User-centred thinking: Bridging the gap between assumption and truth

When trying to reach, engage or persuade customers, you have to be mindful that, as we move through the world, we project onto it our own cognitive biases. For example, the false consensus effect describes how individuals often overestimate the extent to which others share their beliefs, views or behaviours. 

If you’re in the process of building a new website, or reviewing an existing one, it is vital that you don’t approach it on the basis of ‘well this is how I use a website so everyone must do the same’. 

In essence we’re talking about the importance of user-centred thinking and, alongside that, conducting user research to ensure you’re making decisions based on data not assumptions. 

You are not your user

User-centred thinking focuses on understanding users’ needs, goals and contexts, ensuring their feedback is integrated throughout the design and development process – and again whenever you are considering significant changes.

It might be tempting to assume that because you know your organisation well, you also know what users want from your website. But here’s the truth: you are not your user.

User research is crucial for bridging the gap between what we assume and what is true. Hard data offers objective insights into how real users interact with your site. This research is not a one-time exercise; it’s something that should be revisited regularly ensuring that, as your website evolves, it remains aligned with user needs.

A key principle highlighting the value of user research is Hick’s Law, which states that the time it takes for a person to make a decision increases with the number of choices available. In the context of web development, this means the more options, links or features presented to users at any given moment, the longer it will take them to make a decision and the greater the likelihood of them becoming overwhelmed or frustrated.

Developing insights

When building or refining a website, the goal is to make the user journey as intuitive and streamlined as possible. By conducting user research, you can identify where decision fatigue may be creeping in. 

Perhaps your homepage offers too many navigation options, or a critical call to action is buried under layers of content. With user-centred design, you prioritise simplicity and clarity, ensuring users can quickly find what they’re looking for without being bogged down by unnecessary choices.

For example, user research might reveal that certain options or features you thought were essential are actually underused, while something that was initially considered secondary is a primary driver for your audience. 

Without these insights, it’s easy to end up with a cluttered interface that hampers usability. By regularly engaging with users and analysing their behaviour, you can keep your website’s design focused, intuitive and aligned with real-world needs - ultimately enhancing the overall user experience.

Observed user testing

At Substrakt we carry out user testing as part of new website build projects but also periodically with existing clients, and as standalone projects. For example, we have been working with Birmingham Hippodrome for over eight years. As part of a strategic review, our team sought to better understand how online visitors select performances, especially during longer show runs. 

The review revealed anecdotal evidence of users struggling to decide which performance to attend—a challenge that seemed to grow in complexity as show runs extended.

We developed three key research questions to explore:

●    Which information is most important to users when choosing a show, and does this vary depending on the length of the run?
●    How do users interact with performance filters, and does this change based on run length?
●    How do users approach selecting dates for longer-running shows?

Through observed user testing, participants shared their screens and narrated their decision-making process as they navigated the website. The findings were revealing: the more options available during longer runs, the more hesitant users became. Factors like perceived value, time of day, seat location, and even who they’d be attending with played a role in complicating decisions.

In response, we made several targeted changes to the Hippodrome’s website, including:

●    Enhancing the visibility of the “Book Now” call to action, especially for shorter-run shows.
●    Introducing options to search productions by specific dates or ranges.
●    Implementing a more comprehensive filtering system allowing users to find shows based on multiple criteria, like genre and access provisions.
●    Reducing scroll depth on longer production pages, making it easier for users to compare dates and availability.
●    These adjustments, rooted in user research and guided by principles like Hick’s Law, helped to simplify the decision-making process and improve conversion rates.

User-friendly and strategically effective

User research is more than just a box-ticking exercise; it’s a continuous commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of your audience. 

By incorporating user-centred thinking from the outset and regularly revisiting it as your website evolves, you can design digital experiences that are not only visually appealing but also genuinely useful. 

Whether you’re mitigating decision fatigue through clear design choices or uncovering unexpected user needs, the insights gained from user research can be transformative. 

As the Birmingham Hippodrome example demonstrates, a thoughtful approach to user research can lead to concrete improvements in usability and business outcomes, ensuring your website remains both user-friendly and strategically effective.

Katie Moffat is Director of Sector Strategy at Substrakt.
 substrakt.com/
 @substrakt

This article is part of a series contributed by Substrakt exploring the many ways in which arts and cultural organisations can embrace the world of digital.