Using Empathy to Discovery User Needs
My Role
I was a customer discovery / marketing consultant with 14 Dayz / Brains4All, a developer of time-tracking software.
The Context
In 2020, I received an email from 14Dayz CEO Pepijn Bakker from the Netherlands: his father passed away and he was exploring how to keep the company alive. I empathized with him, and responded with sadness for his personal loss. I encouraged him to continue - and spoke about the professional value of his SaaS software.
14Dayz - simple and powerful time-tracking software (UI, 2018)
I was a User who really enjoyed using 14Dayz - it was great for tracking my time across multiple projects for a global education nonprofit - fast on-ramp time, easy data entry and powerful reporting. I was also curious about Pepijn's future plans for US market growth.
The Problem
Launched in 2006, 14Dayz' software was a market leader with little competition. By 2020, it was lagging in a crowded market - even after adding a mobile app. The key challenges facing the company were:
- Jumpstarting user acquisition and retention; and
- Differentiating and repositioning the software for US market success.
A mobile app was developed in 2020
The Process
- Conducted competitor analysis
- Conducted 1-1 user Interviews - focusing on pain-points, needs and motivations
- Collected, analyzed user data, behavior and insights about user's journey
- Recommended changes in user flow, messaging / content, pricing and UI design
Competitor Analysis of Time-Tracking Software (2020)
User Research - 20+ interviews identified user pain points, needs and motivations
- New and current users were interviewed in-depth, via surveys and Zoom.
- Collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data.
UX research revealed user pain points and key insights
User Insights
The UX research found:
Users LOVED 14Dayz for its:
- Ease of use, simplicity of user experience
- Fast on-ramp time
- Data exports
- Pricing / affordability
Users DID NOT LOVE the:
- Lack of billing / invoicing features
- Lack of API, integration with modern software programs (i.e., Hubspot, Salesforce)
Workflow analysis provided insights to reduce cart abandonment.
Results
- A new value proposition for modernizing user experience for key customer segments
- A solid business case for adding billing / invoicing features
- Validated repositioning and differentiation in highly-competitive market
- Validated new productivity features (i.e., billing / invoicing), need for APIs
- Validated new use cases to increase to increase growth
- Validated new pricing model
- Revised UI content and workflow to increase conversion, nudge customer behavior.
Pepijn Bakker, CEO. 14Dayz
Testimonial
"It is not always easy to receive constructive feedback and criticism of a product that you have created.
It is very helpful to learn about it before investing a lot of money focused on the wrong direction or market segment. Now, we know what to do, where to make changes, and how to move forward in growing our business in the US."
- Pepijn Bakker, CEO,
14Dayz
14Dayz