New Independent Study Reveals Companies Fail to Measure the Business Value of Their Web Experiences

SAN FRANCISCO, May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's data-driven world, companies strive to use all the information available to them to make the right decisions in improving sales, productivity, and efficiency—but new independent research challenges whether this is true in the creation and management of digital experiences, such as a company's web sites and mobile applications.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120503/SF00028)

Extractable, a leading digital design agency, commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study on how companies across America use data to build better web experiences for their customers. The study, Data-Driven Design, looked at how companies use data, what tools they use, what hurdles they face, and what outcomes they are seeing for their websites and digital experiences.

The data-driven design process combines many quantitative and qualitative data inputs to understand users' online behavior and hence craft more effective web and digital experiences. The study showed that 60% of firms surveyed had seen improvements in their website due to use of data.  And, if the company also reported they had a repeatable design process the numbers reporting improvement grew to 71%.

Despite validating that firms using data-driven design had better website outcomes the study reported that only half (52%) of companies used a repeatable design process and that 57% used multiple data sources in their design process.

Other key findings from the study include:

• Companies don't know how or can't apply the right tools and processes to optimize their sites. Only 28% of companies are happy with the tools and techniques they use to measure their websites today. As high as 52% believe there are other tools that could provide them with better insight.
• Many firms are measuring the wrong kinds of data. Sites are often measured on metrics that don't show business value. For example, 46% of respondents indicated they used "time on site" as a key measure. This doesn't always indicate a positive experience—it could also mean that users are lost trying to navigate the site.
• Some key data is being ignored. 37% report ignoring data that is uncovered and 34% that they gather data but do not use it. Sometimes this seems to be a factor of the 'Highest Paid Person's Opinion' overriding the insights drawn from key data.

"Extractable has long been an advocate of using a data-driven design approach to create richer digital experiences for both businesses and website users," said Simon Mathews, Chief Strategy Officer at Extractable. "We commissioned this study to understand how companies across America were using data in their design process. The results are fascinating, both validating that using data to drive design improves a website's experience for its users, but also uncovering that so many firms are missing out on opportunities by measuring the wrong data or not using the data they have."

The commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Extractable, entitled Data-Driven Design: Digital Experience Teams Are Focused On Website Metrics That Don't Demonstrate Business Value, April 2012, reports on an October 2011 survey of 209 marketer, eBusiness, and customer experience professionals tasked with designing and improving their firms' digital experiences. Based on the key findings, the study also makes recommendations to help companies overcome the challenges of the data-driven design process and optimize the benefits.

To learn more: Extractable has created a fun Infographic of the key data in the study and the full study is available for download at Extractable's website:

http://www.extractable.com/forrester/index.aspx

Extractable is hosting a Webinar on June 7th on the study's findings featuring guest speaker, Forrester Research, Inc. Analyst, Adele Sage.  Sign up here: http://www.extractable.com/forrester/index.aspx

About Extractable: Extractable is a leader in data-driven user experience design, and the Web Marketing Association's Top Agency of 2009 & 2010. We specialize in creating and maintaining websites, applications, social and mobile experiences for transactional, educational, lead generation, and entertainment purposes. For our Fortune 1000 and high growth clients, our designs have targeted more than 100 million consumer and business audiences worldwide. Clients include FedEx, Bethpage Credit Union, HTC, JDS Uniphase, John Muir Health, IHS, Kodak, NPD Group, RedPrairie, Safeway, Vantiv, and Webroot. For more information, visit: www.extractable.com.

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Craig McLaughlin
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SOURCE Extractable