User Experience & Data Analysis

As a UX Intern, I had the opportunity to hone my data analysis skills by working on the tremendous task that was the "But Why?" Qualitative Report for the UX Team at Planned Parenthood New York. 

Goals: Analyze all the qualitative data from each usability test of the Spot On app and create a report in order to learn how users currently use the app, and how they would like to use the app.

Skills used: User testing, data analysis

There were 16 different tests with 344 participants, spanning 2 years. The analysis process took over a month to complete. I began by asking questions that could be answered by the data. 

  • What period/birth control tracking method are participants currently using and how/why are they using that particular method?

  • Generally, how are participants using Spot On?

  • In what ways do participants want to use Spot On that they currently cannot (additional features/functionality)?

  • What features do participants like or think are working well in Spot On?

  • What features in Spot On do participants dislike, find to be difficult to use, or difficult to understand?

Then, I looked over the notes for each participant to pick out feedback that answered these questions. I also noted which screen of the app the comments were referring to, which prototype each user was testing with, and whether or not they were an app user. Next, I synthesized the participants’ answers into common responses so that it would be easier to tally. For example, if one participant said, "I like the layout," and another participant said, "Love the emojis!", I marked both comments under "Liked UI element(s)." I tallied the responses and noted which responses were made most often. After tallying the responses, I analyzed the participants' demographic data—age, gender, sexual orientation, birth control method, and race.  

From the qualitative data, I was able to create 10 personas that capture the participants' needs and wants. Each persona has an age, gender, ethnicity, location, and occupation. All of the birth control methods are captured in the personas. Each persona has pain points based on the feedback from each method during the tests. Each persona falls within a group, or archetype. The archetype is the overarching reason why participants want to track themselves: either they want to track their birth control usage (The Birth Control Tracker), or their cycle (The Cycle Tracker). Each persona has traits; which describe their point of view.

 Outcomes: The 10 personas I created can act as a starting point to help the UX Team think of several different user journeys and how different aspects of a person's life could affect the way they use the app. How can we create a better experience for someone with an irregular period? How does someone's location affect their usage of the app? How does sexual orientation factor into their experience of the app? These personas, as well as the report, give the Team a chance to create additional personas that encompass other user journeys; which could be used to consider potential solutions that would meet more needs within the app. As a result, retention of current users could increase, and new users could be acquired.