The elusive universal UX metric


Dear Reader,

How do you put a number to something you can't count?

User experience can't be measured by just counting certain aspects. It doesn't give you the complete picture.

Just like you couldn't measure a comedian's success by counting the laughter and smiles in their routine

Defining and creating metrics to measure the user experience is challenging because it is multidimensional and subjective.

You may have discovered various ux metrics like task completion rates, time on page, and customer satisfaction scores, each addressing different aspects of the user experience.

However, you may have yet to see a golden metric that captures the entire user experience.

We have pressure from our team that are skeptical, doubt the value of UX, and expect a one-size-fits-all solution.

But the key lies in customization and collaboration.

We must engage cross-functional teams in the metric creation process, incorporating diverse perspectives to ensure alignment with specific project goals.

Picture a future where tailored UX metrics drive success, addressing unique challenges and objectives. Embrace the diversity of user experiences and recognize the limitations of a universal metric.

While a universal metric may remain elusive, embracing diversity and fostering collaboration leads to better outcomes.

If you want to understand how to create unique metrics for your team that drive toward the goals of your product, check out this article on Goals, Signals, and Metrics.

If you want to move beyond understanding to action, check out this workshop, where you can learn the frameworks and how to do it collaboratively with your team.


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Until next week!

Hannah Baker
Educator & Co-Founder
The Fountain Institute

The Fountain Institute

The Fountain Institute is an independent online school that teaches advanced UX & product skills.

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