The Human-Centered Advantage: How Prioritizing Users Fuels Real Business Growth

In the frenzy of our digital world, brands constantly craft and recraft their online presence. But in that scramble, the critical roles of user experience (UX) and user research (UXR) often get overlooked.

After two decades as a Chief Design Officer in the e-commerce space, I've seen my fair share of boardroom meetings where the significance of user research was brushed aside or completely ignored. But what I’ve learned is that prioritizing UX and UXR isn't just crucial—it's essential for long-term growth. Allow me to elaborate on why UX and UXR are indispensable tools for industry leaders navigating the complexities of today's digital terrain.

What is User Research (UXR)?

User Research (UXR) is all about understanding people—what they want and what's getting in their way. It’s about studying individuals' needs, mapping out their journeys, and testing designs to make sure digital experiences are tailored to them.

What is “Good UX”? 

"Good UX" is like a well-crafted piece of music or a smoothly paved road: users effortlessly glide through their interactions with a product or service without encountering any bumps or obstacles. It's about crafting experiences that are not only functional but delightful, where every interaction feels easy and satisfying.

Good UX is intuitive; it knows what you need before you do. Think about the last time you effortlessly navigated a website or app, where every click felt like second nature. That wasn’t magic; it was the result of thoughtful design. Good UX is meticulous attention to detail, informed by user research, rigorous testing, and constant refinement.

But the most important element of good UX often goes unremarked: simplicity. It's tempting to cram every feature and third-party plugin imaginable into our e-commerce experiences. But in the realm of UX, less is often more. As Steve Jobs famously said, "Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple." Good UX strips away the excess, leaving only the essentials behind.

Why is UXR Important? 

Relying solely on industry standards, data analysis, and in-house expertise won't give your brand the edge it needs to stand out in a crowded market. To know what resonates with people, we can't just rely on assumptions. We need to directly communicate with them. 

Consider a pet food and supply brand facing customer bounce issues on its Product Detail Page. With only one piece of data—a high bounce rate—the brand contemplated implementing quick fixes without delving deeper into the problem. However, a thorough investigation by a UX designer revealed underlying issues. Subsequent user experience research showed problems with product tags, leading to "rage-clicking," inconsistent branding, and confusing subscription options. This qualitative research unearthed issues that quantitative data alone could not reveal and that most UX professionals and data analysts might overlook at first glance. By addressing these concerns, the brand not only witnessed a surge in single purchase and subscription conversions, increase in revenue, but also experienced a significant decrease in site abandonment rates, page views and overall customer satisfaction. This UX Research track of work cost less then the redesign and rebuild of the PDP page, more effectively solving the real problem and furthermore inspired a new visual/verbal strategy to communicate subscriptions across all the brands channles.

UX Research teams can inject empathy into a business, guiding strategy based on real customer needs instead of just numbers. UXR serves as the compass for cultivating genuine brands that remain agile in the face of change. By unearthing insights and understanding, we pave the way for innovation, constantly asking, "What lies Bear?"

When is the right time to invest in User Research? 

Understanding your customers' motivations is always important. While some brands may wait for a redesign or platform shift, we recommend that you seize the opportunity to engage with your customers now.

At Bear, we firmly believe that success depends on understanding and empathizing with your customers' actions and intentions. Your customers serve as the most immediate and insightful feedback mechanism for your business because they know what they want better than any room of designers, marketers, or executives.

How Our UXR Services Can Support Your Brand’s Growth 

The time to invest in UXR is not next year or next quarter—it's now. User research acts as a vital conduit between presumed customer preferences and their actual needs. Brands that prioritize such testing ensure they're not just crunching numbers but truly understanding the human element.

By prioritizing UXR, brands can stay ahead of the curve, fostering deeper connections with their audience and driving sustainable growth in today's dynamic marketplace. At Bear, we champion the power of UXR to propel brands forward, ensuring their journey remains one of continuous evolution and success.