The Project
The goal of this project was to improve the user experience of the mobile checkout process on the Skillcrush website. The project team had already begun iterating on the design of the checkout page, but further testing and validation was needed to ensure that the changes were effective in meeting the needs of users.
My Role
As the interim product designer, I was responsible for conducting user testing on the mobile version of the checkout page and documenting my findings. I then presented my recommendations to the product team for future implementation.
The Problem
The team had identified several assumptions about the mobile checkout process that needed to be validated through user testing. These assumptions included the effectiveness of presenting product and coupon information as the first step, the acceptability of placing critical information below the fold, and the feasibility of breaking the process into three steps.
I began by observing a desktop user testing session and leading another one to familiarize myself with the current issues being addressed on the desktop version of the checkout page. As scheduling live user testing sessions had proven challenging, it was decided to use the service User Zoom to conduct interactive user tests for the mobile version and record them for review.
After reviewing the recorded user testing sessions, I compiled a report of the key findings and presented them to the product team, dividing the feedback into issues for the development team, design updates for myself, and other points to consider for future user tests.
Key Findings
The user testing results revealed a number of issues with the mobile checkout process. Users struggled with creating an account, with many of them misunderstanding the purpose of the user name field or inputting passwords incorrectly. There was also a clear demand for password requirements to be displayed before users were asked to create a password. Users also expressed a desire for an "eye icon" on the password form field to allow them to see what they were typing as they entered their password.
Breaking the checkout process into three steps was generally well-received, with users who noticed the progress bar finding it helpful in navigating the page.
While all users were able to locate the coupon code field, many of them mentioned that they would go back to search for a coupon code if they did not have one. One direct quote from a user was “ I always want a discount”.
Surprisingly All users preferred to manually create their own accounts rather than using social login options.
Solutions
In order to address the issues identified through user testing, several solutions were implemented. To make the process of creating an account more user-friendly, an eye icon was added to allow users to see their password as they typed it, and password requirements were included before the password was created to prevent frustration.
We found through user testing that breaking the checkout process into three steps with a progress bar was well-received by users and that it was acceptable to have important information below the fold, such as the submit button. In regards to coupon codes, we observed that users appreciated having the input field available on the first page and noted the desire for a discount. We will consider exploring the idea of pre-populating coupon codes for users who click on email offers in a future testing session focused on the best experience for discount codes.
Lessons Learned
Through user testing, the importance of paying attention to small details that can make a significant impact on user experience was a huge takeaway. In this project, we identified issues with account creation and were able to address them with simple solutions that greatly improved user satisfaction.
Our user tests also validated our assumptions about the effectiveness of breaking the checkout process into three steps with a progress bar and having important information below the fold. Additionally, we gained valuable insights into user behavior, such as their desire for discounts and preference for manually creating accounts over social login. These lessons will be invaluable in future design iterations to continue improving the user experience.