Insight through experience

In an increasingly competitive online marketplace, the term 'user experience' has become a bit of a buzz word in the industry freely bandied about as a 'must have' element for any new online presence. But what does it really mean to 'have' user experience, and does it really improve traffic retention and goal conversion?

There are, of course, the everyday online project necessities of engaging consumers, providing a service that has the necessary functionality, content and usability to meet your wider business objectives - but who decides that and how do you know if you've got it right? We'll never get away from the subjectivity of what we do and continual debates over changing user habits and platforms, but what better way to decipher what works for the user than analysing user behaviour and real data. Surely there's nothing more insightful than using raw data to drive your proposition forward?

Yes, usability studies and research provide a well informed platform from which to start cultivating the site architecture, adhering to best practice standards and creating robust building blocks of a future proof platform. But we'll never really know if user behaviour is as we expected and yielding the results that we were eagerly hoping for until the site is launched. It’s the user data which provides the real substance on which we can analyse, build upon and inform strategic direction. The proof is in the pudding, so they say, and there's a lot to be said for getting stuck into that pudding!

I guess that's what I feel sets Rockpool apart. It's the continual inquisition and integration of what we do, from the planning through to the delivery and way beyond. We don't just put the hard slog into the delivery of a website or application and kick back to marvel at our latest use of a new technology. We continually assess and analyse user behaviour along with keeping right up to date with the latest research and emerging technologies. This, together with a love of what we do and a persistent strive for success, means that we're consistently delivering valuable output for our clients and their consumers, and getting a whole heap of satisfaction while we do it!