Optimized Usability

Evidence and data. Interviewees noted that optimized usability from insights gathered through UserTesting enabled reduced friction in the customer journey, thereby increasing task success rates for calls to action and conversion rates. Experience optimization through thoughtful designs of features, functionalities, and journeys proved strategic levers for revenue growth. Interviewees leveraged UserTesting’s AI to synthesize data from various places for key insights and trends to enhance usability.

• The director of design operations in the software industry noted the value of UserTesting’s AI feature: “With the AI tools to do synthesis, we’re really in a much-improved state than we were five years ago, when you’d have to look through every one of those items. We can get results, get a brief idea of where we’re going, and then spin up another test quickly based upon that. ... [And] quick speed to insights is also another piece.”

• The UX researcher in the e-commerce industry also remarked that “the analytics or the metrics that UserTesting give us with the combination of AI have been an absolute game changer.” This interviewee described how their team applied UserTesting to three major digital areas: product ratings and reviews, personalization, and navigation. The UX researcher explained that their organization had previously deprioritized product ratings for years due to inconclusive internal metrics, but UserTesting helped validate their importance and inspired speed and confidence in the decision. As a result, the interviewee’s company implemented a third-party ratings tool within six months and began phasing it into the site, therefore empowering customers to make more informed decisions increased sales and reduced returns. The UX researcher noted: “We were able to use UserTesting to help confirm everything we knew [about the importance of customer product ratings in e-commerce], and there’s no question that this is something that was absolutely necessary even regardless of financial impact to the business. UserTesting helped us eliminate the indecision specific to our company culture and do what we needed to get done.”

• The senior vice president of technology governance in finance described how usability improvements with UserTesting contributed to a 30% increase in online banking acquisition. By leveraging UserTesting to refine digital onboarding and product flows, their company was able to better communicate value and reduce drop-off during key customer journeys. The interviewee emphasized that broader sample sizes and faster feedback loops enabled by insights from UserTesting gave the team higher confidence in their design decisions, which translated into measurable gains in customer acquisition and retention. The interviewee said, “With UserTesting, we have seen an increase in task success rate and task efficiency across the board, probably around 5%.”

• The vice president of digital experience in the consumer packaged goods industry shared that improvements to fulfillment time communication and menu presentation, both informed by UserTesting, led to a 6% increase in retail conversion and a 2% increase in catering conversion year-over-year. These gains contributed to millions in incremental revenue. Underscoring the financial impact of even small usability improvements, the interviewee estimated, “We’re a $2.5-million company on our first-party platform. So, if we improve conversion by even 1%, that’s $25 million.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization experiences 100 million annual visitors to its digital channels.

• Its average transaction value is $150.

• The conversion rate before UserTesting is 1.5%.

• The composite conducts research projects to optimize various features, functionalities, and descriptions on its digital experiences. With insights gained from UserTesting, the composite applies improvements to its digital experiences, resulting in a conversion rate increase of 2.4% in Year 1, 4.8% in Year 2, and 7.2% in Year 3.

• The operating profit margin for the composite organization is 10%.

Risks. The impact of this benefit will vary among organizations based on the following factors:

• An organization’s annual volume of visitors, prospects, or opportunities.

• An organization’s existing conversion rate, operating profit margin, and the level of testing it conducts before UserTesting.

• An organization’s adoption of UserTesting throughout its teams and its strategy for testing the components of its digital experiences and applying insights.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 20%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $2.1 million.

Increased Customer Retention

Evidence and data. By designing studies in UserTesting to identify mobile testing opportunities for product and experience improvement, interviewees were able to reduce churn and foster long-term customer loyalty.

• The senior user researcher in the finance industry shared how usability improvements led to higher-than-expected retention during a pilot for a new product journey for existing customers. The journey, which allowed customers to transfer between brands within the same group, was refined through multiple rounds of usability testing. As a result, their organization retained customers who might otherwise have left for competitors, directly impacting revenue. The senior user researcher noted, “We’ve had very little pushback. People have been finding the journey easy. We wouldn’t have created this product without UserTesting.”

• The same interviewee described early mobile testing of a new feature: “We are at the very early stages of testing a product idea. It’ll be iterative, so this is the first part of it. We will then come back based on feedback and we’ll revise the idea. and we’ll go back and test it. We’ll maybe get some wire frames, etc. So, UserTesting has quite a lot of impact because it’s changed how that product looks and where we’re going with it. So, I think the market that we’re looking at is probably a little bit different than [the market we looked at] initially.”

• The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry described how UserTesting informed digital recovery and reordering features, leading to a 14% increase in retention among delivery customers who could easily place additional orders for items they had previously purchased. The digital recovery initiative focused on real-time issue resolution, such as providing accurate delivery time estimates and enabling immediate remedies for service failures. The interviewee noted that these improvements not only reduced customer service call volume but also increased satisfaction: “We’re solving problems with a more accurate representation of when your order will be delivered, and we’ve introduced functionality to help you get a remedy from us in real time.”

• Interviewees also demonstrated the value of customer-centric design in driving product relevance and satisfaction. The director of design operations explained that the team at their software organization reported conducting 1,000 to 1,200 studies annually, with at least 10% to 20% of those studies influencing product direction, which helped ensure that new product features aligned with user needs and expectations.

• The senior vice president of technology governance in the finance sector said their organization experienced a 10% reduction in customer churn after implementing usability improvements informed by UserTesting. This reduction in attrition preserved revenue from retained customers and reflected a broader shift toward more responsive, user-informed product development.

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• Before UserTesting, the composite experiences an 80% retention on revenue from products and experiences.

• With UserTesting, the composite increases its customer satisfaction and therefore increases its retention rate by 3.6% in Year 1; 7.2% in Year 2; and 10.8% in Year 3.

Risks. The impact of this benefit will vary among organizations based on the following factors:

• An organization’s existing retention rate, operating profit margin, and the level of testing it conducts before UserTesting.

• An organization’s adoption of UserTesting throughout its teams and its strategy for testing the components of its digital experiences and applying insights.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 20%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $2.5 million.

Avoided Developer Rework Due To Prelaunch Testing

Evidence and data. Interviewees reported that by validating concepts and designs with UserTesting before products were developed, teams prevented costly iterations, reduced wasted effort, and ensured that development resources were used efficiently. UserTesting increased speed to insights and provided the opportunity to test ideas prelaunch, saving development costs. Integrating UserTesting into the early stages of product development not only improved the user experience but also protected valuable engineering time and budget for the interviewees’ organizations. By identifying issues before they reached production, teams avoided the high cost of rework and delivered improved products more quickly.

• The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry described that by using UserTesting to validate usability before launching features, their team reduced the number of A/B test iterations from three to 1.5 on average. This not only saved development time but also ensured that scarce engineering resources were focused on high-impact work. The interviewee noted: “We eliminate a whole bunch of wasted cycles by doing the testing upfront. We’re still going to A/B testing … but it cuts down on us wasting effort and capacity.”

• The senior vice president of technology governance in finance noted that acceleration in research cycles not only improved time to insight but also reduced the likelihood of costly rework. The interviewee estimated that their organization achieved a 2% to 3% cost savings specifically from avoided developer rework, a meaningful figure given the scale of their operations.

• The director of design operations in the software industry described how UserTesting helped prevent costly errors. One example involved a feature that, if released without testing, would have caused users to drop off midtask, triggering support tickets and requiring emergency fixes. The team estimated that such rework could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in labor alone and potentially could have resulted in frustrated customers and lost business. By validating usability early, they avoided these expenses and improved the overall user experience. The interviewee said, “We are saving ourselves from sending things out [that would have failed in market],” and also estimated that each development cycle saved could represent approximately $10,000 in labor costs, not including the opportunity cost of delaying more impactful work. With a lean team of under 15 developers supporting digital initiatives, the ability to focus on building the right features the first time was critical. This interviewee noted, “We have very scarce development resources, so we need to be really, really confident that it is the right thing.”

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization conducts 240 research projects in Year 1, 480 in Year 2, and 720 in Year 3 (or one project a month per researcher).

• Twenty-five percent of research projects directly influence product development with four sprints per project.

• With UserTesting, the composite organization experiences a 25% reduction in iteration cycles.

• The average cost to iterate per cycle is $10,000.

Risks. The impact of this benefit will vary among organizations based on the following factors:

• The number of developers supporting researchers at the organization.

• The organization’s approach to research and testing within the product development cycle.

• The average cost to iterate per cycle for the organization.

• The average research project to iteration ratio at the organization.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 15%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $2.5 million.

Improved Researcher And Designer Productivity

Evidence and data. Interviewees reported that UserTesting enhanced researcher and designer productivity by providing templates, streamlining workflows, increasing testing throughput, and enabling more efficient collaboration. By reducing the time and effort required to plan, execute, and analyze user research, interviewees’ teams were able to focus more on high-value activities and scale their impact without proportionally increasing headcount.

• The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry described how their team transitioned from conducting one or two tests per quarter — often involving in-person interviews at cafés — to running multiple tests per week after adopting UserTesting. Despite a reduction in team size from nine to six UX professionals, the testing throughput increased dramatically. The interviewee said, “Our testing throughput is in orders of magnitude higher, even with a smaller team than we had before.” This shift allowed the team to validate ideas more frequently and with greater confidence without overburdening researchers or designers.

• This interviewee also noted that the platform also helped reduce the number of design and research cycles needed to reach a viable solution. Before UserTesting, the interviewee’s team typically required three iterations to refine a concept; with UserTesting, that number dropped to one and a half. This not only saved time but also reduced the cognitive and logistical load on researchers and designers. The vice president of digital experience and product said: “We’re launching one test and getting the result that we need. … We lose a whole bunch of wasted cycles by doing the testing upfront.”

• The senior manager of UX research and content design in the retail industry described how UserTesting enabled their small team (three researchers and four content designers) to support from nine to 12 product teams. This was previously unmanageable.

• The senior vice president of technology governance in finance shared that prior to adopting UserTesting, research cycles took two to three months and required coordination across five to 10 team members, often in partnership with external research institutions. With UserTesting, the research cycle was reduced to about one month, allowing teams to move faster and with more autonomy.

• Interviewees described that the ability to quickly gather user feedback helped focus internal conversations and reduce the time spent debating design decisions. With even a small amount of user data, teams were able to align more quickly and avoid unproductive discussions. These improvements in productivity not only enabled teams to do more with less but also fostered a culture of evidence-based decision-making, where researchers and designers could confidently advocate for user needs while accelerating the pace of innovation.

Modeling and assumptions. Based on the interviews, Forrester assumes the following about the composite organization:

• The composite organization has 20 researchers leveraging UserTesting in Year 1, 40 in Year 2, and              60 in Year 3.

• Researchers save 50% of time with UserTesting.

• The average fully burdened annual salary for researchers is $105,000.

• The composite organization has 10 designers supporting researchers in Year 1, 20 in Year 2, and 30 in Year 3.

• Designers save 10% of time due to improved design decisions with access to data, which prevents errors.

• The average fully burdened annual salary for designers is $130,000

Risks. The impact of this benefit will vary among organizations based on the following factors:

• The growth of the organization and its research projects.

• The approach by which the organization prioritizes research projects and their support.

• The extent of adoption of UserTesting throughout the organization.

• The average annual burdened salaries of researchers and designers.

Results. To account for these risks, Forrester adjusted this benefit downward by 15%, yielding a three-year, risk-adjusted total PV (discounted at 10%) of $2.4 million.

Unquantified Benefits

Interviewees mentioned the following additional benefits that their organizations experienced but were not able to quantify:

• Improved research and panel quality fostered trust in insights and internal buy-in across teams. Interviewees emphasized that UserTesting allowed teams to launch with greater confidence, reducing reliance on intuition and enabling more data-informed decisions. They noted that even without statistical significance, having directional feedback helped cut through internal debates, enabling more objective conversations and reducing internal bias in product decisions. The vice president of digital experience and product estimated that UserTesting reduced subjective debates by 50%, especially when presenting to nondigital stakeholders.
  The same interviewee in the consumer packaged goods industry noted that prior to UserTesting, research was inconsistent and often based on informal café interviews that lacked statistical rigor. With UserTesting, their team could reliably gather actionable insights at scale, which helped them build confidence in their decisions. The interviewee stated, “Whenever we launch a test, we know that we’re going to get actionable insight in a much more repeatable and efficient way.” Similarly, the senior vice president of technology governance in the finance sector explained that broader sample sizes and faster turnaround enabled their team to remove ambiguity and gain higher confidence in design and product decisions.
  The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry said the digital team leveraged UserTesting insights to reduce subjective debates and accelerate decision-making. The interviewee noted that UserTesting helped minimize unproductive conversations and focus discussions on user needs, stating, “If we have even a little bit of data or signal, it is much less likely that you are going to get random feedback from stakeholders.” The senior vice president of technology governance in finance emphasized that wider sample sizes and faster insights helped reduce ambiguity and improve the clarity of product decisions.

• Studies at scale broadened geographic reach and inclusivity. UserTesting expanded the geographic reach of research at the interviewees’ organizations, allowing their teams to gather insights from a more diverse and representative set of users. The senior vice president of technology governance in the finance sector explained that prior to UserTesting, research was limited to two or three markets due to logistical constraints. With the UserTesting platform, they were able to double that reach to four to six markets, enabling broader and more inclusive feedback. This expansion helped reduce regional bias and ensured that product decisions reflected the needs of a wider customer base. The senior manager of UX research and content design in the retail industry explained that prior to adopting UserTesting, their team conducted most of their research in local stores near their headquarters. This created a strong bias in their insights, as the region is deeply embedded in the company culture brand culture. The interviewee noted, “We were loving our stores a little too much,” adding that one store even grew tired of frequent research visits. With UserTesting, the company expanded its reach beyond local markets and engaged customers nationwide without the logistical burden of travel. This shift not only reduced operational strain but also helped counter internal biases, enabling teams to make decisions based on a broader and more inclusive understanding of their customer base.

• Availability of user data unlocked a cultural shift toward customer-centricity. The interviewees noted their organizations’ adoption of UserTesting contributed to a cultural shift toward customer-centricity by embedding user feedback into daily workflows. The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry stated that their team now rarely makes decisions without grounding them in user data. They said, “We generally don’t open our mouths without at least some sort of footing in user data,” highlighting how the platform helped reduce reliance on intuition and elevate the voice of the customer in strategic planning.

• Strategic enablement unlocked innovation. UserTesting enabled strategic initiatives at the interviewees’ organizations by providing timely insights that informed product development and customer engagement strategies; interviewees noted that UserTesting helped identify and shape entirely new initiatives, such as digital recovery and fulfillment messaging, which may not have been prioritized otherwise. The vice president of digital experience and product in the consumer packaged goods industry said their digital team used UserTesting to shape key features such as reorder flows. The senior vice president of technology governance in the finance industry said research insights supported efforts to increase product utilization and online banking acquisition, aligning with broader business goals and serving as strategic enabler, not just a tactical tool.

• Mitigated compliance and reputation risks. The senior vice president of technology governance explained that their finance organization had previously faced reputational challenges due to customer experiences that were not always aligned with customer consent, and the company had chosen UserTesting to help them address the reputational risks surrounding securing consent for users. By using UserTesting to validate user flows and product messaging, the company was able to better align with customer needs and reduce the risk of negative press. The interviewee emphasized, “We’ve always tried to make sure we present ourselves as being mindful of our customers,” noting that the platform helped reinforce that commitment.

Flexibility

The value of flexibility is unique to each customer. There are multiple scenarios in which a customer might implement UserTesting and later realize additional uses and business opportunities, including:

• Variety in research methods. Interviewees mentioned that UserTesting unlocked previously unavailable research methods, enabling teams to conduct a wide range of studies with minimal overhead and allowing teams to adapt their research approach to different business needs and timelines. Interviewees highlighted the ability to use various methodologies (e.g., unmoderated tests, surveys, card sorting) and the flexibility to scale research across teams with different needs.

• Democratization and autonomy in research — even in a centralized platform. Interviewees found UserTesting enabled greater autonomy and democratization of research across large organizations even while offering a centralized solution. The senior manager of UX research and content design in retail explained that their team had evolved from a centralized model to one where more individuals across product teams were empowered: UserTesting equipped designers and product managers to conduct their own research, reducing bottlenecks and increasing research coverage without expanding the centralized research team. The interviewee noted that product managers and designers were increasingly using the platform independently. The senior vice president of technology governance in the finance sector described how previously centralized research efforts with alternative solutions required extensive coordination and offered limited visibility. With UserTesting, individual business units gained the ability to conduct their own studies independently, increasing agility and responsiveness to specific customer needs. This empowered more teams to engage directly with customer feedback and make informed decisions.

Flexibility would also be quantified when evaluated as part of a specific project (described in more detail in Total Economic Impact Approach).