User Experience (UX)
Friction Mapping
Friction mapping is a strategic process aimed at identifying and mitigating points of friction or resistance within the user journey or customer experience.
It involves systematically mapping out the various touchpoints, interactions, and pain points that users encounter as they engage with a product or service, with the goal of improving overall satisfaction and conversion rates. By understanding where friction occurs and why, organisations can implement targeted interventions to streamline the user experience, increase engagement, and drive desired outcomes.
We help businesses uncover and address sources of friction within their digital products or services through comprehensive analysis and strategic planning. By conducting thorough friction mapping exercises and leveraging user feedback and data insights, we provide actionable recommendations for reducing friction and enhancing the overall user experience.
Discovery and Research
We begin by conducting discovery sessions and research activities to gain a deep understanding of the user journey and identify potential points of friction. This may involve stakeholder interviews, user surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to gather insights into user behavior, preferences, and pain points.
Mapping Touchpoints and Interactions
We map out the user journey across various touchpoints and interactions, including digital channels, physical locations, and customer service interactions. We identify key moments of truth and critical pathways that users take to accomplish their goals, documenting each touchpoint and interaction in detail.
Identifying Friction Points
We systematically identify friction points within the user journey, focusing on areas where users encounter obstacles, delays, or frustrations. This may include confusing navigation, complex forms, slow loading times, or unclear messaging that impedes users' progress or detracts from their experience.
Analysing Root Causes
We analyse the root causes of friction points to understand why they occur and how they impact the user experience. This may involve examining usability issues, technical limitations, design flaws, or gaps in content or functionality that contribute to friction and detract from user satisfaction.
Prioritising Opportunities
We prioritise opportunities for friction reduction based on their severity, impact, and feasibility for improvement. We assess each friction point against criteria such as user impact, business value, and technical complexity to determine the most effective interventions and solutions.
Developing Solutions and Interventions
We develop targeted solutions and interventions to address identified friction points and improve the user experience. This may involve redesigning user interfaces, simplifying processes, enhancing content clarity, or optimising performance to streamline the user journey and remove barriers to engagement.
Implementing and Testing
We implement and test the proposed solutions and interventions to validate their effectiveness in reducing friction and improving the user experience. This may involve iterative design and testing cycles, user feedback sessions, A/B testing, or prototype validation to refine and optimise the solutions.
Monitoring and Iteration
We monitor key performance metrics and user feedback to track the impact of friction reduction efforts over time. We continuously iterate and refine the user experience based on ongoing analysis and feedback, ensuring that friction points are addressed and the user journey is optimised for maximum satisfaction and success.
We offer a strategic approach to improving user experiences and achieving business goals. Through thorough analysis and targeted interventions, we help identify and address points of friction, streamline processes, and enhance satisfaction and conversion rates.
The benefits of doing:
Enhanced User Satisfaction: Friction mapping helps organisations identify and address pain points within the user journey, leading to an overall improvement in user satisfaction. By streamlining processes, reducing obstacles, and improving usability, organisations can create a more positive and satisfying experience for users.
Increased Conversion Rates: By systematically addressing friction points, organisations can increase conversion rates, whether the desired action is making a purchase, signing up for a service, or completing a form. Removing obstacles and improving the user experience can lead to higher success rates in achieving business goals.
Improved User Engagement: A frictionless user experience encourages users to engage more actively with a product or service. When users encounter fewer obstacles and enjoy a smoother journey, they are more likely to explore additional features, spend more time interacting, and return for future engagements.
Reduced User Abandonment: Friction points often contribute to user abandonment, where users abandon a task or interaction due to frustration or difficulty. Friction mapping helps organisations identify and eliminate these obstacles, reducing the likelihood of users abandoning their journey and increasing task completion rates.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Friction mapping involves data collection, analysis, and prioritisation of opportunities for improvement. This data-driven approach allows organisations to make informed decisions about where to invest resources for maximum impact, ensuring that interventions are focused on areas that matter most to users and the business.
The consequences of not:
User Frustration and Disatisfaction: Without friction mapping, organisations may overlook sources of user frustration and dissatisfaction within the user journey. This can lead to negative user experiences, increased complaints, and a decline in overall user satisfaction.
Decreased Conversion Rates: Failure to address friction points may result in decreased conversion rates, as users encounter obstacles that prevent them from completing desired actions. This can impact the achievement of business goals, such as sales, sign-ups, or engagement.
User Abandonment and Churn: Unaddressed friction points contribute to user abandonment and churn, where users discontinue their interactions due to difficulties or frustrations. This can lead to a loss of customers, decreased user retention, and negative impacts on business growth.
Missed Business Opportunities: Friction mapping helps identify opportunities for improvement and innovation within the user journey. Without this strategic approach, organisations may miss valuable opportunities to enhance their offerings, stay competitive, and meet evolving user expectations.
Inefficient Resource Allocation: Without a systematic approach to identifying and prioritising friction points, organisations may allocate resources inefficiently. This can result in investments in areas that have a lower impact on user satisfaction and business outcomes, leading to suboptimal use of resources.
