The Project:

I was tasked to update an existing brand and create an experience that would keep users engaged with or increase the use of the web search feature on their new tab browser page. In the existing page, quick links would bring users away from the search feature, loosing the opportunity to provide search results.  I felt by giving users more reasons to stay on our new tab page would increase the amount of searches they would perform.

Content Audit & Competitor Analysis:

It was very important to have a clear picture of the available products content and structure. I conducted a full content inventory to asses other existing products could be incorporated and enhance the overall brand.

In order to better understand the industry and find out where the product currently fit within the market I conducted a competitor analysis. Along with the analysis, I included a detailed list of suggested product enhancements and visual updates.

User Flow and Low-Fidelity Wire-frames:

I created user flows for the install process and user journey steps. This helped ensure that each flow was prioritized and obstacle-free.

I then created low-fidelity wire-frames for the dashboard using pen and paper and then Adobe Illustrator. This was a quick and effective way to organize the site content and page layout.

High-Fidelity Wire-frames and Click-able Prototype:

To work out exact sizes and placement of elements, I created high-fidelity mock-ups using Adobe Experience Designer. I experimented with different layouts and adhered to UX best practices and common UI patterns. This was the perfect opportunity to update the designs of some of the more outdated widgets. The Adobe Experience Designer interactive prototype allowed me to test out user flows and get quick user feedback before continuing with my design process.

High-Fidelity Mockups and user testing:

Utilizing the wire-frames in Adobe Experience Designer, I was able to quickly update the layouts to fully flesh out the design.  I then constructed a more thorough prototype in InVision and recruited users who met the target demographic to test the prototype using UserTesting.com. Users were given specific tasks and questions and all sessions were recorded.

Refinement:

The knowledge I gained from these interviews was priceless, the biggest changes and most impact resulting from this research are outlined below:

 

Problem #1: Customization

Users overwhelmingly wanted more customization to their new tab page, letting it be something they would enjoy seeing and interacting with on a regular basis.

 

The Solution:

The solution was simple, allow users some control over color and image background of their dashboard home screen.  By providing a couple sample images for users to choose from as well as allowing them to upload their own content we were able to appease users in the second round of testing.

Problem #2: Add Extra Content

We needed to provide more reasons to keep users on our dashboard and the answer was quickly found when it was evident that users wanted access to additional content that was offered in other brands.

 

The Solution:

By creating a widget type format we were able to supply these widgets to users, letting them add and remove them as needed. This not only provided additional content to users but also kept them on the dashboard longer and increased search usage.

The Results

The usability tests I initially conducted were run again with the new dashboard. Feedback this time was much more positive with an average rating of 8.5/10!  These positive results would carry through to the final product which successfully increased search usage by 40%.  Users found the modern and customizable new tab page a refreshing change and interacted more with our search functionality as well as our other widget offerings reducing bounce rate by 10%.

Copyright © Jason Pepping 2017