UX Design + Research
14 Dayz is a simple and user-friendly time-tracking software company, It is based in Netherlands and began operations in 2005. It has a software platform (SaaS) that tracks time and / or expenses - for billing and operational results. As of 2020, the market has become very crowded and intensely-competitive.
The Problem
Three major challenges faced the company:
When the company was established, it was a technology leader. In 2020, the founder’s son took over the business - keeping his father’s legacy alive - and taking steps to grow the company and its user base.
- user acquisition stagnating
- high competition and a generation of technology advances - since product entered the market in 2005
- change in company leadership - company founder passed away and his son stepped into the role
When the company was established, it was a technology leader. In 2020, the founder’s son took over the business - keeping his father’s legacy alive - and taking steps to grow the company and its user base.
Customer Segments
- Consultants, Freelancers
- IT Consultants
- Lawyers, Accountants
- Software Companies / R&D
- Nonprofits & Charitable Organizations
Process
New and current users were interviewed on a 1-1 basis, via Zoom, to explore pain points, needs and business requirements. The 1-1 interviews uncovered and validated requests for new features and a modern user experience.
Research Summary
- Conducted UX research on legacy B2B software product (developed in 2005)
- Collected data about user pain points, needs and motivations through 20+ interviews with new and existing users.
- Analyzed and documented user behavior and developed insights to guide product development and marketing.
- Worked with Product Manager, Social Media consultant and Executive team to prioritize research opportunity - and modernize the user experience - and put findings into practice ASAP.
- Understood and incorporated technical and business requirements into research.
- Advocated research findings to company leadership through written reports and in-person presentations.
Insights
- Users loved simplicity and flexibility of time-tracking software and data exports but were missing key features such as invoicing and integrations with modern software programs such as Salesforce. The lack of APIs created a siloed experience.
- An distinction between simplicity and flexibility. users wanted to grow their business with their customer relationships; not simply track time. (i.e., 14Dayz enabled an increase in efficiency in their value chain. Also users were happier to enter the time, and not bogged down by multiple screens / prompts / clicks)
- IT consultants were positioning 14Dayz as a revenue-generator for small organizations with 5-20 employees (licenses)
- Smaller organizations needed a flexible and easy-to-learn / implement solution for front-line staff in-office and remotely. A key advantage was use with non-tech savvy staff (i.e., nonprofits, social workers, etc.)
- 14Dayz could increase revenue and market share in key verticals by providing consulting services and training support in partnership with IT Consultants
- Software and gaming firms were using the time tracking software to track expenses for research and development (R&D) programs, and to get reimbursement from government R&D tax credit programs.
Results & Recommendations
The UX research helped the company discover important value propositions for different customer segments, and find a way to find a niche in an intensely-competitive market. It was able to reposition itself as an easy-to-learn / implement solution for independent consultants and smaller enterprises. Key messages were developed for stages in the Customer's Journey and implemented into marketing activities: website tweaks, content and a social media ad campaign. Pricing was analyzed for optimization of monthly and annual plans. The business case was validated for investing in added functionality (i.e., a new invoicing feature) to retain its customers, attract new users and grow its business in Europe and the US,
Client Satisfaction
Pepijn Bakker, CEO
14Dayz
14Dayz
"Even though 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."