Enhancing Mobile Navigation: A Click Test for Account Placement Optimization

Background

The Profile squad identified that our current mobile navigation design does not prominently display Account, resulting in lower user login rates and engagement with personalized features. This exploration aimed at testing Account in the main navigation. This would either require the brand logo to be removed or Saves to be removed from the main navigation. I determined the best research method was to conduct click tests on 2 variations to determine:

1. If users can naturally navigate back to the homepage without the brand name in the main navigation

2. Where users expect to locate ’Saves’ and if it is located within Account, is it harder to find or less likely to be utilized?

Research Plan

Methods & Tools

I chose a click test as the optimal method to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different design options. The primary goal was to assess the noticeability, findability, and the time taken by users to locate key elements. A click test allows for a quantitative analysis of where users instinctively click when presented with a particular interface, making it ideal for capturing users’ first impressions and natural interactions.

By tracking user clicks, heat maps will provide clear visual data on customer expectations and mental models. This will help reveal patterns in how users expect to navigate the page and which elements draw their attention. Ultimately, using a click test ensures that we gather data-driven insights about the efficiency and usability of each design option, helping to make informed decisions that align with user expectations.

The tools used for this process included utilizing UserZoom testing software. Participants were provided a mobile web link, with 200 current and/or potential Abercrombie shoppers utilizing our demographic and screener criteria. The shoppers were split into two studies, with 100 participants for each test version. The studies employed a between-subject design, where each group was shown only one design to eliminate any bias or order effects.

 
 

Script Example

Navigation to Account/Purchase History

Task: You have have landed on this company homepage. Take a moment to look at the information available within the navigation.

  • Imagine you have previously shopped here and have an account. What would you do next to find your Purchase History? Please click on the area or areas that might take you to find similar jeans options. There is no right or wrong answer. Please remember that this is a click test, and proceed to the next task after clicking.

    • Note time taken

  • Follow up questions

    • Is this where you expected it to be located? Why or why not? If not, where would you expect to locate it?

    • How would you rate the ease of finding this information on a scale of 1-5? (1 being not at all easy to find, 5 being extremely easy to find)

    • Is there anything you would suggest as an improvement to the content within the navigation or the way it works?

Navigation to Saves

  • Task: You have have landed on this company homepage. Take a moment to look at the information available within the navigation.

  • Imagine you have previously shopped here and have saved items to come back to later. What would you do next to find your Saved items? Please click on the area or areas that might take you to find saved items. There is no right or wrong answer. Please remember that this is a click test, and proceed to the next task after clicking.

    • Note time taken

  • Follow up questions

    • Is this where you expected it to be located? Why or why not? If not, where would you expect to locate it?

    • How would you rate the ease of finding this information on a scale of 1-5? (1 being not at all easy to find, 5 being extremely easy to find)

    • Is there anything you would suggest as an improvement to the content within the navigation or the way it works?

Process & Findings

Process

For the synthesis phase of my click test, I followed a systematic approach to extract meaningful insights from the data. The process began by analyzing the click patterns captured through heat maps. These heat maps provided a clear visual representation of where users were clicking most frequently, revealing areas of high interaction versus elements that were overlooked.

I then compared user interactions across different variations of the design tested, focusing on key metrics such as noticeability, findability, and time to locate elements. By examining where users clicked first and how long it took them to make their selections, I was able to understand which design elements were more intuitive and aligned with user expectations.

Next, I grouped the results to identify recurring themes and trends in user behavior. For example, I looked for patterns in how users engaged with navigation, product features, or calls to action. I also analyzed outliers—instances where users clicked on unintended areas—to highlight potential pain points or confusion in the design.

Finally, I synthesized the findings into actionable insights. I summarized which design elements worked well, which needed improvement, and how the results aligned with users' mental models and expectations. These insights were crucial for informing future design iterations and aligning stakeholders on the key usability considerations.

Sample of Findings

It is recommended to add Account to the main navigation, and to place Saves within Account. Research reveals that customers expect to locate Saved items in their Account. Additionally, they prefer to utilize their bag to save items and locate them later. This also reveals an opportunity to add Saved items to the Bag.

  • When Saves is located in the main navigation (V2), 30% (compared to 32% who selected Saves) of participants still selected the Account/Profile to locate Saved items. This shows that participants expect to locate Saved items in their Account/Profile.

  • When Profile is located in the main navigation (V1), 39% of participants successfully selected it to locate Saved items, and 33% of participants selected their bag. This shows that participants not only expect to locate Saved items in their bag, but they also have a mental model of utilizing the bag to save items.

  • When Saves is located in the main navigation (V2), 26% of participants selected their bag to locate Saved items. This shows that participants not only expect to locate Saved items in their bag, but they also have a mental model of utilizing the bag to save items.

  • When asked where participants expected to locate saved items, 32.5% (V1 & V2) mentioned they would find items in their shopping bag or in their Account/Profile.

Relevant User Quotes

“It makes sense to be under my account.”

“I expected to find it under my profile.”

“I would expect to find them in my shopping bag or under my profile.”

“Yes, i would expect the bag to have saved items.”

It is recommended that the AnF brand logo stays on the main navigation as it is a significant way customers navigate back to the homepage.

  • When the brand/logo was removed from the main navigation (V2), 39% of participants selected the hamburger menu to navigate back to the homepage. Currently, there is no way to navigate back to the homepage by selecting the main navigation. This shows that the logo needs to be present, otherwise customers will try to locate it in the navigation.

  • Additionally, when asked where participants expected to locate the homepage on V2, they commented that they didn’t see a homepage button and that it made no sense they would have to click the back button on the browser until they got back to the homepage.

Relevant User Quotes

“I didn't see a homepage button on the page.”

“No, it makes no sense at all. The only way that does is clicking the back button on the browser until you get back there.”

“I always click at the top where the brand name or logo is to get back to the Home Screen.”

“Not sure, there’s no home page labeled.”

  • When asked where participants expected the locate the homepage on V1, they mentioned selecting the brand logo made perfect sense.

“Yes, clicking the brand name logo makes perfect sense to go back to the homepage it always does and is intuitive.”

“I'd just tap on the logo. Easy.”

“Yes, I expect to click the logo of the store and it takes me to the home page.”

“Yes, because clicking in the website name usually sends you to the home page.”

Impact & Outcome

The impact of this study extended beyond just optimizing the user experience for Account. As a result of effectively communicating the findings and collaborating closely with my squad and stakeholders, I was able to demonstrate the importance of aligning design features with user mental models and preferences. This led to broader cross-functional collaboration with other squads, specifically focusing on combining the "Saved for Later" and "My Saves" features.

Through this collaboration, we were able to streamline the user experience by integrating two similar features into one cohesive solution. The outcome enhanced user satisfaction by simplifying the saving process, improving discoverability, and increasing feature usage. Additionally, the changes contributed to operational efficiency, resulting in significant improvements to key performance metrics across both features.