Optimization and Monetization

From InfoCamp

How to make the Dark Side work for you...

Speaker: Rachel Elkington, Online Test Designer

"conversion" is the point at which you capture revenue, not necessarily the user's goals, but the business goal

optimization testing

presupposes analytics, the ability to measure test results, so you can compare against a benchmark

monetization

a lot of UX designers hate monetization

using complex modeling to estimate the value of any particular action (like requesting a quote having a 10% chance of ending up buying the car)

Q: doesn't this skew metrics? won't I just now make the entire website a "request a quote" button?

definitions of optimization

to make something as awesome as possible by some agreed-upon metric

my definition: the practice of understanding user behavior by testing alternatives, measuring outcomes quantitatively and making changes to UX based on that

optimization will improve the practice of user-centered design

[1]

UX literature is full of hypotheses

optimization tests

a/b/n

50% of your users randomly will see the control (the blue button)

50% of your users randomly will see the new red button

if you can show that your user experience change makes X dollars for your client, you can prove it

multivariate

different options for copy, different versions of the image, different number of buttons, etc.

your tool can show you the best combination

combinatorial

multiple variables in a path through a website

behavioral targeting

not every user is the same: power users and novice users, different audiences, etc.

optimizing by showing a different variant to different people (based on which pages they came to before they got there)

lots of tools for this: free ones and expensive ones

try out Google Optimizer

don't do a random, throw it against the wall test

be hypothesis-driven, so even if the control is better than your variant, you'll have learned something about your users

big design decisions vs. perfecting

(performance-driven design)

if creative and user experience conflict and neither is giving ground on the basic design

use optimization at all levels: at design, implementation and analytics/optimization

gives UX a tool and holds UX accountable

but also provides a sense of safety, check on your intuitions

optimization is the key to stakeholder-wrangling when making design decisions

gives a way for UX to help the client see when a particular variant they really like isn't the best way to go

people are much more willing to test more than one idea

"monetization doesn't lie" [ha!]

optimization doesn't help you determine the goals: have everyone agree up front on metrics for success

monetization can help you see where to focus (the parts that actually make a lot of money)

start with a free tool and a simple test document what you were trying to test measure everything and repeat then, try a monetization model (equivalent values as a first test)