XQ Analysis Methodology Design

Experience Quotient Audit

Project Details

Role
UX Lead – developed audit including questions, scoring and guidelines

Client
FCB

Example Analysis
Lightlife, Cox Business, Cox Residential

Team Members
The UX team proofread and pressure tested versions of the audit.
UX Support: Anastasia Miranda, Pedro Santillanes

Platforms & Frameworks
Topics: Nielsen’s heuristics, accessibility, SEO and more
Scoring: Scale from 1-5 with 4.2 being the minimum benchmark for success

Problem

screen shot of audit

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

Example slide showing the 4 categories and their subcategories

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 strategic analyst, I built a spreadsheet that calculated the score automatically.

Example slide showing an XQ score

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.

Example slide showing competitor scores

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.