User Experience in Cross-Platform Applications

Traditional UX Analytics tell us what happened - users clicked here, spent X minutes, and fell somewhere on the way. But they do not tell us why. Why did a user leave a process? Why did he hesitate before completing the action? This is where the hidden Markov model (HMM) comes. Instead of tracking only surface-level metrics, HMMs expose hidden users, showing how people infection between engagement, hesitation and frustration. With this, we can predict the drop -off before it is - a game changer for UX optimization. Take a health-tracking app. Standard analytics may show: - Some users log smooth data. - Browse without completing other tasks. - Repeat the data again and again before leaving anything. Standard matrix cannot tell us what users are experiencing. HMMs fill the difference that shows how users infection between states over time. By monitoring sessions, clicks and drop-offs, classify HMM users: - Moving → Smarting through tasks. - Search → Click around but not to complete the actions. - Disappointed → hesitation, possibility of repeating steps, leaving. Instead of reacting to the drop-off, teams may see the initial signals of disappointment and intervention. HMMs predict behavior, making UX research active: - Personal onboarding → finds out that users require help. - Hoosier A/B test → explains why a design works better. - Preemptive UI fix → identifies friction before leaving users. Blending qualitative insights with HMM-driven modeling gives a fuller picture of user experience. Traditional UX reacts to problems after research problems. HMM estimates issues, helping teams to customize experiences before despair set. As UX becomes more complex, tracking click is not enough - we need to understand the behavior pattern

When something feels off, I like to dig into why. I came across this feedback UX that intrigued me because it seemingly never ended (following a very brief interaction with a customer service rep). So here's a nerdy breakdown of feedback UX flows — what works vs what doesn't. A former colleague once introduced me to the German term "salamitaktik," which roughly translates to asking for a whole salami one slice at a time. I thought about this recently when I came across Backcountry’s feedback UX. It starts off simple: “Rate your experience.” But then it keeps going. No progress indicator, no clear stopping point—just more questions. What makes this feedback UX frustrating? – Disproportionate to the interaction (too much effort for a small ask) – Encourages extreme responses (people with strong opinions stick around, others drop off) – No sense of completion (users don’t know when they’re done) Compare this to Uber’s rating flow: You finish a ride, rate 1-5 stars, and you’re done. A streamlined model—fast, predictable, actionable (the whole salami). So what makes a good feedback flow? – Respect users’ time – Prioritize the most important questions up front – Keep it short—remove anything unnecessary – Let users opt in to provide extra details – Set clear expectations (how many steps, where they are) – Allow users to leave at any time Backcountry’s current flow asks eight separate questions. But really, they just need two: 1. Was the issue resolved? 2. How well did the customer service rep perform? That’s enough to know if they need to follow up and assess service quality—without overwhelming the user. More feedback isn’t always better—better-structured feedback is. Backcountry’s feedback UX runs on Medallia, but this isn’t a tooling issue—it’s a design issue. Good feedback flows focus on signal, not volume. What are the best and worst feedback UXs you’ve seen?

Data Products are NOT all code, infra, and biz data. Even from a PURE technical POV, a Data Product must also have the ability to capture HUMAN Feedback. The User’s insight is technically part of the product and defines 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 & shape. This implies Human Action is an integrated part of the Data Product, and it turns out 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. How the user interacts with the product influences how the product develops. But what is the 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐛/𝐰 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? It’s a 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 that doesn’t just offer a read-only experience like dashboards (no action or way to capture action), but enables the user to interact actively. This bridge is entirely a user-experience (UX) problem. With the goal of how to enhance the User's Experience that encourages action, the interface/bridge between Data Products and Human Action must address the following: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝? A discovery problem addressed by UX features such as natural language search (contextual search), browsing, & product exploration features. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭? An accessibility problem addressed by UX features such as native integrability- interoperability with native stacks, policy granularity (and scalable management of granules), documentation, and lineage transparency. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? A more deep-rooted accessibility problem. You can't use data you don't trust. Addressed by UX features such as quality/SLO overview & lineage (think contracts), downstream updates & request channels. Note that it's the data product that's enabling quality but the UI that's exposing trust features. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 & 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? A data evolution problem. Addressed by UX features such as logical modelling interface, easily operable by both adept and non-technical data users. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐈’𝐦 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭? A measurement/attribution problem. Addressed by UX features such as global and local metrics trees. ...and so on. You get the picture. Note that not only the active user suggestions but also the user’s usage patterns are recorded, acting as active feedback for data product dev and managers. This UI is like a product hub for users to actively discover, understand, and leverage data products while passively enabling product development at the same time through consistent 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 by the UI. How have you been solving the UX for your Data Products?

How do you move users from one app to another - without losing them along the way? --- When Airtel wanted to convert engaged Wynk listeners into Xstream Play viewers, here was the challenge: Experimenting with placing the right content at the right moment - without waiting on or wasting dev cycles. The team tackled it with real-time in-app campaigns that seamlessly guided users from music to video. Ex: Dynamic Bottom Sheet After 5 Songs 🎶 After every 5 songs, a contextual bottom sheet nudged listeners toward Xstream Play, seamlessly introducing them to relevant video content without interrupting their session. The result? More users discovering and engaging with trending video content. --- Streaming apps need to meet users where they are. And smart in-app campaigns can make cross-platform adoption seamless - without needing engineering involvement. --- Learn more about how Airtel uses Plotline to power app growth: https://lnkd.in/eGJMyySd --- #userexperience #userengagement #appgrowth #contentstreaming

UX work doesn’t equal sitting quietly behind a screen. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential to Good UX. These are the 10 best communication practices for your UX team: 1. Consistent standups Short, focused weekly (or daily) meetings close essential knowledge gaps and create alignment between team members. Frequent check-ins help everyone get aligned on tasks, address obstacles, and stay on top of overarching goals. 2. Clear documentation Create a source of truth for the entire team. This includes comprehensive documentation of UX knowledge: design decisions, user personas, journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, and design comps annotations. 3. Feedback sessions Consistent design reviews create a healthy feedback culture. When teams regularly practice giving and receiving feedback, they can receive it more openly from stakeholders. 4. Collaborative tools Streamline the collaborative process with tools like Figma, Miro, or Sketch for design, and Slack or Microsoft Teams for communication. Asynchronous spaces to create and communicate save invaluable time. 5. Communication channels Establish SOPs for when, where, and how to communicate – Slack for informal chats, emails for formal communication, Loom for feedback – whatever works best for your team. Keep everyone informed with status updates on projects and individual tasks. 6. Brainstorming sessions Bringing everyone’s zones of genius together is a powerful way to unlock creative ideas. Workshops dedicated to ideation, strategy, and execution are fundamental to strong UX teams. Most importantly, ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of their role. 7. Outline roles and responsibilities Using RACI or a responsibility-assignment charter eliminates overlap and confusion about tasks. Clear visuals assigning roles and responsibilities empower the team to execute efficiently. Better yet, they highlight points of collaboration in the process. 8. Foster transparency Have an open-door policy. Allow ideas, feedback, and suggestions from anyone in any role. Senior leaders should intentionally check in with the team during one-on-ones to discuss progress, challenges, and career development. 9. Continuous learning The UX field never stops evolving, and UXers should never stop learning. UX conferences, courses, and workshops should be a team commitment. Take the learning to the next level and discuss your takeaways during knowledge-sharing sessions. 10. Focus on the user No matter your UX role, a good user experience should be everyone’s end goal. Ongoing user research and testing should consistently be implemented and shared to maintain focus on real user needs and challenges. – What are the best communication practices (or challenges) for your UX team?

Want to know why UX projects fail? It's not your design skills. After 15 years in design and development, I've watched brilliant designers crash and burn for one reason: 💡 They couldn't communicate their value. How you think UX communication should work: - Present your beautiful mockups - Explain your user research - Show your impressive portfolio - Talk about design principles How UX communication ACTUALLY works: - Translate design decisions into business outcomes - Connect user pain points directly to lost revenue - Provide clear, jargon-free explanations of complex concepts - Build stakeholder trust through consistent delivery 10 years ago, I was designing in a silo. Context? I was the "graphics guy." And no: - I wasn't getting invited to strategy meetings - My designs weren't making it to production intact - Stakeholders didn't understand my value In fact, since I changed my communication approach: - My project implementation rate increased by 85% - I've been invited to leadership meetings - My designs actually shipped as intended Sounds too simple? Here's what worked for me: 1. Ditch the design jargon. Explain concepts like a human talking to another human. 2. Frame everything in terms of business impact. "This navigation change will reduce support tickets by approximately 35%." 3. Build a communication bridge by teaching stakeholders 1-2 UX principles per project. 4. Create before & after comparisons with metrics, not just visuals. 5. Make time to step away from your screen. (For me, it's west coast swing dancing weekly). The perspective shift is worth more than another hour of pixel pushing. The best UX professionals understand that our job isn't just creating great experiences—it's convincing others why those experiences matter. --- PS: What's the most important communication lesson you've learned in your UX career? Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

Strong signals bring user needs into focus. Over the years, I’ve worked with many teams that create user personas, giving them names like “Cindy” and saying things like “She needs to find this feature” to guide their design decisions. That’s a good start. But user needs are more complex than a few traits or surface-level goals. They include emotions, behaviors, and deeper motivations that aren’t always visible. That’s why we’re building Glare, our open framework for data-informed design. We've learned a lot using Helio. It helps teams create clear, measurable signals around user needs. UX metrics help turn user needs into real data: → What users think → What users do → What users feel → What users say When you define the right audience traits and pick the helpful research methods, you can turn vague assumptions into specific, actionable signals. Let’s take a common persona example: Your team says, “Cindy can’t find the new dashboard feature.” Instead of stopping there, create signals using UX metrics to define usefulness better: → Attitudinal Metrics (how Cindy feels) Usefulness ↳ 42% of users say the dashboard doesn’t help them complete their tasks Sentiment ↳ Users overwhelmingly selected: Confused, Frustrated, Overwhelmed Only 12% chose Clear or Confident Post-Task Satisfaction ↳ 52% of people are satisfied after completing key actions → Behavioral Metrics (what Cindy does) Frequency ↳ Only 18% of users revisit the dashboard weekly, down from 35% last quarter → Performance Metrics (how the product supports Cindy) Helpfulness ↳ 60% of users say they needed help materials to complete a task, suggesting the experience is unclear With UX data like this, your team can stop guessing and start aligning around the real needs of users. UX metrics turn assumptions into signals… leading to better product decisions. Reach out to me if you want to learn how to incorporate UX metrics into your team workflows. #productdesign #productdiscovery #userresearch #uxresearch

It's no longer enough to ask "Are we ranking?" Instead, the real question is: “Are we meeting the user at every point in their decision journey?” Most brands still approach SEO as a one-channel game, optimizing content solely for Google and hoping that visibility leads to conversions. But today's buyer journey is no longer confined to one platform, one format, or even one moment in time. People now move fluidly across multiple platforms: TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, Google, Amazon, ChatGPT… depending on their intent, curiosity, and trust in the medium. They’re not just searching; they’re comparing, validating, watching, reading, and revisiting before making a decision. Mapping the complete journey helps you answer that. For every stage: 1. Discover, 2. Compare, 3. Act, You need to identify three things: 1. what the user is searching for, 2. where they go to find the answer,  3. and what format they expect it in. In the discovery phase, they might start with a short-form TikTok video or an Instagram reel that introduces the product concept. They might click into a blog post that educates them on why something matters or how it works. As they move into comparison mode, they’ll likely Google branded terms, look for Reddit threads discussing real experiences, or watch YouTube reviews to hear honest opinions. Finally, when they’re ready to act, they’ll compare listings on Amazon or check product pages on the official website before completing their purchase. This isn’t a straight path, it’s a web of behavior. A user might revisit the same product on multiple platforms, cross-check reviews across Reddit and Amazon, or go from a YouTube review back to a TikTok ad just to confirm their gut feeling. The time span can range from minutes to weeks. That’s why understanding the journey is essential. Because if you're only optimizing one part of it, you’re invisible in the rest. Search Everywhere Optimization doesn’t just acknowledge this complexity, it embraces it. By meeting users where they already search and adapting to the behaviors they already exhibit, your brand becomes discoverable in the moments that matter most. That’s how trust is built. That’s how action is earned. And that’s how visibility stops being a ranking and starts being a presence.

🚫 Your onboarding isn't bad, it ends too early. Want an easy way to improve retention? Create a custom new user experience that bypasses the home screen and gets them right into the app's core experience. Imprint (Google's Best App of 2023), made a major change focused on trial conversion and retention. They had a pretty stellar onboarding flow But after the paywall, they dropped users directly onto the home page Instead, they created an entirely new flow that helps users better understand the app and recommend a personalized course. After the paywall Imprint: ⏲️ Uses motivational language: "Your first lesson will take less than a minute" 👌 Personalizes their course choices based on data collected during onboarding 🧑🏫 Teaches you how to use the app through guidance integrated into the UI "Show, don't tell" 🎮 Adds gamification by gaining XP by completing a lesson and answering questions correctly 🎰 Adds more gamification through daily streaks 🧪 Understands their "Aha" moment and motivates users to complete 2 lessons on their first day Figuring out an activation metric that correlates with longer-term retention and monetization can be a major unlock 🤔 Gives users the choice of continuing the same recommended course or trying something different. Do your best to personalize the experience based on what users have shared, but don't force it! 👋 Want more? ➡️ Go to Retention .Blog for the full post. I share all the details and show how Imprint's entire onboarding changed from 2024 -> 2025 Also, Thomas Petit was kind enough to share some wisdom on "How did you hear about us?" and "Age" questions during onboarding -------------------------- I got tired of reading high-level strategy articles, so I started writing actionable advice I would want to read. Every week I share practical learnings you can apply to your business.

Introducing Adobe Customer Journey Analytics' Event Depth dimension - building on the proven Hit Depth functionality from Adobe Analytics to deliver enhanced cross-platform journey analysis. This new standard CJA dimension component maintains the proven sequential event counting methodology while expanding its scope beyond traditional web/mobile hits to encompass all customer event touchpoints across platforms and channels. What sets it apart? Unlike its predecessor's fixed-session approach, Event Depth in CJA supports dynamic session calculation and event depth re-computation as new event interaction data flows in. This flexibility is crucial for today's complex, multi-channel customer journeys. For CJA practitioners focused on understanding detailed user engagement patterns and optimizing customer experiences, Event Depth provides reliable sequential tracking that stays true to its analytics heritage while meeting modern cross-platform analysis needs. Read the full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gv7xSiMF #AdobeCJA #AdobeCustomerJourneyAnalytics #AdobeExperiencePlatform