10 usability and UX statistics that every product manager should know
We've put together an overview of statistics that show what happens when UX is overlooked and how this can affect your business in the long term.
85% of usability problems are identified by just 5 users during testing
When testing, only 5 users are required to find 85% of the problems in a user interface. The probability that an error occurs for each test participant is 31%. In a Poisson distribution with a binomial probability of 31%, 5 users in a test group can find 85% of the problems. With more than 5 testers, the value no longer increases significantly. So the more users you test, the fewer new things you learn.
These decreasing values are due to overlapping user experiences. For the first user, all experiences are unique. The chances of unique experiences decrease as more users are asked. But what does this tell us?
It all boils down to an efficient use of resources. Instead of spending your entire budget on one large study with 15 participants, spend that budget on three smaller tests with 5 users each to get more meaningful results.
Problems in development are 10 times more expensive to fix than in design
It is important to fix bugs before the program or website is released to the public. Any bug you find at the beginning of the process (e.g. in the design phase) is ten times cheaper to fix than fixing it during the development phase. The cost is even higher if you try to fix the problem after the product has been released.
Errors can also spread during development. Minor bugs can grow into something major early on if they are not fixed during project development. This leads to even higher costs and time lost during development.
To avoid excessive costs during current and future development, invest in early usability testing to understand the preferences of your target audience.
The poor user experience with ads has contributed to the fact that 420 million people around the world now use ad blockers
We've put together an overview of statistics that show what happens when UX is overlooked and how this can affect your business in the long term.
85% of usability problems are found by just 5 users during testing
When testing, it only takes 5 users to find 85% of the problems in a user interface. There is a 31% chance that each test participant will make a mistake. In a Poisson distribution with a binomial probability of 31%, 5 users in a test group can find 85% of the problems. With more than 5 testers, the value no longer increases significantly. So the more users you test, the fewer new things you learn.
These decreasing values are due to overlapping user experiences. For the first user, all experiences are unique. The chances of unique experiences decrease as more users are asked. But what does this tell us?
It all boils down to an efficient use of resources. Instead of spending your entire budget on one large study with 15 participants, spend that budget on three smaller tests with 5 users each to get more meaningful results.
Problems in development are 10x more expensive to fix than in design
It is important to fix bugs before the program or website is released to the public. Every bug you find at the beginning of the process (e.g. in the design phase) is ten times cheaper to fix than fixing it during the development phase. The cost is even higher if you try to fix the problem after the product has been released.
Errors can also spread during development. Minor bugs can grow into something major early on if they are not fixed during project development. This leads to even higher costs and time lost during development.
To avoid excessive costs during current and future development, invest in early usability testing to understand the preferences of your target audience.
Poor user experience with ads has contributed to 420 million people around the world now using ad blockers
Does your product depend on ad revenue? Then ad blockers could be your worst enemy. An estimated 420 million people worldwide now use an ad blocker to improve the experience of using an app or viewing a website. This will result in a loss of revenue for publishers of up to 35 billion US dollars by 2020.
The rise of adblock software is in response to the misuse of display advertising in recent years, which has significantly impacted the user experience.
As CPM decreases, there are more opportunities to add more ads to a website. This creates a vicious cycle where user experience suffers as more ads coupled with dozens of trackers and cookies violate user trust and decrease user experience. This leads to a decrease in traffic, which in turn lowers ad costs and delivers lower quality ads to the page, further hurting the user experience.
What can we do? For publishers who rely on advertising revenue, creating a good user experience should be a priority. This means that only relevant ads should be served and made functional for the user.
Even if they like the product, 50% of users will not use a website if it is not optimized for cell phones.
According to Statista, the number of cell phone users worldwide is expected to reach 4.68 billion in 2019. This means that over 60% of the world's population will be dependent on their cell phones. This also means that a great mobile experience is imperative if you want to do business online.
The fastest way to attract more customers today is through a mobile-friendly website. If your website offers a great mobile experience, you'll find that more users will not only visit your site, but stay to browse a bit more.
In contrast, a non-mobile friendly website will mainly help your competition. That's because users are ultimately looking for a website that works for them. 79% of users will look for another site if they don't like what they find on a website. In an increasingly mobile world, it would be a mistake to ignore what the user wants.
"Ease of use" is described by 97% of users as the most important factor for mobile apps
There is no doubt that users prioritize the ease of use of an app over other features. In surveys, 97% of organizations surveyed cite ease of use as a top priority over mobile app security (89%), comprehensive features (72%) and training (42%).
In a study by Accenture, users gave usability the highest priority (33%) when purchasing a smartphone. This shows that no matter how many features are added or how well designed a user interface is, it will all be for nothing if it is difficult to use.
79% of users who cannot find what they are looking for search for another website
In terms of user experience, 79% of users say they will leave a website and continue searching if they have difficulty using it or cannot find what they are looking for. This shows how important it is for a website to be functional and user-friendly so that users can more easily find and access what they are looking for, or purchase products and services and reviewerp.
In today's mobile world, seamless navigation and easily digestible content should go hand in hand with a functional design. Therefore, you should ensure that you can develop an online environment where users can feel welcome and wanted.
86% of users would like to receive further information on the products and services of a website after visiting it
Today's audience is smarter than ever. They will no longer trust brands so easily. Consumers want to know everything about a brand and its products before they buy. This is why 86% of users look for more information when browsing a website, 62% of users look for contact information, while 52% are more interested in the "About Us" section.
For this reason, it is more important than ever to improve the UX design of a website to make it easier for users to find contact and product information.
The lack of a message can lead to 46% of website visitors leaving the website
A 2015 study found that 46% of users will leave a website that lacks an effective message and they don't recognize what the company is or what it does. In the same study, 44% of users said they would avoid the company if there was a serious lack of information, and 37% said they would leave the site due to poor design or navigation.
What does this all boil down to? Poor usability.
Usability is a result of user-centered design. If the design process focuses on the user's needs and expectations, you can fix many of the weaknesses. But it's not just a one-time thing, it's a continuous process that strives to improve the user experience after each development cycle.
Focus on giving your users what they need. Respond to their needs and they will stay. If you don't, they're gone.
Image sliders do not work: only 1% of users click on them
Content sliders or image carousels are mainly used for content navigation. Their primary intention is to improve the user experience, and they don't do much harm when used, do they? User studies claim the opposite.
Here are some reasons why:
- Sliders confuse people, they trigger "banner blindness" and are simply ignored
- Messages in carousels sound too much like promotions, so people skip them
- Sliders "technically" move the content further down the page
- And above all, they slow down the website
If you want to publish content, never use image sliders. Instead, distribute meaningful and valuable content on your site, use static images and high-quality text instead.
