From Innovation to Engagement: Making Your Operational Changes a Success Through UX Testing
In my day-to-day work, I often find myself simplifying tools and processes to make them clearer and more functional. Implementing our solutions involves changes for our clients, but introducing changes—even well-thought-out ones—is never without its challenges. There is often resistance: misunderstandings, concerns about the new changes, or a lack of preparation.
This is where UX testing—or user experience testing—plays a crucial role. It involves observing real users as they interact with a solution (such as a website, document, or other tool) to understand what works well and what could be improved. These tests help identify not only the adjustments needed before deployment but also the areas where resistance might arise. With this information, it becomes possible to anticipate and mitigate this resistance and turn a challenge into an opportunity for growth.
Why Should You Include UX Testing in Your Change Strategy?
Prevent Irritants Before Rollout
Imagine you’re introducing a new form or platform. A UX test, conducted in advance with future users (employees, managers, etc.), helps identify and correct areas of friction. The result: you avoid unnecessary frustration and facilitate a more natural adoption process.Identify Potential Resistance
UX testing isn’t limited to technical or functional aspects. It can also shed light on users’ emotional reactions to change. These observations are invaluable for anticipating potential resistance or “shocks” and better preparing your support strategy.Building a Sense of Engagement
Involving your teams in UX testing gives them a role in the transformation. This active participation fosters engagement and reduces resistance, as employees feel heard and valued.
UX testing doesn’t operate in a vacuum: it fits seamlessly into a comprehensive approach designed to better support your teams as they navigate change. By combining tools like UX testing with clear communication strategies and tailored training, you’ll maximize your chances of ensuring that your new solutions are well-received and adopted.
Our Key Steps for Combining UX Testing and Change Management
1 - Understanding Your Users and Their Context
We collect data to better understand your users and the future context in which the solution will be used. Which departments or groups of employees are most affected by the change? What are their needs, goals, concerns, pain points, and the tasks they need to perform? This information helps us design scenarios so that the tests reflect the reality of your users.
2 - Test using realistic scenarios and prototypes
We put your employees in real-world situations. To understand how a solution works in practice, we immerse employees in real-world situations. For example, we play the role of a customer and ask employees to fill out a new, simplified form, just as they would with a real customer. To ensure that the tests reflect reality as closely as possible, we design prototypes that accurately replicate the proposed solution. These prototypes provide a functional experience for participants while minimizing the required investment of time and money.
3 - Analyze the test results
The qualitative and quantitative data we collect is a goldmine of information for refining your solutions and ensuring they are truly intuitive and easy to adopt. Testing helps identify potential pain points and areas for improvement. Test results also reveal participants’ concerns about change. For example:
Two-fifths of the employees spontaneously expressed concern that the new process would take longer with the new document than with the old one.
Tests also help estimate the level of user adoption of a new tool. For example:
“I would use [the new tool] only for small claims. […] For smaller businesses, I see the value [of the new tool].”
4 - Preparing for a Successful Transition
In addition to helping us tailor our solutions, we can use the results of UX testing to develop an effective and seamless change strategy for your teams. These results will also enable you to develop training or support tools that address the concerns raised, and to adjust the tone and messaging accordingly. This approach focuses on the well-being and effectiveness of the people around you, since they are the ones who will drive the change and ensure the success of your initiatives!
A concrete example: a simplified service contract
Let’s take the example of a customer who wants to simplify their service contract. During our data collection, we found that several employees were explaining the contract to customers in their own words without showing them the actual contract. Examples of qualitative data collected:
"To be honest, I haven't looked at the current terms and conditions in at least five years."
During the UX testing, several employees expressed confusion about certain clauses. They thought these clauses were new, when in fact they were already included in the original contract. Examples of qualitative data collected:
"Are you sure about the penalty? I've never heard of it before. I don't think it would go over well with our customers. I can't imagine us imposing penalties."
The tests also allowed usto identify other pain points, such as comprehension issues. Examples of quantitative data collected:
2 out of 9 employees misinterpreted one of the contract clauses. They thought the clause outlined the obligations their company had to fulfill, when in fact it outlined the obligations their clients had to fulfill.
UX testing also helpsidentify opportunities for improvement. Examples of qualitative data collected:
"It would be helpful to add a field to specify who the customer wants to grant access to for managing invoices. Otherwise, once that's done, we have to have the customer sign another authorization document, which wastes time for both parties."
Based on the test results, we have:
Clarified the clause that had been misinterpreted.
Added the requested field, thereby streamlining the contract-related process.
Offered a training session focused on topics that employees find less familiar or understand less well.
The result? A smooth rollout, fewer questions from employees, and higher satisfaction.
In summary
UX testing helps alleviate concerns, resolve issues early on, and ensure a smooth transition for both your employees and your customers. It is by collaborating with your users, listening to their needs, and tailoring solutions to their reality that changes are transformed into lasting success.
Ready to find out how UX testing can support your organizational transitions? Contact us today to discuss your projects. Together, let’s make your changes a success.