The User Experience Gap

You see the statistics and reports about how more companies are increasing their online ad budgets. You see the incredible growth of social media. And you see the high-levels of time spent online by all age groups (even among seniors!)

But what you don’t see are the steady improvements in Web site experiences you would expect considering these trends. For instance, last June Forrester Research published one of its many “Best and Worst” of site design reports.

This particular report focused on 16 B2C sites of companies across four industries: airlines, banks, department stores and MP3 manufacturers. All of the companies were brand names such as American Airlines, Apple, Bank of America and Macy’s (large companies with considerable resources).

Like most usability testing methodologies, Forrester’s approach evaluated basic site variables like presentation, content, functionality and task flow efficiency. What was remarkable about the test was that all 16 sites failed. And this wasn’t an anomaly, at least when using Forrester’s approach. In March 2007 Forrester submitted 16 different B2C sites to the same usability test. That time around 15 of 16 of the sites failed.

http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,45718,00.html

Which raises the question: if the Web is becoming more important to people in terms of the products they buy and services they use why aren’t companies committing the resources to deliver experiences that are commensurate with this growing prominence?

The short answer is that a lot of organizations are investing in improving their consumer sites but are finding that delivering exceptional Web experiences isn’t easy. This leads us to the long answer which is a bit more complicated.

In my opinion there are several reasons why companies fall short in this area. Some are related to organizational barriers and misguided marketing practices. Others have to do with the failure of some teams to use site design best-practices when planning their Web initiatives.

Organizational Barriers – many times the way a company is structured makes it difficult to generate consensus on a Web strategy and even more difficult to sustain it once implemented. Some common barriers include:

• Highly distributed companies without a strong centralized corporate communications or marketing function
• Companies with multiple lines of business with different value propositions and consumer audiences
• Highly silioed organizations

Misguided Marketing Practices – many companies insist that customers are their most valued asset but some don’t walk the walk when it comes to planning their consumer facing Web sites. This is a result, I believe, of marketing practices that sometimes cause managers to focus on the wrong things:

• Product features as opposed to consumer benefits
• Product differentiation as opposed to consumer relevance
• The assumption consumers are purely rational decision makers
• Downplaying the emotional aspect of how consumers consider and evaluate brands
• Underestimating the experiential dimensions of how consumers interact with brands on the Web

Failure to Use Web Design Best Practices – frequently Web teams short-cut critical activities that can make the difference between a decent and a great site. Sometimes this is because of tight timelines or limited budgets. A common result is a Web site that doesn’t meet the expectations of its visitors and is not set up for long term success:

• Design personas to define the needs of various visitor “archetypes” that will come to a site. They are critical and help Web designers create experiences that are based on visitor, not organizational, needs
• Cross-channel scenario maps to help Web planners consider the full context of how a site will complement other media channels and information sources as a consumer moves through a decision making process
• Governance models to ensure a controlled approach to a site’s design, content and management as it evolves - without governance there is no way to say what changes should or should not be made to a site

The gap between consumer expectations and the state of most B2C Web sites presents an opportunity. To seize that opportunity managers need to take a hard look at consumer sites under their charge and ask themselves whether they deliver a unique and valuable experience for their intended audiences. If the answer is no it’s also likely that they are not adding much value to their brands and business stakeholders either.

What web designers can learn from behavioral economists

One of the less celebrated appointments of the Obama administration was the selection of legal scholar and behavioral economist Cass R. Sunstein to head up the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (the group that oversees our ever growing web of federal regulations).

Sunstein is eminently qualified for the position (early stint at the Justice Dept., law professor at Harvard and Chicago, etc). But to me what makes this appointment most exciting is his work in the area of behavioral economics (the study of why people are so irrational when making important decisions and the collective effect these bad decisions have on our economy and society).

Last year Sunstein co-authored a book called “Nudge, Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness.” Nudge addresses how organizations, including the government, can help people make better decisions whether related to living healthier, retirement planning, selecting a mortgage, etc.

Choice architecture
The big idea behind Nudge is the concept of choice architecture - the idea that by carefully designing the context in which people make choices designers can help them make better decisions. This is needed, apparently, because people are ill-equipped in many situations to make decisions that are in their best interests. There are many causes for this situation: lack of information, bad habits, impulsiveness, etc. Two examples of choice architecture in action, one arguably more intrusive than the other, include:

• A “Yield” sign before a hair-pin curve on a dangerous mountain road
• New York City’s ban on artificial trans-fats in restaurant served food

What does behavioral economics have to do with Web design? There are three trends that I predict will require Web designers to become better choice architects in the near future:

• The increasing complexity of our society
• The growing number of options offered to consumers
• The growing influence of the Web on consumer decision making and purchase habits

Consumers are overwhelmed by the amount of information provided to them and the seemingly endless options available in the marketplace. In many situations most don’t have the expertise, experience or time to determine what’s right for them. At best the result is inertia; at worst the result is a bad, misinformed decision. This is especially distressing if the decision relates to something important such as a medical treatment, choosing a mutual fund or selecting a prescription drug plan.

As a result I believe consumers will eventually give some organizations (both public and private) greater permission to educate them about matters they are unfamiliar with and, in certain situations, to make outright decisions for them. This will be especially true in areas where a bad decision could have a significant negative impact on a person’s live.

This will no doubt have an impact on how consumer facing Web sites are architected and designed. To be effective choice architects, Web planners, information architects and designers will have to go beyond just understanding the demo-, psycho-, and techno-graphic profile of their target consumers. They will also have to consider, depending on the situation, a host of additional attributes about their intended users such as:

• The kinds of biases they might have about a product or service and how that could either reinforce or weaken a choice
• False assumptions they might have and how they might influence their decision making process
• The impact of how a set of options is presented or ordered might have on a decision
• Any habits or weaknesses that could lead to unhealthy, unsafe or fiscally irresponsible decisions
• What, ultimately, is in their best interests

Some argue this is paternalistic but the reality is that people sometimes don’t know what they want let alone what they need. This is especially so when it comes to matters that are unfamiliar to them. As an analogy, when I seek the advice of a professional (doctor, accountant, lawyer) I expect them to guide me, and if needed make recommendations as to the right path by applying their knowledge and expertise to my unique situation.

To quote the authors of Nudge: “The human brain is amazing, but it evolved for specific purposes, such as avoiding predators and finding food. Those purposes do not include choosing good credit card plans, reducing harmful pollution, avoiding fatty foods, and planning for a decade or so from now. Fortunately, a few nudges can help a lot.”

An Extreme Example of Choice Architecture in Web Design?