked to download 2 free fitness apps: Ryse and My Fitness Pal through the Apple App store or Google Play store.
Budget:
This user study will cost approximately $100-$150. (This is how much it will cost to purchase and send the Starbucks Gift Cards to participants at the end of the study.)
Plan Logistics
Timeline:
The plan timeline will take 5 weeks for identifying objectives, creating profiles, recruitment, research, analysis, and reporting.
Conclusion
By analyzing and reporting my findings, we will be able to find out what works for users and what can be improved. I have also contacted the devs at Ryse for permission to run this study and will be providing my report to them so they can continue to improve the app.
05 / DISTILLING THE DATA
Using the User Research to Create a Report
Once the user research was provided in raw form from the usability survey, the data further distilled into readable graphs and recommendations.
06 / UX PDF REPORT
Compiling All the Data Into a UX Usability Report
A comprehensive Usability report was created and provided to the developers even with user pain points highlighted and recommended next steps.
07 / RESULTS & OUTCOMES
What Was Learned
Wish I could have continued with a full UX/UI redesign of the app.
It was very eye opening to see what users wanted out of an app that was currently in production and being in contact with the developers over how it was forming. I would have loved to provide them not only a comprehensive plan, but also a mockup of how the app could be improved and iterated upon.
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