{"id":7908,"date":"2023-02-14T10:29:38","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T10:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=7908"},"modified":"2023-11-27T23:35:29","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T23:35:29","slug":"ux-kpis-and-how-to-measure-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-kpis-and-how-to-measure-them\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 Most Important User Experience (UX) KPIs (and How To Measure Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Key performance indicators (or KPIs) are increasingly being integrated into the UX designer\u2019s toolkit<\/a>. With the right KPIs, you can track and measure how your users interact with your product\u2014and, most importantly, how the experience makes them feel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But which KPIs should you be tracking? And how do you go about measuring different KPIs and interpreting the data they give you?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All will become clear in this post. Keep reading to discover the <\/span>7 most important UX KPIs<\/b> and <\/span><\/i>step-by-step instructions for how to measure and interpret them<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the top KPIs all UX designers should keep an eye on:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Task success rate<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Time-on-task<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. User error rate<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Navigation vs. search<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  5. System usability scale (SUS)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Net promoter score (NPS)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ready to become a more data-driven UX designer? Let\u2019s go!<\/span><\/p>\n

    First, though, a quick word on why UX KPIs are so useful\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

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    What are UX KPIs and why should you measure them?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    KPIs (or key performance indicators) measure, in quantifiable terms, your performance in relation to a specific goal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example: a marketing team might have the goal of increasing brand awareness. Brand awareness itself is a rather abstract concept which can\u2019t be directly measured. However, the team could track metrics such as \u2018follower growth rate\u2019 on Instagram<\/a> and \u2018brand mentions\u2019. These indicators can provide insight into whether or not the team\u2019s efforts to increase brand awareness are achieving the desired results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    UX KPIs do the same thing. They allow UX designers to turn something abstract and subjective\u2014the <\/span>user experience<\/span><\/a>\u2014into measurable data. With UX design KPIs, you can measure the user experience on an ongoing basis and quickly identify areas for improvement. This ensures that you\u2019re providing an excellent experience for the end user and meeting your strategic goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve written more about <\/span>why it\u2019s so important to track UX KPIs in this guide<\/span><\/a>. Now let\u2019s outline the top UX KPIs you\u2019ll want to keep an eye on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The 7 most important UX KPIs (and how to measure them)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    In this section, we explain how to measure the most important UX KPIs. Some KPIs are behavioural (they measure what the user does) and some are attitudinal (they measure what the user says).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The most important <\/span>behavioural UX KPIs<\/b> are:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. Task success rate<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Time-on-task<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. User error rate<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Navigation vs. search<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The most important <\/span>attitudinal UX KPIs<\/b> are:<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. System usability scale (SUS)<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Net promoter score (NPS)<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Customer satisfaction (CSAT)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Let\u2019s explore each KPI in detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        The most important behavioural UX KPIs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        1. Task success rate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        What does task success rate measure?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Task success rate measures the percentage of users who are able to successfully complete a particular task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        What does this KPI tell you?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Measuring task success rate is important as it shows you how easy it is for users to achieve their goals when interacting with your product. If task success rate is low, you can assume there are some usability issues which need to be fixed. Studies show that <\/span>78% is a good task success rate<\/span><\/a> to aim for.<\/span><\/p>\n

        How is task success rate calculated?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Task success rate is calculated by dividing the number of successfully completed tasks by the total number of attempts. You can then multiply by 100 for a percentage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How to measure task success rate:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        First, you need to decide which task you want to evaluate\u2014for example, the task of completing a purchase via an ecommerce website. Then you need to define what constitutes successful completion of the task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example, the task is successfully completed once the user has entered their payment details and confirmed the purchase. If 73 out of 100 users successfully complete the task, you have a task success rate of 73%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        2. Time-on-task<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        What does time-on-task measure?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Time-on-task measures how long it takes the user to successfully complete a particular task. It\u2019s usually reported as an average.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        What does this KPI tell you?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        In most cases, time-on-task gives you insight into how easy it is for the user to complete certain tasks. Shorter task times are usually associated with efficiency and therefore higher usability, while longer task times could indicate that the user is struggling to understand the product or find the information they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How is time-on-task calculated?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Time-on-task is calculated by recording how long it takes each individual user to complete the task (in seconds or minutes). You can then calculate the average time-on-task by adding all the completion times together and dividing by the number of users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example: if user 1 took 68 seconds to complete the task, user 2 took 55 seconds, and user 3 took 72 seconds, you\u2019d do 68 + 55 + 72 (which equals 195) and then divide that by 3 for an average time-on-task of 65 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How to measure time-on-task:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        As with task success rate, you need to determine which task you\u2019re measuring and define the point of successful completion\u2014for example, the moment a user hits \u201csubmit\u201d on their registration form. Then you simply time, using a timer, how long it takes each user to complete the task. For your average time-on-task, run the calculation we outlined previously.<\/span><\/p>\n

        3. User error rate\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        What does the user error rate measure?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        The user error rate measures how many mistakes a user makes when completing a certain task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        What does this KPI tell you?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        User error rate is another indicator of usability. If the error rate is high, your design likely isn\u2019t as user-friendly as it could (and should) be. Use this KPI as a sign that you may need to further investigate user pain-points and rethink certain aspects of your design.<\/span><\/p>\n

        How is user error rate calculated?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        There are two ways to calculate the user error rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

        The first option is to calculate the <\/span>average error occurrence rate<\/b>. This is suitable if the task you\u2019re measuring only involves one potential opportunity for error, or if there are several different errors the user could make but you only want to track one of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        To calculate average error occurrence rate, you divide the total number of user errors which occurred (across all users) by the total number of possible errors for all users. You can then multiply this by 100 for a percentage. <\/span><\/p>\n

        The second option is to calculate the <\/span>error rate<\/b>. This is suitable if there are several potential errors per task and you want to measure the general error rate across that task. To calculate the error rate, divide the total number of errors made (across all users) by the total number of task attempts (this is calculated as follows: the number of users multiplied by the number of potential errors). You can then multiply this by 100 for a percentage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example: You\u2019re running a test with 10 users. There are 5 potential errors (or error opportunities) within the task. Altogether, your 10 users make a total of 15 mistakes between them. You would calculate the error rate as follows: 15 divided by (10 x 15) = 0.1. Multiply by 100 for an error rate of 10%.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How to measure user error rate:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        Determine which task you\u2019re assessing and whether you want to measure the average error occurrence rate (for measuring just one error within the task) or the error rate (for measuring the occurrence of multiple errors). Then, track your selected users as they complete the task and calculate the user error rate accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        4. Navigation vs. search<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        What does the navigation vs. search KPI measure?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        When completing a given task, users will either follow the product\u2019s navigational system to locate the information they need, or they\u2019ll use the search function. The navigation vs. search KPI looks at how many users use the product navigation versus how many use the search function.<\/span><\/p>\n

        What does this KPI tell you?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        The navigation vs. search KPI gives you insight into how users interact with your product when completing a particular task. If a high number of users are turning to the search function, this could hint at your navigation not being sufficiently clear or logical. However, it\u2019s important not to jump to conclusions based on this KPI alone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How is navigation vs. search calculated?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        To compare how many users successfully complete a task using the navigation vs. those who use the search function, you divide the number of completed tasks using search by the total number of tasks completed. You then run the same calculation for the number of tasks completed using the navigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example: You\u2019ve asked 30 users to complete the task of purchasing a pair of shoes on your ecommerce site. If all 30 users completed the task successfully and 10 users did so via the navigation, you\u2019d divide 10 by 30. You can then multiply this by 100 for a percentage. So, in this case, 33.33% of users used the navigation system for this particular task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How to measure navigation vs. search:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        To measure navigation vs. search, you\u2019ll track your users as they complete a specific task. Here you can use usability testing software such as <\/span>UsabilityHub<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Hotjar<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>mouseflow<\/span><\/a> to track exactly where users click\/navigate throughout the test. At the end, you\u2019ll calculate the proportion of users who completed the task via the navigation versus those who used the search function.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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        The most important attitudinal UX KPIs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        5. System usability scale (SUS)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        What does the system usability scale (SUS) measure?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        The system usability scale (SUS) measures a product\u2019s usability<\/a>\u2014or, more specifically, the end user\u2019s perception of how usable and user-friendly the product is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        What does this KPI tell you?<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        This attitudinal KPI tells you how users rate the usability of your designs, asking them to score factors such as the ease, learnability, and consistency of your UX.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        How to measure and calculate your system usability scale (SUS) score:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n

        To measure system usability, you\u2019ll first run a usability test (if you\u2019re not sure how to do so, follow this <\/span>step-by-step guide to UX testing<\/span><\/a>). At the end of the test, you\u2019ll ask your participants to complete the SUS questionnaire\u2014a list of 10 items which they\u2019ll rate with a choice of answers ranging from \u201cstrongly agree\u201d to \u201cstrongly disagree.\u201d The SUS questionnaire includes statements such as \u201cI found the system unnecessarily complex\u201d and \u201cI thought the system was easy to use.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Based on your users\u2019 answers, you\u2019ll then calculate an SUS score. This can be a bit tricky, but here are the steps you\u2019ll need to follow:<\/span><\/p>\n

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        1. Convert each possible answer into numbers as follows:<\/span>
          \n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n