Turns out user research can help finding better words to make navigation in the app less confusing.
Imagine trying to find your favourite coffee in a grocery shop where all the aisles are labelled in a foreign language. Confusing and frustrating, isn’t it?
That’s exactly how users felt navigating our app, as revealed in our latest user tests. While working on Ovo Charge, I have witnessed firsthand the crucial role that clear and intuitive labelling plays in boosting user satisfaction and engagement. So if your users struggle to navigate through your app, this article is for you.
When our team observed through analytics and feedback that users were abandoning tasks midway or using workarounds, it was clear that despite its sleek appearance, our app was not as user-friendly as we had hoped.
That was great, we knew we had an issue. But where do we go from here, you might ask?
The first step was to identify where we’re losing users, in the hope that we could make improvements to solve these problematic flows. So we decided to start a baseline usability test to understand and redefine our digital pathways.
To understand our current state, we ran a tree test to establish a clear baseline understanding of how new and existing users navigated through our app. We asked questions to see how easily users could find crucial flows and execute tasks such as finding memberships, locating previous activity on the app, or simply updating payment methods.
What did we learn? The results were illuminating but not in the way we hoped (🙁).
Users consistently struggled to locate essential features, leading to considerable frustration. Comments like "I think I should be finding the payment method in the profile" highlighted the urgent need for clearer navigation and terminology.
This first test led to a critical realisation: the core issue lay in our app’s naming conventions, which were far from intuitive. This insight sparked our journey to significantly enhance our app's usability and user experience.
We meticulously documented user feedback and their interactions with the app, which were pivotal in shaping our redesign strategy. Users expressed significant frustrations that highlighted the confusion:
“I think I should be finding the payment method in the profile.”
“Why can’t I find my country settings in my profile?”
“What is the difference between ‘Profile’ and ‘Account’?”
“I don’t understand what ‘Boost’ are…”
These comments clearly indicated that our app’s navigation and terminology did not align with user expectations. The overlap and ambiguity between the "Profile" and "Account" sections were particularly baffling, leading to significant confusion and dissatisfaction. This feedback was crucial in guiding our decision to revisit and redefine our naming conventions to enhance navigation intuitiveness.
Armed with insights from our previous tests and our refined naming conventions, we embarked on an extensive usability testing phase focused on our new naming conventions. We employed a strategic mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to collect robust data:
• Tree Testing: Participants were tasked with locating specific features within the app using the updated naming conventions. This helped us gauge which labels were intuitive and which still caused confusion.
• Surveys and Interviews: After completing the tasks, we conducted brief interviews to dig deeper into users’ thoughts and feelings about the navigation changes.
• A/B Testing: We tested multiple versions of label configurations to determine the most effective setup in helping users achieve their tasks effortlessly.
This comprehensive approach enabled us to gather detailed feedback crucial for refining the app’s user interface.
The feedback from the usability testing was illuminating. Users responded positively to the changes, particularly appreciating the new label ‘Account’ instead of ‘Settings’, which significantly enhanced navigation efficiency. For instance, all users (100%) were able to locate and purchase the Boost membership, marking a significant improvement from the previous test where only 56% had succeeded. The average time spent on this task has now been reduced to just 31 seconds, a 50% improvement compared to the last test.
Another noteworthy improvement was the renaming of the 'Profile' screen to 'Activity'. This low-effort change led to all users easily locating the charging history screen without any confusion. The average time spent on this task has been significantly reduced to 29 seconds, down from 2 minutes in the previous assessment, underscoring the substantial improvement that this update can achieve with minimal effort.
But, while 88% of users accurately found the home charging history information, 12% chose a related feature- the monthly breakdown. Although not incorrect, this discrepancy highlights an opportunity for further refinement of the structure. Additionally, some areas still require further refinement: users were confused by terms like ‘Quick Charge’ and ‘Home Marker’, suggesting a need for more descriptive labels or onboarding tooltips.
We observed that even small changes in wording could significantly impact user comprehension and task completion times, such as when we changed the navigation name from 'Settings' to 'Account', facilitating easier access to memberships.
With the insights we learned, we know that we have to make changes not just on the naming level but on our wider product feedback loop. We realised that we have to not just adopt the changes but set up a system where we can gather data of our users' needs and pain points continuously, allowing us to cater to our users' needs.
These are the points that we adopted, and we started implementing targeted changes:
• Simplifying Terminology: We refined the language, opting for terms that reflect common user vocabulary.
• Enhanced Onboarding: We introduced new tooltips and guides that explain the terminology, helping new users familiarise themselves faster with the app’s features.
• Continuous Feedback Loop: A more streamlined process for collecting ongoing user feedback was integrated directly within the app, ensuring that our navigation remains aligned with user expectations.
Through targeted usability testing, we transformed our app navigation and overall increased user satisfaction. This process not only improved how users interact with our app but also deepened our understanding of their needs and expectations. By continuing to prioritise user feedback in our design process, we ensure that our app remains intuitive and efficient, helping users in managing their EV charging needs with ease. By adopting a user-centred approach, businesses can ensure their products are not only functional but truly resonate with their users.
For other designers and product managers looking to enhance their products, consider usability testing a vital tool in your UX toolkit. Remember, the goal is to make digital environments as navigable and straightforward as well-signed, familiar paths. This commitment to user-centred design is not just a practice but a pathway to true user satisfaction and app success.
C’est fini. 👋
