Experience Quotient (XQ) Audit Methodology
Problem
UX audits often rely on qualitative data that is hard for clients outside the discipline to understand quickly. The necessary deep dives into experiences overwhelmed senior clients with unnecessary information and didn’t provide clear benchmarks to measure against for success.
Solution
The resulting framework takes frequency of a statement being true and plots it on an ordinal scale. There are both overall scores and category scores which can be shared via a numerical score accompanied by a circular bar graph in branded colors.
Approach
Drawing on a variety of UX audit methodologies I’ve used during my career, I developed a scoring system that assigned scores on a scale of 1-5 based on how frequently a variety of statements were true. Numerical scores play well with clients and tell a strong story. Working with a data analyst, I built a spreadsheet that calculated the score automatically.
It was important that this audit avoid blind spots that many other audit formats have, particularly around identifying bias and micro aggressions within interfaces. The audit covers Nielsen’s heuristics, WCAG 2.1 guidelines, content best practices, brand identity and technical implementation.
The XQ audit can be used for both comprehensive deep-dives and as a framework for a competitive audit that focuses on key pages within the experience.
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Project Details
Role
Experience Design Lead
Client
Lightlife, Cox Communications
Team Members
Anastasia Miranda & Spyridon (UX Architects) tested iterations of the analysis spreadsheet
Heuristics & Guidelines
Nielsen’s Heuristics
WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines