A UX review or audit is the starting point when embarking on a redesign or potential improvement of a website. There are many factors to consider but an overarching theme is that you need to deliver actionable insights. This is not a theoretical method but a very practical process that gives specific pointers for improvement. We can categorize the important themes in five broad categories: Business Goals, User Needs, Data, Accessibility, and Technical. Business goals are analyzed by talking with the stakeholders. An investigation of the business side can reveal potential directions and missing offerings or focal points.
User Needs are uncovered by studying the intentions and behaviours of users through various research methods to make sure they are met through the use of the website. A dive into the actual data can prove to be a treasure trove for insights or for validating decisions based on more concrete facts. Data information can be obtained through analytic platforms or user surveys when there is a large user base. Focusing on the Accessibility aspects can reveal how usable the site is to the whole spectrum of users, especially the more extreme cases that are often overlooked. In the technical category the focus shifts on the performance aspects of the website, where speed and page loading times is one of the biggest factors. These are the foundational areas when conducting a UX review, but the process can be easily adjusted to accommodate different websites.
