Smart and Basic lists on the Contact hub
How to can we help our users to create their contact lists for surveys, analysis, and integrations on the GetFeedback platform?
Roles and responsibilities
Product Design.
Interaction Design.
User Research.
Technical exploration.
Project Summary
Our investigation into the Contact Hub revealed that customers require the ability to generate lists based on diverse variables and survey responses. However, the current distribution list system poses significant challenges and lacks an intuitive design, resulting from the absence of a centralized platform for managing client lists. In response to these findings, we established the primary objective of enabling users to create basic and smart lists using simple and more complex logic, respectively. Nonetheless, the first version of the project will only support contact-based lists.
You can learn more about the Contact Hub here.
The challenge
One of the main challenges of enabling users to create basic and smart lists based on simple and complex logic, respectively, is to ensure that the platform is intuitive and user-friendly. The logic behind the list creation should be clear and easy to understand, allowing users to generate accurate and relevant lists quickly. Additionally, the platform must be capable of handling large amounts of data, filtering fields, and processing survey responses in a timely and efficient manner.
Another significant challenge is to ensure that the first version of the project supports only contact-based lists. This limitation could hinder some users' ability to generate comprehensive lists, particularly those who require more advanced segmentation. Therefore, it is crucial to set clear expectations and communicate effectively with users about the project's scope and limitations to avoid confusion and dissatisfaction.
First concept
As part of the Contact Hub's main feature development, we conducted an initial study to conceptualize the domain's functionalities with our research team, including accounts, contacts, contact syncing/updating, and list creation. During this phase, we made assumptions about the users' criteria for creating contact/account segments and devised a two-pronged approach to list creation: Basic and Smart Lists.
Basic Lists would require users to add contacts manually using the presented filters, and the contacts would not receive automatic updates. In contrast, Smart Lists would enable users to set up mappings, and every time a contact/account matched those mappings, it would be added automatically to that list.
Our research revealed several insights that shaped our approach. Firstly, while most participants were Salesforce users who appreciated the ability to sync data, they were uncertain about how often the list would be refreshed. Secondly, users were interested in how quickly Smart Lists would update when a value changed. For instance, if a user changed their NPS rating to 5, how soon would the segment be updated?
Moreover, many users sought to add contacts based on custom objects other than Contacts or Accounts. They often had to create a list of contacts based on criteria from multiple fields from multiple objects. Users anticipated that Lists could help them pull appropriate lists from Salesforce. However, they also understood that Smart Lists would be used to segment existing lists.
Definitions
Based on customer feedback, I and the product manager have refined the concepts of Basic and Smart lists:
For Basic lists, users will be able to create lists based on the contact name, account name, phone number, and email. All lists must have a stored name, date of creation, the user who created it, and the programs they are a part of.
For Smart lists, users can create lists based on various platform components such as surveys, scores, and responses. The filters for both types of lists include "all fields," "equal to," and "contains," while numeric fields include "less than," "more than," "equal to or less than," and "equal to or more than." Smart lists are automatically generated, so users cannot edit or modify the users from them. The process of creating both Basic and Smart lists will begin from the same point and follow the same pattern.
Second proposal …. and third, fourth …
Based on these criteria, I began drafting the initial flows, which was a challenging task. I shared my work with the team so that we could all be on board with the same experience. To simplify the user actions, we decided to focus on the following:
Although it may seem like a simple task, it took me 7 iterations of the first flow to arrive at a single proposal. Due to numerous discussions and feedback, we decided to conduct a second round of user testing to validate this concept. In summary, the concept is divided into two steps: in the first step, users filter and add contacts (and they can only add), while in the second step, they remove them. We aimed to simplify the flow by focusing on a single main action in each step.
Second research
I ran a week-long user research study with six participants to gather feedback on the prototype for Smart Lists and Basic Lists. The study aimed to validate the concept and flow for Lists, especially Basic Lists, and to test the usability of navigating through the flow. During the study, we discovered some areas that needed improvement. Firstly, users had difficulty differentiating between Smart Lists and Basic Lists and were uncertain about the capabilities of each. Additionally, it was crucial to make the steps for filtering and adding contacts clear and concise. Selecting all and selecting visible options were also unclear to 100% of users.
We also found that users tended to filter contacts based on what they wanted to see, rather than the ones they wanted to exclude. As a result, we need to add more differentiation on the List page to improve the understanding of what is a list. Lastly, we realized that there was no need to add filtering on the List page since all users would create the list by filtering the desired criteria and maybe removing one or two contacts.
Final designs
After receiving feedback from the six users, I revised the initial flow and decided to focus on Basic Lists for the V1 launch. We plan to work on Smart Lists for the V2 launch. To make the experience consistent for users, I suggested a new component called "Filter" that would work in all parts of the experience related to contacts/accounts. The team agreed with this proposal as it would be easy to implement in future interactions such as analysis, integrations, and mappings.
Lists quick actions
Duplicate list
Wizard: Filtering contacts
Wizard: adding contacts
Lists overview
Wizard: removing contacts
List details
Wizard: adding contacts
Wizard: Options
Wizard: Naming list
Reflections
The development of the Lists on Contact Hub feature was a challenging yet rewarding project. It was crucial to involve users throughout the entire process to ensure that the final product met their needs and expectations. Iterative testing and design helped us refine the concept and create a smooth user experience, even when we were only internal with the team. The project team worked collaboratively, incorporating feedback and ideas from various stakeholders to develop a solution that not only met user needs but also aligned with the overall business goals.
Lessons Learnt
Obtaining user feedback is of utmost importance for the success of any product development project. Early detection of potential issues through iterative testing and design can save both time and money in the long run. Collaborative teamwork can contribute to better outcomes. To ensure a faster and more successful product launch, it is important to prioritize features and concentrate on a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Project Next Steps
• Launch the v1 of the Basic Lists feature to users and monitor adoption and satisfaction rates.
• Gather feedback on the Basic Lists feature and use it to inform the development of the Smart Lists feature for v2.
• Analyze usage data to identify areas for further improvement and optimization.
• Consider integrating the Contact Hub feature with other tools and platforms to enhance its functionality and value for users.