How to Run a UX Audit for Your Website or App

Ever had that feeling where you knew something’s off with your website or app? Yet, you just can’t put your finger on it… Maybe users are dropping off halfway through signup. Meanwhile, your bounce rate is high, too. If you’re faced with all this, how will you fix your website and make it better?

Think of it as a secret weapon that can save you in dangerous times. You can use it to uncover what’s really going on in your product’s UX design principles. Imagine going into a messy room and turning the lights on. Suddenly, you start seeing ways to sort out the room.

A UX audit is a powerful technique that works similarly. However, it does much more. But how exactly do you run a UX audit on your site or app? You could be part of a startup trying to improve user retention. Maybe you’re working on an established product that needs a refresh. Either way, this is your roadmap to a smoother and smarter UX.

In this guide, we’ll go over the steps to run a UX audit. That way, you’ll be able to learn about the potential your software has been hiding. Let’s begin:

What is a UX audit?

What if we told you there was a way you could improve your product’s user experience without even starting from scratch? It may sound unbelievable, but that’s exactly what a UX audit helps you do.

Think of how you go to the doctor for a check-up once in a while. It’s the same old you. Yet, you’re healthier and better. A UX audit works the same way for your product. Generally, it is a way to spot where users are facing challenges. This could be checking where they are getting stuck, frustrated, or just confused.

So, at the essence, a UX audit helps you figure out what’s not working. Then more importantly it also shows you how to fix it.

Now, this isn’t just for big companies with huge user bases. It’s an awesome trick for startups, too. Why? Because You will be building something new and innovative. So, naturally, it has to be intuitive. This is true only if you want people to actually use it. A thorough UX audit can help make sure that your bold ideas aren’t getting lost in a messy interface.

The best part? You can customize the audit. This way, it can focus only on specific features of your product. That means you’re not just getting general advice. You will get deep and targeted insights. They will easily lead to real improvements.

What happens during a UX audit?

A UX audit may sound complex to some. Yet, some may be thinking it’s easy to perform. Generally, this comes down to the size of your digital product. The bigger and more features it has, the deeper the audit needs to go. But no matter the size, the core idea tends to stay the same:

• Where are users running into friction?
• At what points are they giving up and leaving the journey halfway?
• Are they annoyed, confused, or just not finding the info they need?
• What exactly is causing that frustration?

A UX audit goes over all these aspects. It then finds ways and areas to improve each. Yet, it’s not just about making your product look better. It’s about taking a soft step back. Then, you are able to analyze how real users interact with it. This helps you uncover any bumps in their journey.

What are the steps to run a UX audit?

So, you’ve decided it’s time to give your website or app a little UX check-up? That’s an awesome move. But where do you even begin? Running a UX audit might sound like something only big agencies do with complex tools and a dozen spreadsheets. Fortunately, the truth is far from that. It’s doable if you break it down into simple and clear steps.

You could deal with it solo or with your team. Generally, knowing the process ahead of time helps you stay focused. You can actually get stuff done. Let’s walk through the key steps to run a UX audit, the smart and stress-free way.

Step 1: Define the project objective

When you go out to explore, you go with a plan. A UX audit is all about exploration. You can’t explore well until you set your objectives straight. It’s easy to get distracted and later feel overwhelmed. But it’s a power move to set clear objectives and have a plan. Think of how you’ll be tempted to solve issues one by one.

However, this isn’t the best thing. If you keep getting involved in solving an issue step by step, you’ll get overwhelmed quicker than you know. This is why it will be better if you create an outline to sort things out step by step. You should plan to:

• Sort problems out one by one. Don’t try to solve a problem without noting them all down first.
• Clear out what you’re planning to improve. Do you want better conversions? Or do need the bounce rates to go lower?

By setting clear goals for your project, you will be able to start with a clean slate. This applies for both website & application.

Step 2: Gather data and performance insights

Let’s hope you have conducted UX audits before too. This way you’ll be able to tell where you have improved and where you’re still lacking. But don’t worry if this is your first time conducting an audit for your software. Of course, there is always a first time for everything. Start by observing your user’s behavior.

But how will you gather these metrics? The best way can be to connect an analytics software with your website & application. This way you can easily collect and categorize analytics. This can be done according to user demographics, behavior, and more.

• This data can show you where users are dropping off. What point do they reach before they leave?
• If you’ve conducted UX design audits before, then compare the data. Asses what is improved and what is lacking.

Step 3: Perform heuristic evaluation

Heuristic… You’re probably wondering what kind of fancy word this is. But honestly, it’s a very useful one. In UX design audits, heuristics work as a set of guidelines. Think of following a rule of thumb. These rules basically let designers use a “checklist.” It helps them evaluate the user interface usability.

Usability plays a huge role in motivating users to make sales. When you make navigation easy, users feel confident. It’s just a budget-friendly way to identify UX issues. It helps review things without conducting deep user research.

• It prioritizes aesthetic and minimalist design. This helps users recognize and diagnose errors.
• It helps with flexibility in design. It even helps increase the efficiency of use of any website and app.

Step 4: Conduct deeper research

The heuristics sound cool. You have now assessed the basics of usability in your design. However, this isn’t it. It is now time for deeper and more profound research. In deeper research you have to conduct extra steps. Consider that you have an eCommerce website. In this eCommerce website, you’ll have to check the typography, and check the element placements.

You’ll look for problems in accessibility. You can check customer journey analysis too. Maybe your visitors get confused halfway. Perhaps, they don’t understand exactly what to do. This research is what will really tell you the areas with issues.

• Try checking where you can reduce the number of clicks. Too many clicks may discourage and shoo users.
• By focusing on user interaction, you can make the journey simpler. Really think, would you purchase something from your website if you were a user?

Step 5: Spot key trends and patterns

Patterns often stay hidden in the midst. This is until you do something to spot them. Your UX audit is there to help you notice these patterns and trends. Trust us, there are always some patterns hidden. But you can’t just start randomly when looking for them. You need to stop by considering one topic. Give it priority.

Let’s consider the typography here. Consider that there are 20 users in total. 13 are complaining about the font’s size. Two are complaining about the font. Will you fix the font first or the size? Go for the bigger issues first.

• Go over your research. Begin by identifying the most main problems. You will do this by analyzing trends and noting down repeated comments.
• After fixing the main problem, you can think about the secondary one. Is it worth fixing? Or should you leave it?

Step 6: Build a UX audit report

This goes without saying, but this is a mistake that many make. Do not get overconfident. It will always get you in trouble. This happens especially when there are technical things involved. If you lose a single point, you might have to start again. This could really mess up your time and efforts. We’ve been there at our initial stages. It isn’t fun.

You have to create a proper document out of your noted points. Sometimes you might find solutions while creating the documentation. After this you can put it all in practice. This is where the actual work will begin.

• Find a skilled designer who is capable of improving your design. It isn’t something to take lightly. You might be surprised but an improved UX can increase conversions by 400%.
• Create a final plan. Which aspects and elements will you change and improve? Which ones will you put aside.

If these steps felt overwhelming, don’t worry. You don’t have to conduct the UX audit alone. Our designers can help. If you do plan on doing it yourself, just make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself. Take things slow. Going fast never helps when it’s about software.

What type of UX audit tools do you need?

When you’re running a UX audit, the right tools can make your life so much easier. Each one gives you a different angle. It could be on how users interact with your product. Consider how they behave and what they think. All with the help of tools. You’ll be able to learn where they struggle.

But which tools are these exactly? Here’s a quick breakdown of the types of tools you’ll want in your UX audit kit:

Behavior Analysis Tools

Before you launch your app or site, you can only imagine and predict what users will do on it. Some users might have very random behavior on your software. Sometimes, the users really don’t know what to do. But sometimes, they’re bored. Regardless, some users are also serious about purchasing from you.

In this case, you’ll have to understand where they are struggling. How will you do this? You can integrate some behavior analytic tools with your app. There are quite a few behavior analytic tools out there. Here are some examples:

• Google Analytics
• Mixpanel

Usability Testing Tools

Behavior is another thing, and usability is different. Usability shows how easy or hard it is to use a product. The easier a product is to use, the better it’s popularity. This may seem false, but usability does play an important role. 70% of online businesses fail, all because of poor usability. So, you need a good and smooth user interface.

By connecting usability tools with your software, you can find problem areas. Wait, what are those? You’ll find that users often get confused at some points. Sometimes, this also causes frustration and users just leave. You’ll them be able to improve them. Here are some examples:

• Maze
• Lookback

Feedback Collection Tools

Feedback is so valuable, especially if you’re a startup. Users and businesses both don’t realize how insightful feedback could be. Using it in the right place can do a lot. Think about how you can gather suggestions and opinions. This won’t even be based on a few guesses. You’ll have actually insights from your users.

When you’ll improve based on feedback, you’ll fix the core problem. Even if 30 users visit your app and 4 give feedback, you’ll find some interesting points there. Additionally, they can help motivate other users too. Here are some examples of feedback collection tools:

• Typeform
• Hotjar Surveys

Heatmap Analysis

What if you could find out exactly where users are tapping? You can know where they are hovering and what they are ignoring. It isn’t just a thought. With Heatmaps, you get a visual of your user’s activity. This could be an excellent way for spotting design issues or dead zones in your website & application.

Heatmaps can help you recognize better areas for placing elements. Sometimes UI elements are hidden in the midst. Sometimes, giving it a better color is enough. Here are some great examples of Heatmap analysis software:

• Crazy Egg
• Smartlook

What are the Best Practices When Conducting UX Audits?

UX auditing isn’t easy. This is especially the case when you have complex software. That’s alright. You already have the steps on how to conduct a UX design audit. If you prioritize the UX design principles, these best practices can also help.

1. Know your audience

In design, you really need to know who you are creating for. Integrating the right software can help you recognize this. This is a very beneficial step. It will help you create a smooth and navigable app. Take your time to understand your audience and their needs.

2. Combine data with empathy

Data has no meaning itself. It’s technically just jargon. Users give it life because they introduce emotions. This is why development and design are so different from each other. Development is about the technical side of things. Design isn’t, so you need to look at it empathically.

3. Use heuristic principles as a guide

Heuristic evaluation aren’t just some academic statistics. They are a practical way to catch common usability issues. Look out for things like consistency across the design. It can help you gather some valuable insights.

4. Don’t skip anything mobile-related

66% of the web searches today come from mobile phones. Fewer people use desktops today. Majority prefer their mobile phones. Make sure your audit includes the average user’s mobile experience. Your UX design should be mobile-responsive at all costs.

5. Prioritize findings by impact

How are your UX errors affecting users? Some may be impacting them in a small way. Some findings, you’ll discover, are affecting both your users and your business. So, don’t ignore any. Just aim on categorizing them based on the power of their impact. This can create a difference.

6. Document everything clearly

The lack of documentation in software can lead to issues greater than you will know. They start small. However, this lack can create issues later on. Use easy language and don’t go overboard with words. So, you need to ensure you have a document for every problem you find.

These tips can help you when conducting you UX audit. Just make sure you have a skilled designer by your side to support you.

How Can Linkitsoft Help You Deliver a Better User Experience?

People love sharing good experiences with each other. A user experience works the same way. It works so well that almost 72% of users tend to share good user experiences with their friends. Now think about this: Even if 10% of this traffic visits your site and 5% converts, you’ll generate revenue.

Delivering a good user experience is more important than we think. It subconsciously affects a user’s mind. When they don’t like a UX design, 88% of them just leave. Many don’t even return. By investing in your user experience design, you can make or break your brand’s reputation.

This is why you need experienced and skilled designers by your side. They should be able to run comprehensive UX design audits. It’s so that they can optimize and improve your page. The goal is always to prioritize users and deliver good experiences.

Linkitsoft provides all of this. Our designer’s expertise is rich. They know what they are doing. Their years of experience haven’t taught them standard designs. Certainly not for the sake of it. They have learned how to understand each user and software’s unique needs. Our designers blend them together to create a beautiful UX journey.

Wrapping it up

UX audits often unsurface valuable points. They have the power to change the point of view about a business. Yet, it doesn’t just happen by conducting a UX audit. Sure, it provides good insights. But you won’t see a difference until you have a good designer by your side. It’s the work done after the audit that really makes the difference.

So, think about it… Wouldn’t it be beneficial to have a deep that can conduct a deep UX audit? Then, this team can show you everything your website is lacking. They’ll tell you where it needs improvement and where they can help. Collaboration can create a lovely user interface that users will love.

You don’t have to worry about finding such a team. We’re here. Linkitsoft’s designers are well-equipped with everything they need to enhance your software. This is because they know about the impact design has on revenue. Every $1 that you invest in UX yields a return of 100 dollars. This means you get an ROI of 9,900%!

That’s a huge number. It doesn’t have to be limited to that. So what are you waiting for then? Connect with us! Don’t worry about the costs… we don’t overcharge. Let’s discuss your project today and start auditing your UX. A navigable and intuitive user interface is just a few taps away.

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