Strategies for enhancing user
understanding of the ‘helping process’
on Thecoupleconnection.net
Presentation for The couple connection.net, 26 Aug 2009 - Headshift, Ana Roji

Bearing in mind the context of
where the user is coming from...

their expectations, motivations and
ways to approach the site... coming
from google search? coming from
netmums?

Aims of the redesign
• Making the ‘helping process’ more visible throughout the site
• Convey a better understanding of the underlying process
• Merge the helping process with the 3 calls to action on the
navigation bar

Methodologies
• Design 2/3 different ways of merging the 5 milestones of the
‘helping process’ within the 3 calls to action on the header
• Run a quick internal session to get some feedback on the
understanding of these new connections
• Gathering the main points from their feedback, distill some
conclusions

Version 1

Feedback
• Participants tried to click in all the titles
• Confusion between the two levels of titles, different tone,
what’s the connection between both?
• Interpretation that Check it Out was broken down into two
other sections, Explore and Understand
• 5 steps on top dilute the 3 clear calls to action that they liked,
they preferred the 1,2,3 ones, found them clearer
• Too much info, not clear whether that indicates workflow or
navigation

Version 2

Version 2

Design Brief
• Conveying the idea of a subtle call to the dots on the ‘helping
process’
• ‘Hiding’ the complexity, clicking the button ‘show me the
helping process’ displays an extra level of information
• Offer contextual info on where you are on the process

Feedback
• Better initial reaction at the simpler header, but once they tried
to dig on the meaning of the filled dots it was impossible to
grasp
• Dots don’t provide the right understanding (why are they filled
already when I haven’t used the site yet? why are inconsistently
being filled? are there 15 steps in total?)
• Dots give the feeling of a progress bar, game mechanic that is
interactive, do they evolve while I use the site?
• Expectations that bigger circles are clickable, or this layer being
interactive somehow

Homepage version 1

Homepage version 1
• Confusion with the two levels of progress
• Did not see what the words on the circles meant, they felt
them too abstract, and not actionable
• They tried to click on the circles

Some conclusions

Some conclusions
• Merging the helping process steps with the 3 calls to action on
the navigation doesn’t work - is not the best way to convey the
process underneath the site, confuses people
• Try to indicate the helping process on a different way, not only
showing the graphic but implying it on the explanation of the 3
sections
• Is important to let people browse around the content, give it a
try before ‘imposing’ any knowledge on the process

Some conclusions
• Clear and prominent signposting to the helping process but let
people acquire the curiosity for a deeper knowledge, while
offering them hints on it
• Preference for the tone of voice on the 3 main sections than
vocabulary used on the helping process, felt very abstract -
maybe reword the title ‘helping process’ to ‘what’s underneath
the couple connection’?
• Essential to keep users motivated, encourage them to go
further to take advantage of Work it Out, show the benefits of
it more clearly, make them want to try it

our suggested strategy...

Strategy focused on
Homepage
redesign +

Strategy focused on
Helping
Homepage
redesign + process +
page

Strategy focused on
Helping Work it out
Homepage
redesign + process + page +
page redesign

Strategy focused on
Helping Work it out Headers &
Homepage
redesign + process + page + footer
page redesign redesign

Strategy focused on
Helping Work it out Headers &
Homepage
redesign + process + page + footer
page redesign redesign
=
Enhance Engage
Improve
understanding users on
signups
of process the WIO

Suggested new homepage

Suggested new homepage
Importance of copyright
engaging, clear and ‘catchy’

Suggested new homepage
Importance of copyright
engaging, clear and ‘catchy’
Helping process ‘implied’
on the actual calls to action

Suggested new homepage
Importance of copyright
engaging, clear and ‘catchy’
Offer different levels of
description on the layout,
for different types of users
and their motivations and Helping process ‘implied’
expectations on the site on the actual calls to action

Suggested new homepage
Importance of copyright
engaging, clear and ‘catchy’
‘Elevator pitch’
Offer different levels of
description on the layout,
for different types of users
and their motivations and Helping process ‘implied’
expectations on the site on the actual calls to action
Learn more
In depth

Suggested new homepage
Importance of copyright
engaging, clear and ‘catchy’
Offer different levels of
description on the layout,
for different types of users
and their motivations and Helping process ‘implied’
expectations on the site on the actual calls to action
Very good way to engage
users to see the value of
the site through seeing
other people’s experience
on it