User Experience Case Studies

📉 Walmart lost over a billion $ because they asked users what they wanted! Listening to your users is amazing (put down the pitchforks now), but Walmart decided to ask them only this close-ended question: “Should Walmart be less cluttered?” No one likes clutter, so everyone pressed “Yes”. Walmart rolled out a new layout with less clutter, relying on the hard data that was telling them to do so. They spent hundreds of millions of dollars in shortening their shelves, removing inventory they already had, and clearing their isles. The outcome? Customers did like the *idea* of a less cluttered store. In practice, loyal customers couldn’t navigate this brand-new, minimalist store. Reducing clutter had created confusion and frustration. Customers needed what Walmart had assumed was the “clutter”. Walmart relied on a single research method entirely, and paid for it with about $1.85 Billion in lost revenue. Phew. 🤔 So what should they have done instead? Two words. Mixed Methodsresearch Listen to your users in as many ways as possible and then combine all your insights to figure out what to do. Walmart made the unfortunate decision to rely on a single form of UX research, and they did it poorly to boot. They should have instead relied on multiple methods, including a healthy amount of open-ended user interviews before making drastic decisions. Through multiple interviews, they would have observed themes of frustration emerge. Were they related to clutter? Were customers frustrated about something else? Were they frustrated in the first place? While asking their users about clutter, Walmart was working on the gut-based assumption that people found their stores cluttered. It was almost like they had thought of an answer first and were framing a question around it (confirmation bias or something equally nerdy). 🎁 TL;DR - Mixed methods research is tiring. So is explaining the missing 1.85 billion to your shareholders. Pick your poison. And if that poison is #mixedmethods #research, here are all the methods you should look into: https://bit.ly/46AZTRh Every $1.85B saved is a $1.85B earned. #uxresearch #uxcasestudy #walmart #researchmethods #uxresources

Consistency in community-led Go-to-Market (GTM) doesn't mean bombarding. After observing countless product communities, here's a revelation: To 10x your community-led GTM efforts, it's sometimes more effective to... focus less on frequency and more on quality. 1. Pre-launch co-creation ↳ Involve your potential community early. Co-create the product, from features to marketing. This builds ownership and excitement. ↳ Example: Figma engaged designers early through access programs, allowing feedback that shaped development, ensuring it met user needs. 2. Gamified onboarding ↳ Replace boring tutorials with engaging, game-like experiences. Points, badges, and rewards make learning about your product fun and rewarding. ↳ Example: Grammarly boosts engagement with "daily goals" and streaks, fostering a habit of good writing practices through a fun, rewarding system. 3. Micro-influencer partnerships ↳ Leverage micro-influencers within your community. Their genuine connection with followers can authentically showcase your product's value. ↳ Example: Ahrefs partners with industry bloggers and micro-influencers for tutorials and reviews, effectively expanding brand awareness and trust within the SEO community. 4. Community-driven knowledge base ↳ Encourage users to build the knowledge base. User-generated content and peer-to-peer support enhance engagement and collective wisdom. ↳ Example: Zapier leverages its community forum for users to exchange automation workflows and solutions, enhancing the platform's value through collective wisdom. This approach doesn't require daily actions but involves strategic, meaningful engagement that fosters a strong, vibrant community around your product. Remember, quality over quantity always wins. ❤️♻️ P.S. How often do you engage with your community? I think we should aim for meaningful interactions 4-5 times a week. __ 📌 If you found this helpful, reshare this to your network and follow me Joseph Abraham for daily Go-to-market insights, frameworks, tools, and tips

If you want to leverage community power for your business, take a page from IKEA’s playbook. For the brand’s latest campaign, IKEA managed to attract community members from around the world to help them sell, of all things, mattresses. Actually their entire sleep collection. IKEA sent out free blackout roller blinds to a short list of brand advocates for use in their windows. One one side was a shade, on the other, an advertisement for IKEA’s bedroom spread. Everytime the blind was shut, the window served as ad space. From there, users sent in photos which IKEA shared online and turned into video content. This campaign brilliantly combines influencer marketing with user-generated content and experiential advertising, and it does so across multiple platforms, creating a cohesive experience. It taps into the brand’s community, fostering a sense of camaraderie among customers. And btw, this couldn’t have cost that much compared to other marketing efforts…which also fits within a key tenet of IKEA’s brand: good on a budget The campaign is just another testament to the power of community. It shows how to creatively activate fans and ambassadors who believe in your mission, and utilize them to drive engagement. IKEA may be the master of this… The brand’s Ambassador Club, which launched over four years ago, has developed over 9,000 pieces of content, generating 63 million impressions and leading to 5% increase in sales. When people feel genuinely connected to a brand, they’re not just customers; they’re collaborators.

This AI wellness app got 100 signups on launch day. But 3 weeks later, zero users were left. The founder couldn’t understand what went wrong - until he realized he hadn’t opened the app himself in weeks. Here’s what happened: He built an AI-powered app that analyzed blood diagnostics and gave personalized wellness tips. It was sleek. Smart. And technically impressive. But it failed - fast. Here’s why: ▶︎ 1. He ghosted his own product. As a mentor, I asked him, “When’s the last time you used your app?” He paused. “Not in a few weeks”. If the founder doesn’t believe in the product, users won’t either. ▶︎ 2. There was no expert in the loop. The app offered wellness tips based on blood diagnostics. But there was no medical advisor, no human credibility, no context. In healthtech, if users don’t see who stands behind the advice, they simply won’t follow it. ▶︎ 3. He avoided regulation - then lost user confidence. By calling it a “wellness” app, he sidestepped FDA scrutiny. But that also meant he couldn’t make strong claims. No outcomes. No promises. The result? Vague tips, low trust, zero retention. ▶︎ 4. He focused on tech, not value. It was AI-powered, yes. But not human-centered. No nudge to follow up. No context. No loop to make users come back. So here’s how we fixed it: → He became user #1 - experiencing every friction point firsthand. → Simplified the experience around one real, everyday user goal. → Added medical advisors to review recommendations. → Reconnected with early users to gather unfiltered feedback. Three months later: Retention went from 0 to 18%. And 1 in 5 users started referring a friend. If you’re building in healthtech, remember: Slick dashboards don’t build retention. Trust and clarity do. So what’s the one change you made that finally got users to stick to your product? #entrepreneurship #healthtech #funding

Sometimes suffering needs a companion, other times it needs a solution. A community can help you get both. Bad puns aside, if you are a D2C brand focusing on niche solutions, you need to build community as a part of your offering. Let me explain why with example of a IVF clinic. We'll call it Beyond The Stork aka BTS. Let's understand the user PoV first! Imagine this - you are one half of a couple who is struggling with infertility issues. It's mentally exhausting, financially draining and definitely doesn't make up for a great tea time conversation. You are visiting doctors, trying all sorts of treatments but it's taking longer than you would want. You feel lonely and helpless and even though your inner circle is empathetic you don't have a support system because they can't relate to you. Cue: A community of people who share your pain, your struggles and have found success through the same doc/clinic/offering as the one you are being recommended now. Would you prefer BTS or rely on the ads that started showing up to you thanks to the non-stop intrusive listening of social media platforms? Quite a picture eh? Let's look at how you can utilise this behavioural insight and create communities with very specific biz objectives, without diluting the humanity of your customers!! 👉 Acquisition - Word of mouth is the most reliable source followed by user generated content (UGC) including reviews, tips and tricks to make the journey more bearable and a general support system who won't judge your users' 3am rant. 👉 Content & information distribution - A community, specially if it's a private kind is a safe space for people to open up and discuss things that matter. It also provides a venue for anyone in a fix trying to navigate the complex journey to parenthood. The same content may be utilized to create awareness on more public platforms across formats such as website articles, podcasts, social posts and success stories. 👉 Product and feature request - Building is hard, getting real insight into user behavior is harder. Communities allow you to get the pulse of users because of the pull mechanism. You can analyse data, understand patterns in the discussions and interactions. An already engaged person will have a higher motivation to share feedback than whatever controlled group study you conduct.While I have taken an example of a fertility clinic, the fundamental idea will apply to everything niche. What do you think? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, I am Nipun - a lifelong community first founder with a successful exit to my name. If you are exploring communities for your app, want to understand the right use case or want to figure out community strategy, slide into my DMs. We can help you integrate social community features in your app in way lesser time than it takes to determine if IVF is a suitable solution for someone or not.

👀 Lessons from the Most Surprising A/B Test Wins of 2024 📈 Reflecting on 2024, here are three surprising A/B test case studies that show how experimentation can challenge conventional wisdom and drive conversions: 1️⃣ Social proof gone wrong: an eCommerce story 🔬 The test: An eCommerce retailer added a prominent "1,200+ Customers Love This Product!" banner to their product pages, thinking that highlighting the popularity of items would drive more purchases. ✅ The result: The variant with social proof banner underperformed by 7.5%! 💡 Why It Didn't Work: While social proof is often a conversion booster, the wording may have created skepticism or users may have seen the banner as hype rather than valuable information. 🧠 Takeaway: By removing the banner, the page felt more authentic and less salesy. ⚡ Test idea: Test removing social proof; overuse can backfire making users question the credibility of your claims. 2️⃣ "Ugly" design outperforms sleek 🔬 The test: An enterprise IT firm tested a sleek, modern landing page against a more "boring," text-heavy alternative. ✅ The Result: The boring design won by 9.8% because it was more user friendly. 💡 Why It Worked: The plain design aligned better with users needs and expectations. 🧠 Takeaway: Think function over flair. This test serves as a reminder that a "beautiful" design doesn’t always win—it’s about matching the design to your audience's needs. ⚡ Test idea: Test functional designs of your pages to see if clarity and focus drive better results. 3️⃣ Microcopy magic: a SaaS example 🔬 The test: A SaaS platform tested two versions of their primary call-to-action (CTA) button on their main product page. "Get Started" vs. "Watch a Demo". ✅ The result: "Watch a Demo" achieved a 74.73% lift in CTR. 💡 Why It Worked: The more concrete, instructive CTA clarified the action and benefit of taking action. 🧠 Takeaway: Align wording with user needs to clarify the process and make taking action feel less intimidating. ⚡ Test idea: Test your copy. Small changes can make a big difference by reducing friction or perceived risk. 🔑 Key takeaways ✅ Challenge assumptions: Just because a design is flashy doesn’t mean it will work for your audience. Always test alternatives, even if they seem boring. ✅ Understand your audience: Dig deeper into your users' needs, fears, and motivations. Insights about their behavior can guide more targeted tests. ✅ Optimize incrementally: Sometimes, small changes, like tweaking a CTA, can yield significant gains. Focus on areas with the least friction for quick wins. ✅ Choose data over ego: These tests show, the "prettiest" design or "best practice" isn't always the winner. Trust the data to guide your decision-making. 🤗 By embracing these lessons, 2025 could be your most successful #experimentation year yet. ❓ What surprising test wins have you experienced? Share your story and inspire others in the comments below ⬇️ #optimization #abtesting

For consumer-facing platforms, delivering relevant and personalized recommendations isn’t just about convenience—it’s key to enhancing the traveler experience. In a recent blog post, Expedia Group's Data Science team shared how they’ve refined their property search ranking algorithm to better match user intent and provide more meaningful results. Expedia’s recommendation system is traditionally designed for destination searches, where travelers enter a location and filter to find suitable lodging. In this case, the algorithm ranks properties based on their overall relevance. However, another common scenario is property searches, where users arrive on the platform looking for a specific hotel—often through external channels like search engines. If that property is unavailable, simply displaying top-ranked hotels in the area isn’t the best solution. Instead, the system needs to recommend accommodations that closely match the traveler’s original intent. To tackle this, the Data Science team enhanced their machine learning models by incorporating property similarity into the ranking process. They improved data preprocessing by focusing on past property searches that led to bookings, ensuring the model learns from real traveler behavior. Additionally, they introduced new similarity-based features that compare properties based on key factors like location, amenities, and brand affiliation. These improvements allow the system to suggest highly relevant alternatives when a traveler’s first choice isn’t available, making recommendations feel more intuitive and personalized. While broad recommendation systems lay the foundation for personalization, adapting them to specific user behaviors can greatly improve satisfaction. Expedia’s approach highlights the power of fine-tuning machine learning models to better address evolving business needs. #MachineLearning #DataScience #Algorithm #Recommendation #Customization #SnacksWeeklyonDataScience – – –  Check out the "Snacks Weekly on Data Science" podcast and subscribe, where I explain in more detail the concepts discussed in this and future posts:    -- Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gKgaMvbh   -- Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gj6aPBBY    -- Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gcwPeBmR https://lnkd.in/gFZSXpMQ

Personalization at scale is the holy grail of ecommerce. Many brands try this, but their attempts end up feeling artificial or breaking under load. Then I saw what UnionBrands accomplished with FERMÀT. What makes their case particularly interesting is the inherent tension in their business model. With brands like Gladly Family (baby gear) and BravoMonster (luxury RC cars), they're essentially running multiple distinct businesses under one roof. Each brand serves completely different customer personas - imagine the complexity of speaking authentically to both RC car collectors and parents shopping for family-friendly gear. Here's how they approached this challenge using FERMÀT: 1. Persona-Driven Experience Architecture → Each audience segment gets its own tailored journey → The messaging adapts naturally across collector, racer, and gift-giver segments → Brand integrity remains strong while speaking to specific buyers 2. Seamless Ad-to-Cart Alignment → Seasonal offers feel authentic and contextual → Their beach-themed funnels mirror specific UGC content → The narrative flows naturally from first impression to purchase 3. PR-Driven Funnel Optimization → Press coverage leads to custom-built experiences → Publication audiences see perfectly aligned messaging → Direct attribution captures real PR impact Their results validate this approach in remarkable ways: • First week of launch: FERMÀT funnels drove 3X the revenue of their website • PR placement performance: Their collector-specific funnel hit a 14.29% conversion rate when UnCrate featured Bravomonster • Seasonal campaigns: Their beach-themed funnel achieved a 4.56 ROAS What I find most compelling is how they've reframed the personalization challenge. Instead of rebuilding their core site for every audience segment, they’re creating AI-powered FERMÀT funnels to create targeted experiences that preserve brand integrity while delivering true personalization. As Jen Johnson Latulippe, UnionBrands founder, puts it: "FERMÀT allows a smaller team to get bigger results, faster. We can create a whole shopping experience in a few hours without having to touch the website."

When flying United Airlines this week, I had an incredible experience that melted my heart. When the flight attendant noticed my "Deaf" hat, she handed me a piece of paper with all the announcements written down. It included emergency information, aircraft type, lavatory locations, and standard details I’ve never been able to fully access before. She even personalized it by adding her name, the number of exits, and the flight duration. As someone who travels often, I’ve never encountered this before, and it moved me deeply. This thoughtful approach isn’t just beneficial for Deaf or hard-of-hearing travelers.. It’s also helpful for anyone who processes information visually or may not speak English as a first language. This simple yet impactful practice is a great model for all industries. Imagine implementing this at events, front desks, help centers, or anywhere human interaction happens. Accessibility can be transformational in ways that resonate far beyond the moment. I’m inspired to incorporate similar practices into our work! 💙✈️

Lyft knew they had a problem. Only 5.6% of its users are over 65, and those users are 57% more likely to miss the ride they ordered. So, Lyft created Silver – a special app version for seniors. But why create a separate app when these improvements would benefit all users? The curb-cut effect is real. Features designed for wheelchair users ended up helping parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery workers with carts. The features in Lyft's senior-friendly app wouldn't only benefit older riders: 💡The 1.4x larger font option? Great for bright sunlight, rough rides. 💡Simplified interface? Less cognitive load for all of us. 💡Live help operators? Great for anyone when there's a problem. 💡Select preference for easy entry/exit vehicles? Not everyone likes pickup trucks. What started as an accommodation should became a universal improvement. The most powerful insight? Designing for seniors forced Lyft to prioritize what truly matters: simplicity and ease of use. Will they leverage this for all their users? The next time someone suggests adding another button to your interface or feature to your product, consider this approach instead: sometimes the most innovative design is the one that works for everyone. Rather than creating separate "accessible" versions, what if we just built our core products to be usable by all? This is the paradox of inclusive design - what works better for some almost always works better for all. What "accessibility" feature have you encountered that actually made life better for all users? #UniversalDesign #ProductThinking #CustomerExperience