How to Analyze User Behavior With Data

Most teams are just wasting their time watching session replays. Why? Because not all session replays are equally valuable, and many don’t uncover the real insights you need. After 15 years of experience, here’s how to find insights that can transform your product: — 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗮: Too many teams pick random sessions, watch them from start to finish, and hope for meaningful insights. It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. The fix? Start with trigger moments — specific user behaviors that reveal critical insights. ➔ The last session before a user churns. ➔ The journey that ended in a support ticket. ➔ The user who refreshed the page multiple times in frustration. Select five sessions with these triggers using powerful tools like @LogRocket. Focusing on a few key sessions will reveal patterns without overwhelming you with data. — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲-𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 Think of it like peeling back layers: each pass reveals more details. 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟭: Watch at double speed to capture the overall flow of the session. ➔ Identify key moments based on time spent and notable actions. ➔ Bookmark moments to explore in the next passes. 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟮: Slow down to normal speed, focusing on cursor movement and pauses. ➔ Observe cursor behavior for signs of hesitation or confusion. ➔ Watch for pauses or retracing steps as indicators of friction. 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟯: Zoom in on the bookmarked moments at half speed. ➔ Catch subtle signals of frustration, like extended hovering or near-miss clicks. ➔ These small moments often hold the key to understanding user pain points. — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 + 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Metrics show the “what,” session replays help explain the “why.” 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 Gather essential metrics before diving into sessions. ➔ Focus on conversion rates, time on page, bounce rates, and support ticket volume. ➔ Look for spikes, unusual trends, or issues tied to specific devices. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 Organize sessions based on success and failure metrics: ➔ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀: Top 10% of conversions, fastest completions, smoothest navigation. ➔ 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀: Bottom 10% of conversions, abandonment points, error encounters. — 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 Make session replays a regular part of your team’s workflow and follow these principles: ➔ Focus on one critical flow at first, then expand. ➔ Keep it routine. Fifteen minutes of focused sessions beats hours of unfocused watching. ➔ Keep rotating the responsibiliy and document everything. — Want to go deeper and get more out of your session replays without wasting time? Check the link in the comments!

Day 1: What I’d Do as an Analyst – Tackling a Drop in Netflix Engagement Hi Everyone! This is Day 1 of my 7-day series, “What I’d Do as an Analyst.” Over the next week, I’ll tackle real-world scenarios from different industries to show how I’d approach analytical challenges. Today, we’re diving into Netflix and a problem that could stump any analyst. The Scenario: Netflix notices a sudden drop in user engagement for its recommendation engine. Instead of watching recommended shows, users are manually searching for content. What’s causing this, and how would I fix it? Step 1: Understanding the Problem This signals a potential mismatch between the recommendations and user preferences. As an analyst, my first step would be to fully grasp the scope of the issue: - Is this a specific trend or a widespread problem? - Are certain user groups (new users, specific regions) more affected than others? Step 2: Analyzing the Data I’d dig into: 1️⃣ User Behavior - CTR (Click-Through Rate) on recommendations vs. manual searches. - Time spent browsing vs. selecting content. - Search terms vs. the recommended titles to identify gaps. 2️⃣ Content Performance - Performance of recently added titles in recommendations. - Popular genres/themes among users in different regions. - Localization impact is engagement lower in certain regions? 3️⃣ Algorithm Metrics - Diversity of recommendations: Are users seeing the same types of content repeatedly? - Coverage metrics: How well does the algorithm represent the catalog? - Precision and recall: Are recommendations predicting user interests accurately? 4️⃣ User Feedback - Surveys, reviews, or support tickets to understand user frustration or dissatisfaction. Step 3: The Solution Approach Once the data tells the story, here’s how I’d approach solving it: 1️⃣ Identify Patterns - Compare users who search manually vs. those engaging with recommendations. - Check for seasonal trends or catalog changes affecting recommendations. 2️⃣ Evaluate Algorithm Performance - Conduct A/B testing by tweaking algorithm parameters to improve personalization or diversify recommendations. 3️⃣ Enhance Recommendations - Swipe Style Discovery: Gamify recommendations with a swipe feature to make discovering new content fun and interactive. - Mood Slider: Let users pick their current mood to instantly tailor recommendations. - Socially Driven Recommendations: Highlight shows popular in users’ circles or among their friends. 4️⃣ Test Hypotheses - Experiment with updated recommendations. Monitor engagement metrics like CTR, watch time, and manual searches post-update. Step 4: Expected Outcome This approach would help: - Pinpoint gaps in content relevance or user preferences. - Increase CTR, watch time, and overall satisfaction. Let’s talk! How would you approach this challenge? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #DataAnalytics #DataDriven #BusinessAnalysis #DataScience #RecommendationEngine #NetflixData #7DayChallenge

User research is great, but what if you do not have the time or budget for it........ In an ideal world, you would test and validate every design decision. But, that is not always the reality. Sometimes you do not have the time, access, or budget to run full research studies. So how do you bridge the gap between guessing and making informed decisions? These are some of my favorites: 1️⃣ Analyze drop-off points: Where users abandon a flow tells you a lot. Are they getting stuck on an input field? Hesitating at the payment step? Running into bugs? These patterns reveal key problem areas. 2️⃣ Identify high-friction areas: Where users spend the most time can be good or bad. If a simple action is taking too long, that might signal confusion or inefficiency in the flow. 3️⃣ Watch real user behavior: Tools like Hotjar | by Contentsquare or PostHog let you record user sessions and see how people actually interact with your product. This exposes where users struggle in real time. 4️⃣ Talk to customer support: They hear customer frustrations daily. What are the most common complaints? What issues keep coming up? This feedback is gold for improving UX. 5️⃣ Leverage account managers: They are constantly talking to customers and solving their pain points, often without looping in the product team. Ask them what they are hearing. They will gladly share everything. 6️⃣ Use survey data: A simple Google Forms, Typeform, or Tally survey can collect direct feedback on user experience and pain points. 6️⃣ Reference industry leaders: Look at existing apps or products with similar features to what you are designing. Use them as inspiration to simplify your design decisions. Many foundational patterns have already been solved, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. I have used all of these methods throughout my career, but the trick is knowing when to use each one and when to push for proper user research. This comes with time. That said, not every feature or flow needs research. Some areas of a product are so well understood that testing does not add much value. What unconventional methods have you used to gather user feedback outside of traditional testing? _______ 👋🏻 I’m Wyatt—designer turned founder, building in public & sharing what I learn. Follow for more content like this!

Recently, someone shared results from a UX test they were proud of. A new onboarding flow had reduced task time, based on a very small handful of users per variant. The result wasn’t statistically significant, but they were already drafting rollout plans and asked what I thought of their “victory.” I wasn’t sure whether to critique the method or send flowers for the funeral of statistical rigor. Here’s the issue. With such a small sample, the numbers are swimming in noise. A couple of fast users, one slow device, someone who clicked through by accident... any of these can distort the outcome. Sampling variability means each group tells a slightly different story. That’s normal. But basing decisions on a single, underpowered test skips an important step: asking whether the effect is strong enough to trust. This is where statistical significance comes in. It helps you judge whether a difference is likely to reflect something real or whether it could have happened by chance. But even before that, there’s a more basic question to ask: does the difference matter? This is the role of Minimum Detectable Effect, or MDE. MDE is the smallest change you would consider meaningful, something worth acting on. It draws the line between what is interesting and what is useful. If a design change reduces task time by half a second but has no impact on satisfaction or behavior, then it does not meet that bar. If it noticeably improves user experience or moves key metrics, it might. Defining your MDE before running the test ensures that your study is built to detect changes that actually matter. MDE also helps you plan your sample size. Small effects require more data. If you skip this step, you risk running a study that cannot answer the question you care about, no matter how clean the execution looks. If you are running UX tests, begin with clarity. Define what kind of difference would justify action. Set your MDE. Plan your sample size accordingly. When the test is done, report the effect size, the uncertainty, and whether the result is both statistically and practically meaningful. And if it is not, accept that. Call it a maybe, not a win. Then refine your approach and try again with sharper focus.

How AI Can Predict User Drop-Off Points! (Before It's Too Late) Have you ever wondered why users abandon your app, website, or product halfway through a workflow? The answer lies in invisible friction points—and AI has become the perfect detective for uncovering them. Here's how it works: 1️⃣ Pattern Recognition: AI analyzes vast datasets of user behavior (clicks, scrolls, pauses, exits) to identify trends. 2️⃣ Predictive Analytics: Machine learning models flag high-risk moments (e.g., 60% of users drop off after step 3 of onboarding). 3️⃣ Real-Time Alerts: Tools like Hotjar, Mixpanel, or custom ML solutions can trigger warnings when users show signs of frustration (rapid back-and-forth, rage clicks, session stagnation). Why this matters: E-commerce: Predict cart abandonment before it happens. When a user lingers on the shipping page, AI can trigger a live chat assist or dynamic discount. SaaS: Spot confusion in onboarding. When users consistently skip a setup step, it's a clear signal your UI needs simplification. Content Platforms: Identify "boredom points" in videos or articles. Adjust pacing, length, or CTAs to maintain engagement. The Bigger Picture: AI isn't just about fixing leaks—it's about understanding human behavior at scale. By predicting drop-off, teams can: ✅ Proactively improve UX before losing customers ✅ Personalize interventions (e.g., tailored guidance for struggling users) ✅ Turn data into empathy—because every drop-off point represents a real person hitting a wall The future of retention isn't guesswork. It's about combining AI's analytical power with human intuition to create experiences that feel effortless. Have you used AI to predict user behavior? Share your wins (or lessons learned) below! 👇