How do you set goals and benchmarks for user journey metrics?
User journey metrics are the data points that help you measure how well your product or service meets the needs and expectations of your users. They can help you identify pain points, opportunities, and areas for improvement in your user journey. But how do you set goals and benchmarks for user journey metrics? Here are some steps to guide you.
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Kelly JuraVP, Brand & User Experience Research & Design | UX | DMI:Review 2023 Women & Diverse Design Leader | IxDF Master Class…
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Charlotte CramerFounder, Plastic—Studio: User Research and UX Design for Healthcare | MSc Neuroscience
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sandesh shinde HFI-CAU™Gen AI, ML Product Designer | Design Lead | Strategist | Design Advocate | Mentor
The first step is to define the stages of your user journey, from awareness to retention. Each stage represents a different phase of the user's relationship with your product or service, and has different goals, behaviors, and emotions. For example, the awareness stage is when the user first discovers your product or service, and the goal is to generate interest and curiosity. The retention stage is when the user becomes a loyal and repeat customer, and the goal is to maintain satisfaction and engagement.
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In customer journey mapping, stages or phases are the high-level categories that capture the different steps or milestones in a customer's experience with your product or brand. These stages offer a top-level view of the customer journey and provide a framework for identifying areas of improvement. While it is essential to optimize the customer experience at various stages, we should remember to optimize the initial Awareness Phase. This stage presents a unique opportunity to create a lasting impression on potential customers by establishing a solid brand identity, building trust, and communicating key features and benefits.
The next step is to choose the metrics that best reflect the goals and outcomes of each stage. There are many types of user journey metrics, such as acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, and referral. Each metric can be measured by different indicators, such as traffic, conversions, retention rate, revenue per user, and net promoter score. You should select the metrics that are most relevant to your product or service, your target audience, and your industry.
The third step is to set SMART goals for each metric. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART goals help you clarify what you want to achieve, how you will measure it, whether it is realistic, why it matters, and when you will accomplish it. For example, a SMART goal for the activation metric could be: Increase the percentage of users who complete the onboarding process from 50% to 70% by the end of the quarter.
The fourth step is to establish benchmarks for each metric. Benchmarks are the standards or references that help you compare your performance with your expectations, your competitors, or your industry. Benchmarks can help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, identify gaps and opportunities, and set realistic and challenging goals. You can find benchmarks from various sources, such as your historical data, your competitor analysis, or industry reports.
The final step is to monitor and analyze your metrics regularly. You should track and report your metrics using tools such as dashboards, analytics platforms, or surveys. You should also analyze your metrics to understand the trends, patterns, and insights behind the numbers. You should ask questions such as: How are your metrics changing over time? What are the causes and effects of the changes? How are your metrics performing against your goals and benchmarks? What are the best practices and recommendations for improvement?
By following these steps, you can set goals and benchmarks for user journey metrics that will help you optimize your user journey and deliver value to your users.
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User Journey analysis is most often and sometimes exclusively done for digital products or online phases of a user journey. For even greater benefit, take an omnichannel approach. If there are analog or offline phases or opportunities to interact or engage with a user / client (e.g. an in-store or drive through pick-up or going into a lab for a blood test or a pharmacy visit), include those elements in the journey analysis.
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