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15 excellent ux case studies every creative should read.

  • By Sandra Boicheva
  • October 21st, 2021

In a previous article, we talked about UX portfolios and how they carefully craft a story of how designers work. Interestingly enough, recruiters decide if a UX freelance designer or an agency is a good match within 5 minutes into the portfolio . In order to persuade these recruiters, the portfolio needs to present an appealing story that showcases the skill, the thought process, and the choices taken for key parts of the designs. With this in mind, today we’ll talk about UX case studies and give 15 excellent examples of case studies with compelling stories.

The Storytelling Approach in UX Case Studies

An essential part of the portfolio of a UX designer is the case studies that pack a showcase of the designer’s skills, way of thinking, insights in the form of compelling stories. These case studies are often the selling point as recruiters look for freelancers and agencies who can communicate their ideas through design and explain themselves in a clear and appealing way. So how does this work?

Photography by Alvaro Reyes

Just like with every other story, UX case studies also start with an introduction, have a middle, and end with a conclusion .

  • Introduction: This UX case study example starts with a design brief and presents the main challenges and requirements. In short, the UX designer presents the problem, their solution, and their role.
  • Middle: The actual story of the case study example explains the design process and the techniques used. This usually starts with obstacles, design thinking, research, and unexpected challenges. All these elements lead to the best part of the story: the action part. It is where the story unveils the designer’s insights, ideas, choices, testing, and decisions.
  • Conclusion: The final reveal shows the results and gives space for reflection where the designer explains what they’ve learned, and what they’ve achieved.

Now as we gave you the introduction, let’s get to the main storyline and enjoy 15 UX case studies that tell a compelling story.

1. Car Dealer Website for Mercedes-Benz Ukraine by Fulcrum

This case study is a pure pleasure to read. It’s well-structured, easy to read, and still features all the relevant information one needs to understand the project. As the previous client’s website was based on the official Mercedes Benz template, Fulcrum had to develop an appealing and functional website that would require less time to maintain, be more user-friendly, and increase user trust.

  • Intro: Starts with a summary of the task.
  • Problem: Lists the reasons why the website needs a redesign.
  • Project Goals: Lists the 4 main goals with quick summaries.
  • Project: Showcases different elements of the website with desktop and mobile comparison.
  • Functionality: Explains how the website functionality helps clients to find, and order spare parts within minutes.
  • Admin Panel: Lists how the new admin panel helps the client customize without external help.
  • Elements: Grid, fonts, colors.
  • Tech Stack: Shows the tools used for the backend, mobile, admin panel, and cloud.
  • Client review: The case study ends with a 5-star review by the marketing director of Mercedes Benz Ukraine, Olga Belova.

This case study is an example of a detailed but easy to scan and read story from top to bottom, featuring all relevant information and ending on the highest note: the client’s review.

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2. Galaxy Z Flips 5G Website by DFY

This is a big project that covers every aspect of the website, including the UX strategy. The creative studio aimed to fully illustrate and demonstrate the significant upgrades over previous models and to enable two-way communication with the customers through an interactive experience.

  • Intro: Summary of the project and roles.
  • Interactive Experience: The main project goal.
  • Demonstration: Explains the decision to feature 360-degree views and hands-on videos instead of technical terms.
  • Screens: Includes high-quality screenshots of significant pages and features.
  • Ecosystem: Highlight a page with easy navigation across different products as a marketing decision that makes cross-selling seamless.
  • Essentials: Showcases a slider of all products with key features that provide ample information.
  • Showroom: Interactive experience that helps the user “play around” with the product.
  • Credits: As a conclusion, DFY features the stakeholders involved.

A strong presentation of a very ambitious project. It keeps the case study visual while still providing enough insight into the thought process and the most important decisions.

3. Jambb Social Platform by Finna Wang

Here we have a beautiful case study for a platform that aims to help creators grow their communities by recognizing and rewarding their base of supporters. It tackles a curious problem that 99% of fans who contribute in non-monetary ways don’t get the same content, access, and recognition they deserve. This means the creators need a way to identify their fans across all social platforms to grow their business and give recognition. To get a clear picture of what the design has to accomplish, Finna Wang conducted stakeholder interviews with the majority of the client’s team.

  • Intro: Listing roles, dates, team, and used tools.
  • Project Overview: The main concept and the reasons behind it.
  • Exploration: What problem will the platform solve, preliminary research, and conclusions from the research.  The section includes the project scope and problem statement.
  • Design Process: A thorough explanation of the discoveries and the exact steps.
  • User Flows:  3 user flows based on common tasks that the target user/fan would do on the site.
  • Design Studio: Visualization process with wireframes, sitemap, prototypes.
  • Design Iterations: The designer highlights the iterations they were primary behind.
  • Style Guide: Typography, colors, visual elements breakdown.
  • Usability Testing: Beta site vs Figma prototype; usertesting.com, revised problem statement.
  • Prototype: Features an accessible high fidelity prototype in Figma you can view.
  • Takeaways: Conclusions.

An extremely detailed professionally made and well-structured UX case study. It goes a step further by listing specific conclusions from the conducted research and featuring an accessible Figma prototype.

4. Memento Media by Masha Keyhani

This case study is dedicated to a very interesting project for saving family stories. It aims to help users capture and record memories from their past. To do so, the design team performed user research and competitive analysis. The entire project took a 6-week sprint.

  • Overview: Introducing the client and the purpose of the app.
  • My Role: Explaining the roles of the designer and their team.
  • Design Process: A brief introduction of the design process and the design toolkit
  • Home: The purpose of the Homepage and the thought process behind it.
  • Question Selection: The decision behind this screen.
  • Recording Process: Building the recording feature and the decisions behind it.
  • User research: a thorough guide with the main focuses, strategies, and competitor analysts, including interviews.
  • Research Objectives: The designer gives the intent of their research, the demographics, synthesis, and usability testing insights.
  • Propositions: Challenges and solutions
  • User Flow: Altering the user flow based on testing and feedback.
  • Wireframes: Sketches, Lo-Fi wireframing.
  • Design System: Typography, colors, iconography, design elements.
  • The Prototype: It shows a preview of the final screens.

This UX study case is very valuable for the insights it presents. The design features a detailed explanation of the thinking process, the research phase, analysts, and testing which could help other creatives take some good advice from it for their future research.

5. Perfect Recipes App by Tubik

Here we have a UX case study for designing a simple mobile app for cooking, recipes, and food shopping. It aims to step away from traditional recipe apps by creating something more universal for users who love cooking with extended functionality. The best idea behind it is finding recipes based on what supplies the user currently has at home.

  • Intro: Introducing the concept and the team behind it.
  •  Project: What they wanted to make and what features would make the app different than the competitors.
  • UI design: The decisions behind the design.
  • Personalization: Explaining how the app gives the user room for personalization and customizing the features according to their personal preferences.
  • Recipe Cards and Engaging Photos: The decisions behind the visuals.
  • Cook Now feature: Explaining the feature.
  • Shopping List: Explaining the feature.
  • Pantry feature:  The idea to sync up the app with AmazonGo services. This case study section features a video.
  • Bottom Line: What the team learned.

This UX case study is a good example of how to present your concept if you have your own idea for an app. You could also check the interactive preview of the app here .

6. SAM App by Mike Wilson

The client is the Seattle Art Museum while the challenge is to provide engaging multimedia content for users as well as self-guided tours. Mile Wilson has to create an experience that will encourage repeat visits and increase events and exhibition attendance.

  • Intro: Listing time for the project, team members, and roles.
  • The Client: A brief introduction of Seattle Art Museum
  • The Challenge: What the app needs to accomplish.
  • Research and Planning: Explaining the process for gathering insights, distributing surveys, interviews, and identifying specific ways to streamline the museum experience.
  • Sloane: Creating the primary persona. This includes age, bio, goals, skills, and frustrations.
  • Designing the Solution: Here the case study features the results of their research, information architecture, user flows, early sketching, paper prototypes, and wireframes.
  • Conclusion: Explaining the outcome, what the team would have done differently, what’s next, and the key takeaways.

What we can take as a valuable insight aside from the detailed research analysis, is the structure of the conclusion. Usually, most case studies give the outcome and preview screens. However, here we have a showcase of what the designer has learned from the project, what they would do differently, and how they can improve from the experience.

7. Elmenus Case Study

This is a case study by UX designers Marwa Kamaleldin, Mario Maged, Nehal Nehad, and Abanoub Yacoub for redesigning a platform with over 6K restaurants. It aims to help users on the territory of Egypt to find delivery and dine-out restaurants.

  • Overview: What is the platform, why the platform is getting redesigned, what is the target audience. This section also includes the 6 steps of the team’s design process.
  • User Journey Map: A scheme of user scenarios and expectations with all phases and actions.
  • Heuristic Evaluation: Principles, issues, recommendations, and severity of the issues of the old design.
  • First Usability Testing: Goals, audience, and tasks with new user scenarios and actions based on the heuristic evaluation. It features a smaller section that lists the most severe issues from usability for the old design.
  • Business Strategy: A comprehensive scheme that links problems, objectives, customer segment, measurements of success, and KPIs.
  • Solutions: Ideas to solve all 4 issues.
  • Wireframes: 4 directions of wireframes.
  • Styleguide: Colors, fonts, typeface, components, iconography, spacing method.
  • Design: Screens of the different screens and interactions.
  • Second Usability Testing: Updated personas, scenarios, and goals. The section also features before-and-after screenshots.
  • Outcome: Did the team solve the problem or not.

A highly visual and perfectly structured plan and process for redesigning a website. The case study shows how the team discovers the issues with the old design and what decisions they made to fix these issues.

8. LinkedIn Recruiter Tool by Evelynma

A fresh weekend project exploring the recruiting space of LinkedIn to find a way to help make it easier for recruiters to connect with ideal candidates.

  • Background Info: What made the designer do the project.
  • Problem and Solution: A good analysis of the problem followed by the designer’s solution.
  • Process: This section includes an analysis of interviewing 7 passive candidates, 1 active candidate, 3 recruiters, and 1 hiring manager. The designer also includes their journey map of the recruiting experience, a sketch of creating personas, and the final 3 personas.
  • Storyboard and User Flow Diagrams: The winning scenario for Laura’s persona and user flow diagram.
  • Sketches and Paper Prototypes: Sticky notes for paper prototypes for the mobile experience.
  • Visual Design: Web and mobile final design following the original LinkedIn pattern.
  • Outcome: Explaining the opportunity.

This is an excellent UX case study when it comes to personal UX design projects. creating a solution to a client’s problem aside, personal project concepts is definitely something future recruiters would love to see as it showcases the creativity of the designers even further.

9. Turbofan Engine Diagnostics by Havana Nguyen

The UX designer and their team had to redesign some legacy diagnostics software to modernize the software, facilitate data transfers from new hardware, and improve usability. They built the desktop and mobile app for iOS and Android.

  • Problem: The case study explain the main problem and what the team had to do to solve it.
  • My Role: As a lead UX designer on a complicated 18-month project, Havana Nguyen had a lot of work to do, summarized in a list of 5 main tasks.
  • Unique Challenges: This section includes 4 main challenges that made the project so complex. ( Btw, there’s a photo of sketched wireframes literally written on the wall.)
  • My Process: The section includes a description of the UX design process highlighted into 5 comprehensive points.
  • Final Thoughts: What the designer has learned for 18 months.

The most impressive thing about this case study is that it manages to summarize and explain well an extremely complex project. There are no prototypes and app screens since it’s an exclusive app for the clients to use.

10. Databox by FireArt

A very interesting project for Firearts’s team to solve the real AL & ML challenges across a variety of different industries. The Databox project is about building scalable data pipeline infrastructure & deploy machine learning and artificial intelligence models.

  • Overview: The introduction of the case study narrows down the project goal, the great challenge ahead, and the solution.
  • How We Start: The necessary phases of the design process to get an understanding of a product.
  • User Flow: The entire scheme from the entry point through a set of steps towards the final action of the product.
  • Wireframes: A small selection of wireframe previews after testing different scenarios.
  • Styleguide: Typography, colors, components.
  • Visual Design: Screenshots in light and dark mode.

A short visual case study that summarizes the huge amount of work into a few sections.

11. Travel and Training by Nikitin Team

Here’s another short and sweet case study for an app with a complete and up-to-date directory of fitness organizations in detailed maps of world cities.

  • Overview: Explaining the project.
  • Map Screen : Outlining the search feature by categories.
  • Profiles: Profile customization section.
  • Fitness Clubs: Explaining the feature.
  • Icons: A preview of the icons for the app.
  • App in Action: A video of the user experience.

This case study has fewer sections, however, it’s very easy to read and comprehend.

12. Carna by Ozmo

Ozmo provides a highly visual case study for a mobile application and passing various complexities of courses. The main goal for the UX designer is to develop a design and recognizable visual corporate identity with elaborate illustrations.

  • Intro: A visual project preview with a brief description of the goal and role.
  • Identity: Colors, fonts, and logo.
  • Wireframes: The thinking process.
  • Interactions: Showcase of the main interactions with animated visuals.
  • Conclusion: Preview of the final screens.

The case study is short and highly visual, easy to scan and comprehend. Even without enough insight and text copy, we can clearly understand the thought process behind and what the designer was working to accomplish.

13. An Approach to Digitization in Education by Moritz Oesterlau

This case study is for an online platform for challenge-based learning. The designer’s role was to create an entire product design from research to conception, visualization, and testing. It’s a very in-depth UX case study extremely valuable for creatives in terms of how to structure the works in their portfolio.

  • Intro: Introducing the client, project time, sector, and the designer’s role.
  • Competitive Analysis: the case study starts off with the process of creating competitive profiles. It explains the opportunities and challenges of e-learning that were taken into consideration.
  • Interviews and Surveys: Listing the goals of these surveys as well as the valuable insights they found.
  • Building Empathy: The process and defining the three target profiles and how will the project cater to their needs. This section includes a PDF of the user personas.
  • Structure of the Course Curriculum: Again with the attached PDF files, you can see the schemes of the task model and customer experience map.
  • Information Architecture: The defined and evaluated sitemap for TINIA
  • Wireframing, Prototyping, and Usability Testing :  An exploration of the work process with paper and clickable prototypes.
  • Visual Design: Styleguide preview and detailed PDF.
  • A/B and Click Tests: Reviewing the usability assumptions.
  • Conclusion: A detailed reflection about the importance of the project, what the designer learned, and what the outcome was.

This is a very important case study and there’s a lot to take from it. First, the project was too ambitious and the goal was too big and vague. Although the result is rather an approximation and, above all, at the conceptual level requires further work, the case study is incredibly insightful, informative, and insightful.

14. In-class Review Game by Elizabeth Lin

This project was never realized but the case study remains and it’s worth checking out. Elizabeth Lin takes on how to create an engaging in-class review game with a lot of research, brainstorming, and a well-structured detailed process.

  • Intro: What makes the project special.
  • Research: Explaining how they approached the research and what they’ve learned.
  • Brainstorming: the process and narrowing all How Might We questions to one final question: How might we create an engaging in-class math review game.
  • Game Loop and Storyboarding: Sketch of the core game loop and the general flow of the game.
  • Prototyping: Outlining basic game mechanics and rounds in detail.
  • Future Explorations: The case study goes further with explorations showing how the product could look if we expanded upon the idea even further.
  • What Happened?:  The outcome of the project.

This case study tells the story of the project in detail and expands on it with great ideas for future development.

15. Virtual Makeup Studio by Zara Dei

And for our last example, this is a case study that tells the story of an app-free shippable makeover experience integrated with the Covergirl website. The team has to find a way to improve conversion by supporting customers in their purchase decisions as well as to increase basket size by encouraging them to buy complementary products.

  • Intro: Introducing the project and the main challenges.
  • Discovery and Research: Using existing product information on the website to improve the experience.
  • Onboarding and Perceived Performance: Avoiding compatibility issues and the barrier of a user having to download an app. The section explains the ideas for features that will keep users engaged, such as a camera with face scan animation.
  • Fallback Experience and Error States: Providing clear error messaging along with troubleshooting instructions.
  • Interactions: explaining the main interactions and the decisions behind them.
  • Shared Design Language: Explaining the decision to provide links on each product page so users could be directed to their preferred retailer to place their order. Including recommended products to provide users with alternatives.
  • Outcome and Learning: The good ending.
  • Project Information: Listing all stakeholders, the UX designer’s role in a bullet list, and design tools.

In Conclusion

These were the 15 UX case studies we wanted to share with you as they all tell their story differently. If we can take something valuable about what are the best practices for making an outstanding case study, it will be something like this.

Just like with literature, storytelling isn’t a blueprint: you can write short stories, long in-depth analyses, or create a visual novel to show your story rather than tell. The detailed in-depth UX case studies with lots of insights aren’t superior to the shorter visual ones or vice versa. What’s important is for a case study to give a comprehensive view of the process, challenges, decisions, and design thinking behind the completed project .

In conclusion, a UX case study should always include a summary; the challenges; the personas; roles and responsibilities; the process; as well as the outcomes, and lessons learned.

Video Recap

Take a look at the special video we’ve made to visualize and discuss the most interesting and creative ideas implemented in the case studies.

YouTube video player

In the meantime, why not browse through some more related insights on web development and web design?

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Top 22 Stunning UX Case Studies You Should Know in 2022

An immersive yet well-structured UX case study helps UX professionals show off their design talents in portfolio websites, and let them communicate better with employers, designers and others easily.

However, as a UX designer , how can you write a perfect UX case study to easily get hired or communicate with others better?

Mockplus has handpicked 22 of the best UX design case study examples in 2022 to help you get inspiration, improve your portfolios and make your own things with ease. A step-by-step guideline about how to create a UX case study is also followed.

What is a UX case study?

A UX case study tells the story of how you create a great website or app and, in particular, what you do to improve the UX of the site. UX designers—newbies and experts alike—will often share a case study on a portfolio website as a great way to get hired. Just like sending a resumé. 

So, it is a lot more than just a copy of everything you've done while designing the project. To really showcase your design talent and the breadth of your abilities, you need to make sure the following are all included:

  • A full description of your role in the project;
  • The biggest challenges you've faced;
  • The solutions you've chosen, how you chose them and why;
  • How you communicate and collaborate with others; and
  • The outcomes and the lessons you’ve learned.  

To this, you should feel free to add any further information that you think would help you stand out from the crowd. 

UX Case Study Example

It is also worth remembering that UX case studies are a good resource for UX design beginners to learn more practical design skills and to gain from the real experience of others in dealing deal with difficult or urgent problems.

22 Best UX case study examp le s you should learn

Whatever stage you’re at and whatever you are writing your case study for, these 22 top examples are bound to inspire you. 

1. Perfect Recipe -UX design for cooking and shopping

Perfect Recipe

Designer s : Marina Yalanska and Vlad Taran

Case Study : Perfect Recipe

This is a mobile application that enables users to search for food recipes and to buy what they need to cook different dishes.

Why d id  we choose this  one?

This case study illustrates the entire UX design process is very simple, plain language. Many aspects of the process are included, along with some really inspirational ideas, such as product personalization, challenges and solutions, animated interactions, and other interface details.

Extra tips :

This example is from the Tubikstudio blog, which is very popular among designers. It regularly shares different branding, UI, and UX case studies. We would strongly recommend that you follow this blog to keep yourself up to date with the latest and most creative case studies.

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2. GnO Well Being - Branding, Web Desing & UX

GnO Well Being

Designer : Marina Yalanska and Olga Zakharyan

Case Study : GnO Well Being

This is a creative illustration website that presents and sells a weighted designer blanket that helps you get a good night’s sleep, the first step to good health and a better life.

Why d id  we choose this ?

This example is so much more than a great UX case study. In addition to the UX design , it gives you insight into many more key design issues, such as the logo, custom graphics, website pages, interactions and so on. There are many ideas here that you could copy for your own projects.

3. Splitwiser - UI/UX case redesign

Splitwiser

Designer : Chethan KVS (a Product designer at Unacademy)

Case Study : Splitwise

This is a concept mobile app that enables users to track and split expenses with friends. The designer has also given it another name, "Splitwise." 

Why do we choose this ?

This case study shares the designer's insights into key design decisions, such as why he chose this product, why he decided to redesign the logo, how to improve the onboarding and other pages, how to optimize the user flow, how to balance all pages and functions, how to enhance UX through bottom bars, interactions, gestures, view modes, and more.

Everything is explained using intuitive images, earning it thousands of “likes”. This is a great example that is bound to help you write a stunning case study on redesigning UX.

This comes from a popular media channel called "UX Planet" that regularly posts examples of the best and latest UX case studies from around the world. Another great place to keep you up to speed with the latest UX designs.

4. Deeplyapp.com - UX & visual improvements

Deeplyapp.com

Designer : Sladana Kozar

Case Study : Deeplyapp

This is a health and self-care website app that helps users maintain mental well-being with meditations and exercises. This case study talks you through the design process of creating a user-friendly mobile app.

This case study focuses on improvements to the UX and visual features of this mobile app. Many aspects are included to help you understand it better, such as the design background, what to build, UI flow diagram, discoverability design, visual balance, and much more. A full set of app interfaces are presented for you to study as well.

You can also check out its Part 1 post for more details.

5. Talent Envoy - improving the recruitment process 

Talent Envoy

Designer : Enes Aktaş (Experienced UX designer)

Case Study : Talent Envoy

Talent Envoy is an intelligent job assistant that helps users find their ideal job and get to all the way to signing a contract faster and more easily.

This case study firstly points out the biggest challenges and problems faced by job-seekers—the shortage of US recruitment markets. It then talks to you through the detail of how the designers optimized the recruitment process. You will also find information on the user research process, the UI flowchart design, the related wireframe and Sketch designs, the main page design, and more. 

All the details have clear explanations and they offer a great example of how to use user research to solve problems and improve UI interfaces.

This one comes from another hot media channel called "Muzli" which shares the latest ideas, designs, and interactions about websites or website apps from all over the world. Don’t miss out on this site if you want to stay ahead of the curve. 

6. My Car Parking - UI/UX case study

My Car Parking

Designer : Johny Vino (Experienced UX and interaction designer)

Case Study : My Car Parking

This is a mobile app that can help people get parking slots easily even when they travel beyond their normal routes. 

This is a masterclass in how to write a case study that is simple, well-structured, and easy to understand. Many intuitive lists and images are used to explain the design ideas and processes. 

It has received “claps” from over seven and a half thousand people and   is a perfect example of how to write a well-structured and easy-to-understand case study.

7. Parking Finder App - UI/UX case study

Parking Finder App

Designer : Soumitro Sobuj

Case Study : Parking Finder App

This is another concept mobile app that makes it easy for users to find parking slots even in big or overcrowded cities.

This case study is beautifully presented and gives a good presentation of the whole design process. It covers nearly all the issues that a textbook UX case study should have, such as problems and solutions, user-centered design, design strategy, user flow, information architecture , interface wireframes and visual designs, and much more besides. 

It is one of the best examples we have found of a case study that really teaches you how to write the perfect UX case study.

8. Pasion Del Cielo - coffee ordering experience

Pasióon dDel Cielo

Designer : Jonathan Montalvo (Senior Designer, Branding, UXUI )

Case Study : Pasión del Cielo

This is a concept project about a real local coffee shop in Miami.

This case study demonstrates effective ways to engage users with the Pasión brand and how a site can make it as easy as possible to turn page views into coffee sales. 

There is a lot of analysis included to explain the entire design process, such as analyzing the competition, feature analysis, brand and interface improvements, and much more. Most important of all, many user personas have been created to evaluate and enhance the UX.

This is a good example to check for anyone looking to improve their own UX case study. Above all, it shows what can be done with rich images, bright colors, clear layouts, and well-crafted personas.

9. Workaway App - UX redesign

Workaway App - UX redesign

Designer : Rocket Pix (UXUI, web designer )

Case Study : Workaway App

This is a mobile app that provides international hospitality services; it helps users to contact each other to organize homestays and cultural exchanges.

This UX design case study explains how the designer redesigned the Workaway App to make it easier for users. Many intuitive charts (pie charts, flow charts, line charts), cards, and images are used to illustrate the ideas.

It is simple and easy to follow, and also a good example of how to create an intuitive case study with charts and cards.

10. Receipe App - UI/UX design process

Receipe App

Designer : Dorothea Niederee (UX, UI designer   )

Case Study : Recipe App

This is a food app design offering inspirational recipes for anyone who wants to eat healthier.

This case study gives a clear demonstration of the entire UI/UX design process. Three user personas are defined to present different users' needs. Some colors, typography, and UI elements are also shared.

This is a good example of how to define a detailed user persona in your UX case study.

11. Hobbfyy - a social and discovery app UX design

Hobbfyy

Designer : Mustafa Aljaburi (UX, UI designer   )

Case Study : Hobbfyy

This is a social and discovery app that makes it quick and easy to get everything you need for your hobbies.

This case study aims to show how to develop a site that will provide its users with solutions, in this case to get what they need for their hobbies. Beautiful images, a storytelling style, and special layouts are used to explain everything.

12. Bee Better - habit tracker app UX case study

Bee Better

Designer :   Anastasiia Mysliuk (UX, UI designer   )

Case Study : Bee Better

This is a habit tracker app that makes it easy for you to develop new useful habits.

This case study aims to solve problems associated with how we form and develop habits. It helps users find solutions and make habit formation more interesting; it motivates them to maintain their useful new habits. Many aspects of design, such as problems, solutions, the design process, discovery and research, user journey map, prototypes, and much more are illustrated and explained in simple language.

This would be a good example to follow if you are looking to create an easy-to-understand UX case study.

13.Sit My Pet - pet sitting app UX case study

Sit My Pet

Designer : Aiman Fakia (UX, UI, visual designer )

Case Study : Sit My Pet

This is a pet-setting app that provides pet owners with a digital service that helps them connect with pet sitters.

This UX case study describes a site that aims to make pet sitting more easily accessible for pet owners. It analyzes both its users and its competitors very well. The way solutions are evaluated, the user stories, and other related aspects are followed in detail to give you a better understanding of the project as a whole.

This is a good example of how to develop a UX design based on user needs.

14. Groad - food ordering system UX case study

Groad

Designer : Phap (UI designer )

Case Study : Groad

This is a food ordering app offering food delivery services from stores, restaurants, cafés, fast food bars, and others. 

This UX case study uses beautiful illustrations and colors to explain the entire design process. As well as the usual parts of the design process—UI flow chart, UI showcasing—the related logo and icon designs, typography, and other aspects are included. This is a good example if you are looking to learn how to create an immersive case study with beautiful illustrations and colors.

15. iOS VS Android UI/UX Case Study

IOS VS Android UI/UX Case Study

Designer : Johanna Rüthers

Case Study : Econsy

Here is another concept app that helps people live more sustainably by using a scanning process to give them information about the ecological and social impact of products they are thinking of buying. 

This case study explains the differences in the mobile app’s appearance when it is applied on the Human Interface Guidelines (IOS) and Material Design Guidelines (Android). This will help you to create an app that works well on both Mac and Android devices.

More UI/UX case studies & designs:

16.Timo Bank - UI/UX Case Study

Timo Bank

Timo Bank is a mobile banking app project produced by Leo Nguyen, a freelance designer and creative director. This case study aims to provide more intuitive transfer, payment, and money management solutions for mobile users.

This is a great example to consider if you are hoping to create a better banking app.

17. Endoberry Health App Design

case study for ux

Endoberry Health App Design provides useful solutions for women suffering from endometriosis. In turn, this gives doctors a better understanding of individual cases. The design challenges, solutions, and UI details are displayed and explained to illustrate the design project.

18. Job Portal App

Job Portal App

Job Portal App has been specially made for designers and freelancers. This case study uses cute illustrations, simple words, and clear storytelling to explain how the designer worked out the ideal job hunting solutions for users.

19. Cafe Website - UI/UX Case Study

Cafée Website

Café Website gives its users a great experience by making it quick and easy to order a coffee online. Many elegant page details are displayed.

20. Ping - the matchmaker app case study

 Ping

Ping is a dating app that offers users a unique and effective way to find their perfect match. As you can see, its mascot is really cute and this case study will show you how a cute mascot can enhance the UX.

21. Hubba Mobile App - UI/UX Case Study

Hubba Mobile App

Hubba Mobile App is a B2B online marketplace where retailers can find and purchase unique products for their stores or shops. This case study aims to explain the process of creating a special mobile app for this online marketplace. It offers a beautiful and clear presentation of the entire UI/UX design process.

22. Music App - music for children

Music App

Music App shares the fancy UI and colors from a music app made for children. It is a good example that is sure to inspire you to create a distinctive children's app.

How do you create a UX case study?

If you are still not entirely sure how to go about creating a distinctive UX case study, here are a few simple steps to walk you through the entire process from start to finish:

Step  1.  Figure out your purpose

The final outcome will depend on what it is you are trying to achieve. So, before you start writing a UX design case, you should first figure out in detail what its purpose is. Ask yourself some basic questions:

  • Is it for a job interview?
  • Is it for improving your personal portfolio?
  • Is it designed to show off your design talents on social media?
  • Is it just created to practice your design skills?
  • Is it made to share design experiences with other designers?

In short, figuring out your purpose and setting a goal can make the entire design process so much easier.

Step   2.   Plan or outline your case study

Whatever you want to do, it is always a good idea to start with a plan. When it comes to writing a UX case study, you should also outline your entire UX case study and decide on what sections you want to include.

For example, nowadays, a good UX design case study often covers:

  • Overview : Start with a short paragraph that introduces your project.
  • Challenges  and  goals : Explain the project background and point out the biggest challenges or problems you've encountered. Explain the goals you want to achieve and how you will overcome the challenges you have identified. 
  • Roles  and  responsibilities : Tell readers what role you play in the project and the specific features of your role that will help create a better product.
  • Design process : Introduce the entire design process in detail so that readers can see clearly what you have done to make life easier for users. Many employers check this part very carefully to see whether you have the basic skills and abilities they are looking for. So, never underestimate the importance of this section. 
  • Solutions  and  outcomes : No matter what problems you have faced, the solutions and the final outcomes achieved are what really matters. So, always use this section to showcase your skills and achievements. 

You might also want to add further sections:

  • User research :   Some full-stack designers also include this to give a more comprehensive view of their design skills.
  • UI designs : Some experienced designers also display their relevant UIs, and UI flow, along with low- and high-fidelity prototypes to enrich the content.

Of course, if you are a newbie, and you still have questions, why not go online and search for UX case study templates that you can study and follow.

Step 3.  Explain the design process clearly

As we've explained above, the design process is always one of the most important parts of a good UX case study. You should always introduce clearly as many of the relevant parts of the process as possible. For example: show how you and your team communicate and collaborate effectively; demonstrate how you have developed ideas to address user problems; explain how you and your team have dealt with emergencies or mishaps.  

case study for ux

You can also introduce the UX design tools that you have chosen to simplify the entire design process. Mockplus, is an online product design platform, enabled us to adapt quickly and effectively to working from home during the recent Coronavirus lockdown. Prototyping our designs, sharing ideas, working together in an effective team, taking the process from design to handoff, it all works smoothly with this single tool.

Step  4. Improve readability and visual appeal

The content should be the main focus of your case study—but not the only focus. To make the case study as good as possible, you also need to think about its readability and visual appeal. Here are some suggestions to follow:

  • Explain everything as clearly as possible.
  • Add images, illustrations, charts, cards, icons, and other visuals.
  • Create a clear storytelling structure or layout.
  • Choose an immersive color scheme.
  • Add eye-catching animations and interactions.
  • Use vivid video, audio, and other multimedia resources.

The final visual effect can be make-or-break for whether your UX case study is going to stand out from the crowd. You should always take it seriously.

Step   5. Summarize

Every UX case study can be a good chance to practice and improve your design skills. So, in your conclusion, don’t forget to analyze the entire process and summarize the outcomes. Always take a minute to figure out what lessons you should take away from the process, what tips should be remembered, what should be improved, and—most important—what your next steps are going to be.

UX case studies are one of the most essential parts of a UX designer's portfolio. The ability to write a well-structured UX case study is also one of the basic skills that a competent UX professional should have. So, UX case studies play a very important role in UX designer's life.

We hope our picks of the best UX design case studies along with our step-by-step guide will help you create a stunning UX case study.

In- house content editor, specialize in SEO content writing. She is a fruit lover and visionary person.

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11 Inspiring UX Case Studies That Every Designer Should Study

Gene Kamenez

A UX case study is a sort of detailed overview of a designer's work. They are often part of a UX designer's portfolio and showcase the designer's skill in managing tasks and problems. From a recruiter's perspective, such a UX portfolio shows the skill, insights, knowledge, and talent of the designer.

Therefore, UX case studies play an important role in the recruitment and demand for designers.

What Makes a Powerful Case Study

Building a UX case study includes showing the design process through compelling stories. They will use plain language to demonstrate how they handled key design issues, offering a comprehensive view of their process. Well done case studies often include:

  • A  problem statement and solutions with real applications.
  • Relevant numbers, data, or testimonials to demonstrate the work and efforts.
  • A story that directly connects the problem to the solution.

Any competent UX professional will know that creating a stunning UX case study is about the little details.

11 Best UX Case Studies for Designers

The best way to understand what a good case study looks like is to go over other examples. Each of these UX case study examples shows a designer's insights, basic skills, and other designers' lessons learned through their experience.

1. Promo.com web editor

A case study of a video-creation platform

For this video-creation platform , UX designer Sascha was brought on to revamp v2.0, adding new features that could work alongside the existing UX design. The point was to work on interface details that would help create a user friendly platform, and that users could find simple enough to use.

User personas mapped by the UX designer revealed the most common confusion to be the process of inserting particular features into the video, such as subtitles. The designer's goal, therefore, was to create a platform with improved editor controls.

The designer then used a common text-editor layout to include top and side navigation bars that made it easy to access and implement text editing.

Key Learnings from Promo.com

This case study focuses on addressing a particular problem that customers were currently facing. Its main theme is to show a problem, and how the product designer addressed this problem. Its strength points include:

  • clearly highlighting the problem (i.e. inaccessible and limited video-text editor options)
  • conduction research to understand the nature of the problem and the kind of solutions customers want
  • implementing research insights into the redesign to create a platform that actively served customer needs

2. Productivity tracker app

A case study of a productivity tracker app

The main concept behind this UX case study is to address a pre-existing problem through the design of the app. Immediately from the start, the study highlights a common pain point among users: that of a lack of productivity due to device usage.

This UX case study example addressed some of the main problems within existing productivity apps included:a poor UI and UX that made navigation difficult

  • a poorly-built information architecture
  • limited functions on the mobile application

Key Learnings from the Productivity app case study

The case study highlights the simple design process that was then used to build the app. Wireframes were created, a moldboard developed, and finally, individual pages of the app were designed in line with the initial goals.

3. Postmates Unlimited

A case study of a food delivery app

This case study clearly identifies the improvements made to the Postmates app in a simple overview before jumping into greater detail. The redesign goal, which it achieved, was to improve the experience and other interface details of the app.

The problems identified included:

  • usability that led to high support ticket volume.
  • technical app infrastructure issues that prevented scalability.
  • lack of efficient product management, such as batching orders.

A UX research course can help understand the kind of research needed for a case study. The app redesign involved bringing couriers in and running usability testing on improvements. The final model, therefore, had input from real users on what worked and what caused issues.

Key Learnings from Postmates

The Postmates redesign works as a great UX case study for the simple way it approaches problem-solving. Following an overview of the work, it addresses the problems faced by users of the app. It then establishes research processes and highlights how changes were made to reduce these issues.

4. TV Guide

A case study of a video streaming platform

Addressing the fragmentation of content across channels, this case study sought to redesign how people consume media. The key problems identified included:

  • the overabundance of content across various TV and streaming platforms
  • the difficulty in discovering and managing content across all platforms

To deliver on the key goals of content personalization, smart recommendations, and offering cross-platform content search, the design process included conducting interviews, surveys, and checking customer reviews.

The design of TV Guide enables users to get custom recommendations sourced from friends' and family's watchlists.

Key Learnings from TV Guide

Like previous UX design case studies, this one tackled the issue head-on. Describing the research process, it goes into detail regarding the approach used by the UX designers to create the app. It takes readers on a journey, from identifying pain points, to testing solutions, and implementing the final version.

5. The FlexBox Inspector

A case study of a CSS flexbox tool

Designer Victoria discusses how she developed the investigator tool for the Mozilla Firefox browser. Surveys into understanding the problems with the existing CSS Flexbox tool revealed a need for a user-friendly design. Interviews with a senior designer and other designers helped developers understand the features design-focused tools ought to have. A feature analysis revealed what most users look for in such tools.

The final result of the development process was a design that incorporated several new features, including:

  • a new layout
  • color-coded design
  • multiple entry points to make workflow management efficient

Key Learnings from the Flexbox

This UX design case study starts with a clear goal, then addresses multiple user needs. It clearly defines the design process behind each feature developed by the time, and the reasoning for including that feature. To give a complete picture, it also discusses why certain features or processes were excluded.

6. The Current State of Checkouts

A case study of e-commerce checkout pages

This Baymard UX design case study looks into the checkout process in over 70 e-commerce websites. Through competitive analysis, it isolates problem points in the UX design, which, if addressed, could improve the customer's checkout process.

The study found at least 31 common issues that were easily preventable. The study was designed and conducted on a large scale, over 12 years, to incorporate changing design patterns into the review.

Recommendations based on findings include:

  • prominent guest checkout option
  • simple password requirements
  • specific delivery period
  • price comparison tool for shipping vs store pickup

Key Learnings from Checkout Case Study

Each identified issue is backed up by data and research to highlight its importance. Further research backs up each recommendation made within the case study, with usability testing to support the idea. As far as UX case studies go, this one provides practical insight into an existing, widely used e-commerce feature, and offers practical solutions.

7. New York Times App

A case study of a New York Times app

Using a creative illustration website, the designers proposed a landing page feature "Timely" that could counter the problems faced by the NYT app . Its major issues included too much irrelevant content, low usage, and undesirable coverage of content.

The goal behind Timely was to improve user incentives, build long-term loyalty, and encourage reading. Design mapping for the app covered:

  • identifying the problem
  • understanding audience needs
  • creating wireframes
  • designing and prototyping

The end result was an app that could help readers get notifications regarding news of interest at convenient moments (at breakfast, before bed). This encouraged interaction and improved readability with short-form articles.

Key Learnings from NYT App

The UX case study proposes a problem solution that works with an existing information architecture, instead adding custom graphics to the mobile app. It leads from a simple problem statement to discuss the project that could address these issues without changing was customers already loved.

A case study of the body activity monitoring app

UX case studies focused on redesign include the FitBit redesign, which started off by understanding personas and what users expect from a fitness tracker. Developing use cases and personas, Guerilla usability testing was employed to assess pain points.

These pain points were then ranked based on their importance to users and to app performance. They were addressed through:

  • Highlighting essential parts and features of the app
  • Changing easily missed icons to more recognizable icons
  • relabelling tracking options to guide users better to its usage

Key Learnings from Fitbit

While the case study maps user experiences and offers solutions, it does not begin with an intensive research-based approach. The prototype is successful in testing, but problem factors are not identified with research-based statistics, meaning key factors could have been ignored.

9. Rating System UX

a case study of a rating system

The designer behind the rating system UX redesign sought to solve issues with the 5-star rating system. Highlighted issues included:

  • the lack of subjective accuracy of a 5-point rating system
  • the issue of calculating the average of a zero-star rating
  • average ratings are misleading

Better alternatives include:

  • 5-star emoticon rating that relates the user experience
  • Like/dislike buttons that make approval/disapproval simple

The final design incorporated both these styles to make full use of the rating system.

Key Learnings from Rating System UX

The UX case study stemmed from insight into the limitations of the existing rating system. The new design addressed old issues and incorporated better efficiencies.

A case study for a content design system

The Intuit redesign was focused on making content readable, more engaging, and accessible. Looking into product personalization, the content was found to be lacking aesthetic value, as well as being hard to find. The goal was to create content that was easy to find, clear, and consistent.

The implemented solutions included:

  • increased readability with increased body text and header spacing
  • table of contents on the sidebar for easier navigation
  • visible and prominent search bar
  • illustrations and designs for pretty visuals

Key Learnings from Intuit

The Intuit case study approaches the problem from a practical point of view. It begins with isolating problems with the interface, in particular with the content. This is an example of a case study that breaks down problems into broader categories, and solves each problem with a practical solution.

A case study for a social plaform

This UX case study about a social platform tackles a commonly-faced problem from existing platforms. It addresses the issue of recognizing non-monetary user engagement, to help creators identify their user base.

The case study addresses the problem statement and establishes the design process (building wireframes and prototypes) as well as conducting user testing. The final result is to develop "Discover" pages, engaging layouts, and animated interactions to increase usability.

Key Learnings from Jambb

The study goes into detail regarding problem identification, then moves on to propose solutions that take into account the perspective of all stakeholders involved. It then explains why each design decision was made, and proves its efficacy through testing and prototyping.

Key Takeaways

Developing good UX case studies examples is as much about the details you include as the ones you leave out. Going over UX courses can give you a better understanding of what your case study should look like. A good case study should provide an overview of the problem, include numbers and statistics, and offer practical solutions that directly address the problem. The above-discussed UX case studies provide a good example of the dos and don'ts of a well-structured UX design case study that should be part of every UX portfolio .

Additional Resources

Check out these resources to learn more about UX case studies:

8 UX Case Studies to Read

UX Design Case Study

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The Complete Guide to UX Case Studies

Cassie Wilson

Updated: October 23, 2023

Published: August 21, 2023

Writing a UX case study can be overwhelming with the proper guidance. Designing for the user experience and writing about it in a case study is much more than writing content for a webpage. You may ask, “If my design speaks for itself, should I include a UX case study in my portfolio?”

person reviewing a ux case study on a laptop

Yes, you should include UX case studies in your portfolio. And here’s why.

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You need to make your portfolio stand out among the crowd. A UX case study is a great way to do that. Let’s take a minute to define what a UX case study is and look at some examples.

Table of Contents

What is a UX case study?

The benefits of ux case studies, examples of ux case studies, tips for creating a ux case study.

UX portfolios are essential to showcasing UX designer skills and abilities. Every UX designer knows better designs bring better results. Sometimes, it’s easy to let the design speak for itself — after all, it is meant to engage the audience.

But, in doing that, you, as the designer, leave many things unsaid. For example, the initial problem, the need for the design in the first place, and your process for arriving at the design you created.

This is why you need to include UX case studies in your portfolio.

UX case studies tell a curated story or journey of your design. It explains the “who, what, when, where, and how” of your design. The text should be short and sweet but also walk the reader through the thinking behind the design and the outcome of it.

[Video: Creating a UX Case Study: Right and Wrong Way to Approach It]

There are many benefits to including UX case studies in your portfolio. Think of your UX portfolio as a well-decorated cake. The designs are the cake, and UX case studies are the icing on the cake— they will catch your audience's eye and seal the deal.

Take a look at the benefits of adding UX case studies to your portfolio.

UX Case Study Benefits Showcase skills and abilities. Explain your thinking. Highlight (solved) user issues. Define your personality.

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How to Craft an Outstanding Case Study for Your UX Portfolio

CareerFoundry Blog contributor Jonny Grass

Writing case studies for your UX portfolio can feel opaque and overwhelming. There are so many examples out there, and often the ones that make the rounds are the stunning portfolios of top visual designers. It can be inspiring to see the most beautiful work, but don’t let that distract you from the straightforward format of a good UX case study. 

At the core, a UX case study relies on excellent storytelling with a clear, understandable structure . This article breaks down the anatomy of a UX case study to help you tell a simple and effective story that shows off your skills. We’ll start with some general guidelines and structure, then break it down one piece at a time:

UX portfolio overview

What is a ux case study, general guidelines, how to structure a case study, how to fill in the details, defining the problem, understanding your users, early or alternate ideation, final design solution, next steps and learnings.

  • Final thoughts

1. Before we get started

Before we dive into all the art and science of the case study, here’s a quick refresher on what a job-winning UX portfolio looks like. In this video, pro designer Dee analyses various design portfolios to pick out what works—and what doesn’t:

Simply put, a case study is the story of a design project you’ve worked on. The goal, of course, is to showcase the skills you used on the project and help potential employers envision how you’d use those skills if you worked for them.

A case study is typically written like a highly visual article, with text walking readers through a curated set of images. Curated is an important word here, because it should be short and sweet. It’s a chance to share what you want potential employers to know about your work on this project.

With that in mind, case studies are really a UX designer’s secret weapon in two ways. First, they get you in the door by showing more about your work than a resume and a top UX cover letter ever could. Another benefit is that they’re really handy in job interviews. If someone asks about a past project, you can walk them through the case study you’ve already created (this is sometimes a requirement anyway).

I mentioned that UX case studies are about storytelling. I’d actually say they’re about stories-telling, since they need to tell two intertwined stories .

The first is the story of your project. This answers questions like what problem you solved, who your users were, what solutions you explored, and what impact they had.

The second story is about you as a designer and your process. This is more about which methods you chose to use and why, how you worked within constraints, and how you worked as a member of a team (or without one).

So what are the steps for an effective case study? Well, like most things in design (and life), it depends. Every case study will be different, depending on what stories you’re telling. The six-part outline below, though, should guide you through an effective format for any UX project story. Here’s the outline (we’ll dive into each component in just a minute):

  • Defining the Problem
  • Understanding your Users
  • Final solution

UX designer looking at a whiteboard with rough prototypes

It’s worth it to add a few general notes before we dive into each of the list items above. For each section, include 1-2 short paragraphs and an image of a deliverable that visually tells the story your paragraphs explain. A reader should be able to either just read or just look at the images and roughly get what this moment in the story is communicating.

When choosing images to include, focus on quality over quantity.  Choose your best deliverables for each stage and briefly relate them back to the larger narrative. It can be tempting to overload the page with everything you created along the way, but these extra details should stay in your back pocket for interviews.

Lastly, make sure your case study is scannable . In the best of circumstances, people don’t read word for word on the web. Make sure your text is reasonably concise, use headers and strong visual hierarchy, and use bullet points and lists when possible. If you need a refresher on how to achieve this, check out our guide to the principles of visual hierarchy .

Ok, let’s take a look at each step in a bit more detail.

2. Anatomy of a UX case study

Close-up on UX designer's hands, writing on a stick note over a whiteboard mockup

Like any story, the introduction sets the stage and gives much of the necessary context readers will need to understand your project. This is one section where people actually might take some extra time to read carefully as they try to discern what this case study is about. Make sure they have all the details they need.

Some key questions to answer are:

  • What is your company and/or product?
  • What user problem did you try to solve?
  • What was your role?
  • What tools and methods did you use?
  • What are the major insights, impacts, or metrics related to the project

After introducing the project, dive more deeply into the problem you tackled. You touched upon this in the introduction, but this section is an opportunity to make a strong case for why this project exists. Did a competitor analysis or market research demand a new product? Was there past user research in your company that suggests a needed redesign of the product?

Remember that you’ll want to create a through line in the narrative, so try to lay out the problem in a way that frames your design work as a solution.

Deliverables that work really well for this section would be:

  • Analytics or usage data
  • Market research of internal business metrics
  • Survey results or interview highlights

After explaining the problem, show how it impacts your users and their interaction with your product. If you did original user research or you’re seeking user research-oriented jobs, sharing interview scripts, affinity maps , and spreadsheets can be useful in showing your process.

However, this section shouldn’t be only about your process. A key goal of this section is articulating who your users are and what their needs are. These findings should set up your design work that follows, so try to set up that connection.

A few types of the deliverables you might share here are:

  • User personas
  • Mental models
  • Journey maps or customer experience maps

Keep in mind you want to communicate users’ key motivations and challenges, as well as any more specific user groups you identified.

Close-up on a UX designer's hands, working on a set of paper prototypes

This section can really scale up or down depending on what you have to show. Research shows that hiring managers  don’t just want the final product , so it’s clear that showing some of your process is helpful. Especially for students or designers without a fully built product to show, this can be a moment for you to shine.

Don’t worry about the low fidelity of these documents, but the rougher they are, the more you’ll need to guide readers through them. Everything you show here should teach the reader something new about your process and/or your users.

Artifacts you might include are:

  • Pen and paper or low fidelity digital wireframes

If you did early testing or faced constraints that determined your future design work, be sure to include them here, too.

This section should include the most final work you did on the project (e.g. wireframe flows or color mockups) and any final product it led to (if you have it). Be clear, though, about which work is yours and which isn’t.

Explain any key decisions or constraints that changed the design from the earlier stages. If you incorporated findings from usability testing, that’s great. If not, try to call out some best practices to help you explain your decisions. Referring to Material Design, WCAG, or Human Interface Guidelines can show the why behind your design.

If you’re able to show the impact of your work, this can take a good case study and make it outstanding. If your project has already been built and made available to users, have a look at any analytics, satisfaction data, or other metrics. See what you could highlight  in your case study to show how your design improved the user experience or achieved business goals. Ideally, you can refer back to your original problem statement and business goals from the introduction.

If you don’t have any way of showing the impact of your project, lay out how you would measure the impact. Showing you know how to measure success demonstrates you could do this on future projects.

Lastly, conclude your case study by sharing either your next design steps and/or some key insights you learned from the project. This isn’t just fluff! No project is perfect or final. Showing next steps is a great way to demonstrate your thinking iterative approach (without having to do the work!).

Also, many companies do (or should do) retrospectives after each project to identify challenges and improve future processes. Use this process and the insights you gain from it to inform your case study. Letting employers know you’re capable of reflection shows humility, self-awareness, and the value you can bring to a team.

3. Final thoughts

Since each case study is a unique story you’re telling about your project, it’s a little art and a little science. But starting with the structure laid out in this article will show who you are as a designer and how you solved a problem. And those are two stories companies want to hear!

If you’d like to learn more about how to craft a great UX portfolio, check out these articles:

  • 5 Golden rules to build a job-winning UX portfolio
  • The best UX design portfolio examples from around the web
  • The best free UX/UI portfolio websites to use
  • Salary negotiation for UX designers

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3 real-world UX research case studies from Airbnb, Google, and Spotify—and what we can learn from them

All successful products have at least one thing in common: they’re driven by thorough and ongoing UX research. Learn how the biggest brands conduct user research with these real-world case studies from Airbnb, Google, and Spotify.

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User research is the foundation of good design. Any successful product you can think of is driven by user insights. And, while all UX designers tap into the same pool of tools and techniques, you’ll find that every team has their own unique approach to user research.

Are you curious about how some of the biggest brands conduct UX research? Then keep reading. In this post, we take a deep dive into three real-world UX research case studies:

  • Airbnb: The power of observing behaviour to uncover design opportunities
  • Google for Education: The importance of user feedback for rapid product adaptation
  • Spotify: The value of human perspectives in a data-driven world

Each of these case studies teaches us a valuable lesson about UX research—lessons you can apply to your own design projects. So let’s jump in!

[GET CERTIFIED IN USER RESEARCH]

UX research case study #1: Airbnb and the power of observing user behaviour to uncover design opportunities

Oftentimes, user research is planned in advance and conducted within a controlled setting—think user interviews , or analysing how people interact with your website over a specific period of time. 

But sometimes, user research occurs organically—like an accidental light shining on a major design opportunity. That’s exactly what happened at Airbnb, leading to the design and launch of a new global check-in tool. 

Vibha Bamba, Design Lead on Airbnb’s Host Success Team, writes: 

“The decision to design the tool was informed by an intriguing host behaviour. We noticed that about 1.5 million photo messages were being sent from host to guest each week—the majority of them to explain location and entry details. Photos of the home were juxtaposed with maps, lockbox locations were described, and landmarks were called out.” 

Observing these behaviours over time, the Airbnb team realised that there was a huge opportunity to make the exchange between hosts and guests much more seamless and consistent. This kicked off a year-long project to design a global check-in tool for the Airbnb platform. 

The result? An integrated check-in tool that enables hosts to create visual check-in guides for their guests. They can upload photos and instructions which the tool will translate depending on the guests’ preferred language, and the guides can be accessed both on and offline. 

And, after launching the tool, the team continued to observe how hosts used it. They were able to flag issues and further design opportunities, adapting and evolving the check-in tool to better meet hosts’ needs. That’s the power of observing user behaviour! 

The takeaway

User behaviour provides us with incredibly rich insights. Don’t rely solely on planned or periodic user research—continuously observe how people interact with your product in the wild, too. You don’t know what you don’t know, and this approach will help you to uncover design opportunities you may not have even thought to look for otherwise.

Read the full UX research case study here: Leveraging Creative Hacks: How the Airbnb Community Inspired a Global Check-in Tool . 

[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]

UX research case study #2: Google for Education and the importance of user feedback for rapid product adaptation  

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, our lives changed almost overnight. Many of us were suddenly working from home, navigating new challenges of communicating and collaborating remotely. 

Teachers were no exception. They had to quickly adapt to teaching online, relying on tools like Google Meet to conduct lessons virtually. But Google Meet was originally designed as a conferencing tool for businesses, so the user experience for teachers and students wasn’t ideal. 

In the words of one tech admin speaking to the Google Meet team: 

“Students are using the tools in a way that makes it hard for teachers to do their job. Teachers can’t mute students, or put them in groups, they can’t ask questions easily to take the temperature of the class. Students are also jumping on the video without supervision—and that’s an issue. I wish there was more control.” 

The Google Meet team needed to act fast to figure out how the software could better meet teachers’ needs. To do this, they went straight to the source, gathering user feedback directly from teachers.

Based on this feedback, they added a range of new features such as attendance taking, hand raising, waiting rooms, and polls. 

The result? A rapidly improved user experience for teachers and students which ultimately benefited all Google Meet users. 

Sometimes, UX designers must think and act fast; there’s not always time for lengthy user research and cautious feature rollouts. When you need to adapt and evolve a product to quickly improve the user experience, it pays to go straight to your users for their feedback. 

Read the full UX research case study here: Adapting Products to Meet Teachers’ Changing Needs . 

UX research case study #3: Spotify and the value of human perspectives in a data-driven world 

Data is a powerful research tool. It enables you to gather and analyse broad and vast user insights, to make evidence-backed decisions, and to track and measure important UX KPIs . 

But, as Nhi Ngo, Insights Manager, User Research & Data Science at Spotify will tell you, it’s important not to become over-reliant on data when conducting UX research. Sometimes, making the best design decision boils down to a human perspective. 

Nhi Ngo came to this realisation when developing and launching a feature called “Shortcuts” on the Spotify Home tab. Powered by machine learning, Shortcuts is a dedicated space that showcases the user’s current favourites, as deduced by Spotify’s algorithms. 

The feature was developed based on data collected through a variety of research methods, including longitudinal user studies and A/B testing . 

So far, so good. But when it came to deciding on a name for the feature, A/B tests came back inconclusive. 

In the end, the name was decided based on the product designer’s instinct to go with the name that would create the most human and personal experience. Nhi Ngo explains:

“A few candidates that were tested were ‘Listen Now’ (the objective that the model optimizes for), ‘Shortcuts’ (the user-facing functionality), ‘Quick Access’ (a UX goal of this space), and last but not least, a daypart greeting, ‘Good morning’ (that would change with the time of day to ‘Good afternoon’ or ‘Good evening’). We were counting on the AB test to help us make this important decision. The test returned neutral. Our designer recommended we go with the daypart name, much to my reservations. 

Indeed, participants were most often positively surprised in our interview sessions whenever they opened their phone and saw the greetings. Convinced by our designer’s humanistic approach and recognising the intangible benefits of providing users with this joy of being ‘greeted by Spotify’, we decided to go with our perspective-taking as humans to humans, and chose the daypart name.” 

The result? A new product feature that evoked delight in Spotify’s users and led to further improvements, such as incorporating more time-based features in the model so that the recommendations changed depending on the time of day (for example, showing sleep music playlists at night). 

Data-driven research is an extremely powerful tool, but it may not always give you the full picture or a conclusive answer. Whenever you conduct and interpret research data, it’s important not to lose sight of your human perspective. 

In the words of Nhi Ngo: “When data can’t give you a definitive answer, it is OK to be human and make a human decision. Prioritise user joy; treat them as you would any human in your life.” 

Read the full UX research case study here: It’s OK to be Human in a Machine-Learned World . 

Learn more about UX research

All of these ux research case studies emphasise the importance of user research in UX design . If you’d like to learn more about UX research, check out the 9 best UX research tools , read about a day in the life of a UX research manager with Google’s Dr. Stephen Hassard , and master the art of analysing your UX research and pulling out useful insights in this guide .

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How to write a UX case study

Sarah doody,   •   jul 19, 2019.

H ave you ever been told your UX portfolio lacks depth, or what you did is unclear, or that it doesn’t seem like you have enough experience, even though you know you do?

Or maybe you landed an in-person interview, it didn’t go very well because you stumbled through presenting and answering questions about your projects. 

These are all symptoms of an underlying problem: your UX case studies are not written well enough. 

After doing at least 100 hours of my own research through talking to UX candidates one-on-one, reviewing portfolios, and analyzing survey data, one thing became clear: UX professionals put too much emphasis on learning how to make deliverables, and not enough on articulating their design decisions. 

When you can’t articulate your design decisions, it will make your day to day role harder, because you won’t know how to deal with pushback. And it will also limit your career options because your ability to write a strong case study is the foundation for creating a strong portfolio and doing well in interviews.

We’re going to go into:

  • The role of case studies in your portfolio
  • The anatomy of a case study
  • The steps to writing a thorough, readable case study

Case studies are the UX application differentiator

It’s no longer enough to just show your work. According to the  Center Centre , the job growth of UX designers is expected to rise 22% over the next 10 years. UX is a hot field, and there’s a lot of competition. 

Your portfolio, therefore, can’t simply be a curation of sexy-looking deliverables. Recruiters and hiring managers need you to articulate your process and design decisions. A key skill for UX professionals is the ability to communicate; in any UX role, you’ll find yourself not just doing UX, but explaining it over and over. 

If you don’t have well-written UX case studies, then how can recruiters and hiring managers trust that you’ll be able to communicate what you did and why you did it if they hire you? 

Writing is a skill that we know is important, but as designers rarely practice or study enough. When it comes to UX case studies, though, the quality of your writing is one of the most important variables in the success of your portfolio.

Let’s be real, writing about your UX projects is not an easy task. However, the good news is that by following the steps that follow, you will clearly understand how to write more clearly.

Anatomy of a UX case study

When approaching your UX portfolio and case studies, my advice is to think like a lawyer. Because how do lawyers win legal cases? With strong communication, and even stronger evidence. 

The projects inside your portfolio are like evidence in a legal case. And that’s why you must choose the projects for your portfolio very carefully. 

Here’s what I recommend including in your UX case study:

  • Problem statement
  • Users and audience
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Scope and constraints
  • Process and what you did
  • Outcomes and lessons

Want to download a copy of this template? Sign up for Sarah Doody’s newletter and get a free download.

How to write your ux case study.

As you write your case studies, don’t worry about length. Once you get it all on paper you can decide what to put into your portfolio. As you transition your written case studies to something more visual, you will edit them down and also consider how some of the text can be communicated visually.

Step 1. Give your project a title

The big mistake that people make is not giving the project title enough detail when a strong title can give context for the project.

Good: Home Depot user research for mobile app checkout

So-so: Home Depot user research

Bad: Home Depot

Step 2. Write an outline

Lay out your thoughts before you start giving up the details. An outline’s purpose is to help you understand the “big picture” of your project, so you can decide how to structure your case study or if the project is big enough to merit more than one case study.

Start your outline with the seven sections listed above, and start filling in bullet points under each section. Don’t worry about sentence structure; just write and get it out of your head. If you’ve been  documenting your projects as you work on them , then you may have some of this already written.

Step 3. Fill in the details

Now that you have an outline and you see the big picture, you can start filling in details. 

Give the “Process and what you did” section the bulk of your effort. This is where you’ll document the steps you took, just like documenting science experiments in high school. 

You should be answering these questions:

  • What did you do? For example, what research method did you use?
  • Why did you do it?  For example, why did you choose that research method?
  • What was the result?  For example, did you achieve your research goals?
  • What did you learn? For example, what would you do differently next time?

Continuing with our (completely fictional) Home Depot example:

BAD: “ We did usability testing on the checkout of the Home Depot mobile app.”

Why is this weak? Because it only tells the reader what you did. It doesn’t address why you did it, what happened, and what you learned.

GOOD: To evaluate the new checkout on the Home Depot mobile app, we relied on usage metrics in conjunction with 8 usability tests. This allowed us to gain deeper understanding through combining both qualitative and quantitative information. Although users were able to get through the checkout more quickly, they continued to struggle with the shipping section. Discussions with users discussion revealed that often times, products in one order have different shipping addresses, which was possible, but difficult in the current checkout.

This version is much stronger because it goes beyond just talking about what was done. Providing this depth is what will set you apart; articulating your design decisions and process will help position you as a more mature and thoughtful professional.

Step 4. Write headlines

At this point, you’re probably thinking something like “Who would ever read this novel?” Which is a good point. That’s why the next step will help you start to distill everything down so that you are focusing on the key highlights of the story.

The best way to do this is to pretend that you have to write your case study only in tweets. It sounds crazy, but it works.

For each section of the outline we’re working with, write a single headline or sentence—except for the Process section, where you’ll be focusing your energies. For the Process section, you’ll want to have a headline for each step. Using our previous fictitious Home Depot user research example, some of the headlines for the Process section might be:

  • Step: What type of research you did and why you did it. Example: Analytics revealed customers struggled, and sometimes abandoned, checkout at the shipping section. To understand why, we conducted eight usability tests.
  • Step: Findings from the research. Usability tests revealed that business customers, versus residential, had different shipping needs, which were not being addressed in the current checkout experience.
  • Step: Impact of research on product development. We prototyped two new versions of the checkout, allowing customers to choose shipping address on a per-product basis.

By sticking to a 140 character limit, you’ll force yourself to identify the most important points of the case study—which will then become headlines when you create your actual portfolio. 

A good way to test whether or not you have strong headlines is to ask yourself if someone would understand the main points of your project by skimming the headlines. If not, then re-write your headlines—because if you want the users of your UX portfolio to quickly understand your project, those are the most important points.

Step 5. Distill the text from your case study into your actual portfolio

Regardless of the format you choose for your portfolio , your writing needs to be clear and succinct. 

It won’t happen in one edit! Let’s say you’re working in Keynote with slides, your process will look like this:

  • Take the headlines you wrote and place one headline per slide in Keynote. 
  • Consider that you might merge some bits of information into one slide. For example, you might combine your overview and problem statement. It’s subjective, so you decide! 
  • Now, you need to go back and start to pull the most important and relevant details from your case study and put them on each slide, as supporting details or evidence. 

Examples in action

Simon Pan’s UX portfolio website went viral because he had awesome case studies. Yes, he’s also a visual designer so it looks beautiful. But what you need to focus on is the content. His Uber case study is an excellent example, let’s take a look at why it works:

  • Clear problem and framing of the project. Simon’s case study clearly states the problem and frames the project. So even if I’d never heard of Uber before, I’d have enough context to understand the project.
  • Explanation of the process. Simon does this with a story. It’s easy to read and keeps my attention. It feels like a cool article that’s well thought out … not to mention the visual design helps draw key points out. In the screenshot below, he is explaining part of the Discovery process. It sounds like I’m reading an article, therefore it keeps my attention. And the use of a user research quote helps bring the story to life even more.
  • Thoughtful conclusions and reflection. At the end, Simon concludes the case study with some results, reflections, and insights. People don’t just want to know what you did, they want to know the impact of what you did.

What comes next?

If you follow all these steps, you will have a longform case study edited down into something that’s more readable and scannable for the user of your UX portfolio. 

And remember, the UX case studies you write serve many purposes. Of course, they are the foundation of your portfolio, but they also can feed into your resume, LinkedIn, cover letters, and what you say in an interview. 

Want to read more by Sarah Doody?

  • Seriously, you need to start documenting your UX work
  • 4 steps for choosing the right projects for your UX portfolio
  • How to create a UX portfolio without UX experience

by Sarah Doody

Sarah Doody is a User Experience Designer, Entrepreneur, and Educator. She is the founder of The UX Portfolio Formula, a UX career accelerator that helps UX professionals learn how to articulate their work so they can create an awesome portfolio. In 2011, she created the curriculum for and taught General Assembly’s first 12-week UX immersive, the genesis of their popular UX programs which are now taught worldwide.

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The Ultimate UX Case Study Template

case study for ux

Having a template to follow is the biggest help in UX case study writing. Even more so, if you’re a junior who doesn’t have much experience with portfolios. A template can help you plan, organize your thoughts while showing you the light at the end of the tunnel.

The UXfolio team reads hundreds of case studies every month. What we’ve found is that successful UX case studies have a similar structure. In this article, we’ve distilled this formula into a flexible UX case study template and some practical tips that you can use to polish your case studies!

case study for ux

About UX case studies in general:

Before you get to work, we need to clarify a few important details. Doing so will help you understand the expectations and the purpose of UX case studies:

What are UX case studies?

UX case studies are a form of professional content that mixes text and visuals to present the design process of products or product features. They make up UX portfolios, alongside optional pages such as ‘About Me’ or ‘Contact’.

How are they different from UX portfolios?

UX portfolios are made of UX case studies. Think of your portfolio as a folder that holds together your case studies. Back in the day, these used to be printed, book-like documents. Nowadays the industry prefers websites and other digital formats .

How are they different from resumés?

Your resumé lists your skills and work experience. Meanwhile, your portfolio uses case studies to showcase how you apply those skills and experience . Ultimately, you’ll need both to land a job.

How many case studies should be in a portfolio?

If you’re a junior UX designer , you should include 2-3 case studies in your portfolio. These could describe UX bootcamp assignments, re-design concepts, UX challenges , internship projects , or even fictional products. If you’re a medior or senior UX designer, write up 4-5 of your most impressive projects into case studies. Your goal should be to feature as many of your skills as possible. And remember: quality over quantity.

What to feature in your UX case studies?

Since your career depends on your UX portfolio, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with putting one together. Usually, it’s this pressure that numbs designers and leads to procrastination. But just setting straight what lays ahead will help ease your mind:

The story of your design

Design decisions, visuals with explanations.

This might sound very esoteric, but it’s really not. For every design, there was at least one problem that required a solution. You were the person who explored the problem and found the solution/solutions. There might have been moments when the whole thing went off-rails, or when you needed to go back to the drawing board. Those are all part of your design story.

Now, imagine that a friend, peer, or colleague asks you about a project. How would you talk about it? That’s almost exactly what you should put in your case studies. Just polish it a bit, leave out the curse words, add visuals and you have a case study.

Throughout the design process, you keep making decisions. Choosing a UX method to apply is a decision too, and there’s a reason why you chose it. Your UX case studies need to highlight these decisions and their contribution to the design.

The biggest mistake in UX case studie s is when UXers go on defining instead of explaining:

  • Definition ➡️ “I proceeded to do an in-depth competitive analysis to find out more about competing apps in the same category.”
  • Explanation ➡️ “I proceeded to do an in-depth competitive analysis to make a list of features that were missing from our products, check out how others solved the XY flow, and find out how could we improve on it in our solution.”

Then you’ll move on to explain what you’ve found and as your case study progresses, you reference those findings.

You need to be heavy-handed with your visuals when you’re creating UX case studies. Using images alongside your text will help your readers’ comprehension. So, as a first step, collect everything you can: photos, sketches, whiteboard grabs, graphs, personas, screenshots, wireframes, user flows, prototypes, mood boards, notes, and so on.

We’ve seen some creative UXers use screenshots of calls (with blurred-out faces), group photos, and prototypes of all fidelity. Such visuals help us understand what we’re reading about. But they also build an image in our heads of the designer behind the screen, which can be very powerful and memorable.

Some designers are already in the habit of keeping every scrap of paper with a scribble on it because they know that when it comes to writing a case study, you can’t have enough visuals. Follow their example to make your easier – your future self will thank you.

But it’s not enough to just throw some images into a case study. Here’s how you can make them impactful:

  • Always give context ➡️ if you put that stunning photo of the wall with post-its into your case study, make sure that you place it in a section where you explain what’s happening on it (see design decisions) or give it a caption that explains it. The important thing is that visuals will only work if they are strategically placed or they come with an explanation.
  • Strive for visual consistency ➡️ even if it requires some extra work, you should make sure that your visuals match each other. Yes, a persona and the user flow might not be close to each other on your layout, but they’re still in the same document so they need to have consistent styling. Believe me, this is a common criticism from design leads and HR folk as well.

Image of a case study template generator

How long should be a case study?

If you check a site like Behance, you’ll find that most UX projects there are rather short. Usually, they focus on the visual aspects of design, aka UI. That is a fantastic starting point for a case study. But for UX design, you will need to add some content for context.

The good news is that you don’t need to write essays for case studies. All it takes is around 500 words and some well-optimized visuals. You should never stretch your words because it’ll reflect poorly on your presentation skills. 

Also, treat this number with flexibility: If the project at hand justifies it, feel free to go above or below that. Usually, when a case study is very long, it’s because the project itself was more complicated.

What’s the point of UX case studies?

1. applied designer skills.

It’s one thing to learn a skill and it’s another to use it in a way that can help drive numbers for a business. A great UX case study will prove that you are capable of applying your skills and delivering a solution even with all the distractions and obstacles that come with real-life scenarios.

2. Presentation skills

Many UXers forget about the skills that are required beyond UX. Just read a few UX designer job descriptions , and you’ll find that advocating for design best practices is one of the most common requirements.

As a designer, you’ll have many stakeholder meetings and you’ll need to present your or your team’s ideas. And the fate of those ideas might depend on the way they’re presented. Therefore, the way you articulate your thoughts is important. A great UX case study will show that you are great at structuring your thoughts and articulating complex concepts.

3. The impact of your design

You can see in our UX case study template that there’s a separate section for showcasing your impact. If you can prove that your design can drive numbers, you’re set. This is the single most powerful tool that you can use in a case study: before-and-after analytics, such as an increase in checkouts, increase in finished flows, better CTRs, user feedback, etc. Use whatever number you have to show that your design contributed to the business. It’ll convince even the UX-doubters.

Obviously, as an aspiring/junior designer , this might be impossible, so you need to be a bit more creative. We advise you to show what impact the project had on you: what you’ve learned and how you’ve improved as a designer.

4. Navigating in a team

Almost every product is a collaborative effort between professionals from various disciplines: researchers, designers, developers, marketers, etc. Therefore, navigating in a collaborative environment is an important trait. A case study should show how the team influenced the design, how you’ve collaborated with other designers, the sacrifices that had to be made, and so on.

You don’t need an elaborate plan for this. First and foremost, make sure that you introduce the team in your case study. Second, ask for quotes/recommendations and include them in a neat quotes section. Yes, tooting your own horn can be a bit uncomfortable, but unfortunately, it’s part of the game.

5. Showcase of your taste

Yes, it’s UX, but the reality is that most people don’t care: if what you present doesn’t appeal to them, it’s unlikely that you’ll get the job. Make sure that your UX case studies are visually consistent. If you want to cast a wider net, strive for sleek, minimalist solutions and harmonizing colors.

Password protection feature for portfolios and case studies

A simple yet effective UX case study template

This is a tried-and-true UX case study template that can provide a structure to your thoughts. There are 6 chapters that are standard for almost any UX case study. However, the content of these chapters is highly dependent on the project you’re writing about. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that we’ll leave you on your own: for each chapter, we’ll give you various options and ideas to help you get going.

UX case study template/skeleton:

  • Hero section
  • Project overview
  • Exploration/Discovery
  • UX design process
  • Final design

1. Hero section

All case studies should begin with a title & subtitle. You can use various formulas for your title, but we’ve found that this is the one that works the best:

  • App name + project scope + project/case study = Netflix Checkout Redesign Project

Your subtitle can provide a glimpse into the project, for which you have various options:

  • What’s the product about? (An app that helps you keep your plants alive.)
  • What was the project about? (6-week UX design and research project)

If you want to include something visual in your hero section go hard or go home: use spoilers, aka show screens of the final design. You don’t have to fit everything there, just the parts you’re most proud of as an appetizer. Later in the case study, you’ll have enough space to showcase everything you’ve worked on.

  • 2 sentences (titles), and
  • 1 optional cover image.

case study for ux

2. Project overview

Make sure that your readers are prepared for what’s to come. Remember: they know nothing about this project, so you need to cover the bases:

  • Product description,
  • Team members,
  • Project length,
  • Methods used, and
  • 3-4 sentences for the overview, and
  • 4-5 bulletpoints for the small details.

Screenshot of a project overview section in a UX case study

3. Exploration/discovery

Now that we have all the background information, we can move on to how you’ve approached the issue you were presented with. This part usually includes:

  • Competitive analysis,
  • Interviews, and

Make sure that for everything you mention you answer at least these three questions:

  • Why did you choose to do it?
  • What did you find out?
  • How did that influence your next move?

You can end this chapter with a wrap-up to create a smooth transition to the next chapter.

  • At least 3-4 sentences for each method you’ve used,
  • Visualize as much information as you can.

Screenshot of a survey section in a UX case study

4. UX design process

Now that we understand the scope of the project, we’re eager to see how you went on to design a solution. You can achieve a great structure here if you start from more abstract ideas and move towards the final design:

  • Wireframes,
  • Prototypes,
  • Iteration, and
  • Validation.

Again, you need to answer a few questions for every step you made:

  • What did you want to achieve by doing this?
  • How did this step contribute to the final design?
  • At least 3-5 sentences for every method you mention.

case study for ux

5. Final design

Probably the most exciting part of every UX case study is the reveal of the final design. In this section, you should explain

  • Why did you choose this solution?
  • What other solutions were in the run?
  • Before-and-after screenshots (if relevant to the project).

There are two great options to present your final designs. The first is to use galleries. You can go with a nice carousel or a grid that follows a logical order. The second is to embed your Figma prototype. This has the added benefit of making your case study interactive, which makes for a more memorable experience. (Or you can combine the two for an even better showing.)

  • 2-3 short paragraphs.

Screenshot of UIs presented in a grid gallery

If you have numbers or analytics that show how your design contributed to business goals, you need to showcase them. This will make your case study even more impactful. You don’t need graphs and piecharts (unless you have the time to create some); it’s enough to make a list with the quantifiable data. If you don’t have access to such data , you can also include testimonials and user quotes to underline impact. If you can include both, that’s a winning combination.

  • At least 1 sentence for each achievement.
  • In a bulleted list or short paragraph.

6. Learnings

There’s something to learn even from the most boring project you’ve ever done. At least, you should strive to find something positive that can contribute to your growth as a designer. This can be a soft skill, a new tool, a new method, or a different way of cooperation. Try to think of things that were new to you in this project and share the takeaways with your readers. Alternative closures include:

  • What would I do differently?
  • Jobs to be done
  • This chapter can be as long as you please, but
  • At least 3-4 sentences.

case study for ux

Alternate UX case study templates

We’ve provided a classic UX case study template that has been proven to be working. Now, we’ll show you how you can alter this template for different flows:

UI focused case study template

If you’re strong in UI, you should not wait to reveal your final design until the end of your case study. You needn’t worry about spoiling the surprise as a case study is not a fiction novel or Netflix show. A beautiful design will pull in your readers. What’s more, if the company doesn’t really know the difference between UI and UX, this approach will make your case study even more impactful as it’ll start with the ‘beautiful stuff’.

Here’s how that template would go:

  • Project Overview
  • Transition to the next section by letting your reader know that you’ll explain how you’ve arrived at this solution.
  • Exploration/discovery
  • (Optional: Showcase even more of your final designs)

Impact driven case study template

Every product has a business behind it. And what you can do for that business is what matters to stakeholders. We can all conclude that a screen is pretty, but if it doesn’t contribute to business goals or KPIs, it’s just that, a pretty screen. So, if you have some numbers to share, don’t be afraid to put them right after your intro section. Then go on and showcase how you’ve achieved it:

  • Share numbers then follow up by showcasing the design which contributed them:

Build your UX case studies with UXfolio!

UXfolio is a portfolio and case study builder made with UX designers in mind. It offers stunning, customizable templates as well as a case study generator with text and image ideas. What’s more, UXfolio comes with built-in device mockups, easy prototype embedding, and password protection on the portfolio or the case study level. Ready to work on your portfolio? Try UXfolio for free!

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How to Write a UX Case Study: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Learn the step-by-step process of writing a compelling UX case study that will elevate your online portfolio

case study for ux

As a digital product designer, one of the most effective ways to showcase your skills and expertise is by creating a compelling UX case study for your online portfolio.

A well-crafted case study not only demonstrates your design process but also highlights your problem-solving abilities and the value you bring to the table.

In this blog post, we'll briefly touch on what a UX case study is, we'll then walk you through the essential steps how to write a UX case study that will impress potential clients and employers.

Let's get started!

What is a UX case study?

How to Write a UX Case Study

A UX case study is like a story that designers tell to explain how they solved a design problem.

It's a way to show others how they researched , planned, and created a digital product or experience that is user-friendly and effective.

It includes details about the project's goals , the people they designed for, the steps they took, and the final design they came up with.

A UX case study helps designers demonstrate their skills and expertise in making things easy to use and enjoyable for users.

It's a friendly and simple way for them to share their design journey and showcase their problem-solving abilities.

Video on how to write a UX case study:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Selecting the right project for your case study is crucial. Aim for a project that best represents your skills and aligns with the type of work you want to attract. It should be a project where you had a significant impact and can showcase your problem-solving abilities and design thinking process effectively.

2. Define the Problem:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Start your case study by clearly defining the problem you were trying to solve. Explain the context, the pain points, and the goals of the project. Highlight the challenges you faced, as well as any research or data that supported your problem identification process.

3. Describe the Research and Discovery Phase:

How to Write a UX Case Study

In this section, describe your research methodologies, including user interviews, surveys , and competitive analysis. Share insights you gained from your research and how they influenced your design decisions. This demonstrates your ability to empathize with users and make informed design choices based on their needs.

4. Outline the Design Process:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Present your design process in a structured and coherent manner. Include wireframes , prototypes, and iterations that show the evolution of your design. Explain the rationale behind your design decisions and how they addressed the identified problem. Be sure to highlight any user testing or feedback loops that helped refine your solution.

‍5. Showcase the Visual Design:

How to Write a UX Case Study

This section is an opportunity to showcase your visual design skills. Include high-fidelity mockups or screenshots that highlight the aesthetics, typography, color schemes, and overall visual appeal of your design. Explain the reasoning behind your design choices and how they enhance the user experience .

6. Present the Final Solution:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Describe the final solution you arrived at and how it effectively addresses the initial problem. Include metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) to demonstrate the success of your solution. Whenever possible, provide real-world results , such as increased user engagement, improved conversion rates , or positive user feedback.

7. Reflect and Share Learnings:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Take a moment to reflect on the project and share any lessons or insights gained during the design process . Discuss what worked well, what challenges you encountered, and how you overcame them. This demonstrates your ability to learn and grow as a designer.

8. Present the Case Study Effectively:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Pay attention to the presentation and formatting of your case study. Use clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easy to read and skim. Include relevant visuals, such as images , diagrams , and charts, to enhance the visual appeal. Make sure your case study is concise, engaging, and aligned with your personal brand.

Frequently asked questions on how to write a UX case study:

How to Write a UX Case Study

Why are UX case studies important?

UX case studies are important for several reasons. They provide insights into the design process , showcase a designer's skills and abilities, and demonstrate how user-centered design principles were applied to solve a specific problem. They are also useful for sharing knowledge, building credibility, and securing job opportunities.

How long should a UX case study be?

The length of a UX case study can vary depending on the complexity of the project and the information you want to convey. However, it's generally recommended to keep it concise and focused, aiming for a length of 800 to 1,500 words. Including visual elements like images , diagrams, or prototypes is also encouraged to enhance understanding and engagement.

What are some tips for creating an effective UX case study?

Here are a few tips to create an effective UX case study:

Clearly define the problem: Start by clearly articulating the problem statement and why it is important to address.

Show the design process: Walk through the design process, highlighting key decisions, iterations, and insights gained along the way.

Include visuals: Incorporate visual elements like wireframes , prototypes, and user interface designs to provide a visual context and make the case study more engaging.

Share the impact: Demonstrate the impact of your design solution by including user feedback, success metrics, or before-and-after comparisons.

Be concise and organized: Keep the case study concise and well-structured, making it easy for the reader to follow your thought process and understand the project's evolution.

Tailor it to the audience: Adapt your case study to the audience you're targeting, focusing on aspects that are most relevant and impactful to them.

Can I include confidential or proprietary information in a UX case study?

It's generally advised to avoid including confidential or proprietary information in a public UX case study. If you need to showcase sensitive information, consider anonymizing or obfuscating the data to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the individuals or organizations involved. Always respect any non-disclosure agreements or intellectual property rights you may have signed.

Should I include negative feedback or challenges faced in a UX case study?

Yes, it's important to be transparent about the challenges and obstacles encountered during a UX project. Including negative feedback or hurdles you faced demonstrates your ability to navigate difficulties and adapt your approach. Highlighting how you addressed and overcame challenges can also provide valuable insights into your problem-solving skills and resilience as a designer .

Can I use visuals created by others in my UX case study?

If you use visuals created by others, such as stock photos , icons , or illustrations , make sure you have the necessary permissions and licenses to use them in your case study. It's important to respect copyright laws and intellectual property rights. When in doubt, it's best to create your own visuals or use resources that are explicitly licensed for free or commercial use.

How should I present my UX case study?

UX case studies can be presented in various formats, depending on the context and requirements. Common formats include a written document, a slide deck presentation, or a web page . Consider the needs of your audience and the platform where you plan to showcase your case study. Ensure it is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate , allowing the viewer to understand your design process and the outcomes clearly.

Writing a compelling UX case study is an essential skill for any digital product designer. 

It allows you to showcase your problem-solving abilities, design process, and the impact you have made on real-world projects. 

By carefully selecting the right project, highlighting your research and design decisions, and presenting your case study effectively, you can create a captivating narrative that will impress potential clients and employers. 

Remember, a well-crafted case study is not just a reflection of your design skills, but also an opportunity to tell a compelling story about your expertise and approach to UX design.

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How to create the perfect structure for a UX case study

UX case studies form the core content of a UX professional’s portfolio. They are essential to getting you hired, because case studies are a window to your professional practice, by showing how you think, adapt, cooperate and ultimately solve challenges. A UX case study has to tell a story about you. Like all good stories, case studies benefit greatly from a solid structure that guides the reader through your thinking and experience. Here, we will explore how to craft the perfect structure for your UX case studies.

Let’s begin with a few quotes about case studies and interviews, from UX recruiters worldwide, compiled in 2017 by Cassandra Naji ( marketing content manager at Justinmind, the popular UX prototyping software):

”I want to see how you think strategically, how you connected the dots to land at the right solution. What does your process look like? What steps did you take to learn more about your users?” (Melissa Perri, Product Manager and UX Designer at Produx Labs) ”Having a really strong portfolio where you can talk through your whole process , not just showing research, user flows , wireframes, etc, but turning it into a story for example why you moved onto each part of the process so a hiring manager can really get inside your thought process.” (Tom Cotterill, UX Recruiter at Source LF) ” Storytelling is important. The interviewer wants to understand your process , your contribution to the team, and how your mind works.” (Rebecca Levi, UX/ UI / Product Design Recruiting Manager, The Joanne Weaver Group) “My tip would be, tell stories . When designers present a flat portfolio it doesn’t tell me about how they approach the work they do and how they deal with the ebbs and flows of design. Tell me how you navigate from start to end of a project, I like to see a case study approach.” (Sarah Bellrichard, SVP of Wholesale Internet Solutions & UX at Wells Fargo) “So, when I interview you, tell me a story about how you made something awesome even though it was super uncertain what it was going to turn out to be. And get meta and walk me through how you approach problems, how you navigate through idea generation and synthesis, and how you build solutions.” (Jeff Onken, Design Strategist & UX Manager at Northrop Grumman)

You might begin to see the pattern here: Recruiters from both large and small companies alike are all immensely interested in the same thing: your thinking and professional process. They want you to tell them a story about how you tackled previous UX challenges. To progress through to an actual interview, where you can elaborate on your stories in person, first you must pass the portfolio review obstacle – UX case studies in your portfolio are your first opportunity to tell recruiters your stories. These stories have to be tantalizing enough that the recruiter will want to invite you to learn more about them, and you. So, in order to get the recruiters’ attention, first we need to understand the power of stories, so we can understand why they are so much in demand by recruiters, and then see what story elements your UX case study should contain.

The power of storytelling in UX hiring

In our long history as a species, stories have always played an important role in our societies. Pick any time and any populated place on the planet, and some research into that culture during that era will bear this out as a fact. Writer and copyeditor Shannon Turlington (2010) offers some excellent insight from her 20+ years of experience in science and academic writing, about the importance of stories for humans.

“We use stories not only to learn but also to speculate, to pose questions and then find solutions.” - Shannon Turlington

Through storytelling, we pass on important information and lessons from generation to generation. Some stories are fictional; others are accounts of true events. But we don’t use stories just to learn. Stories are also an exercise in speculation and the exploration of possibilities. They are a great way to ask the “what if” questions in life, and find possible answers to these. In fact, storyboarding is one of the most well-known UX tools used to do just that!

Since we don’t know how the stories of our own lives will end, absorbing stories that have a beginning, middle and end can provide great satisfaction. Generally speaking, stories have the ability to provoke strong emotional responses , so they are an immensely powerful tool that can connect people to one another and, if sufficiently persuasive, bring about dramatic and profound changes in thinking.

case study for ux

Copyright holder: Gerd Leonhard, Flickr. Copyright terms and license: CC BY-SA 2.0

For UX professionals, telling the story of how they tackled the challenges of wicked UX design problems provides recruiters with the confidence that an applicant has great communication skills, matched with excellent technical skills and a deep understanding of methodological approaches to product development.

Assuming that you might be looking for a UX job in the near future, let’s take a look at who is going to be hiring you. They have a specific and immediate need in mind: to find a new member to join their UX team, someone brilliant who will bring inspiration, talent and hard work that will raise the team to new heights. We already know from their testimonials above that they are interested in your stories. Why?

Quite simply, by going through applicants’ portfolios, recruiters are subconsciously asking themselves a what-if question: “What if this person joined our team? What would it be like to work with this person?”. Therefore, what better way for you to answer this question for them than to provide a story? Telling a great story about your own experiences as a UX professional gives this satisfaction of having something come full circle: starting from somewhere and arriving somewhere else. It helps the recruiter see the world through your own eyes, and in the process, hopefully recognize someone who has fought a difficult challenge with skill, integrity, commitment, courage and perseverance – just the right kind of person to solve the wicked problems of design.

Structuring a captivating story

Orson Scott Card, an American science-fiction writer, wrote in 2010 that most novels are dominated by four types of story structures: milieu, idea, character and event. From this classification, we can single out the “idea” structure because it accurately frames the type of experience that a UX professional has throughout his or her working life. In Card’s own words:

“Idea stories are about the process of seeking and discovering new information through the eyes of characters who are driven to make the discoveries. The structure is very simple: The idea story begins by raising a question; it ends when the question is answered.” – Orson Scott Card

Idea stories have a structure of discovery, so the question is naturally a “why”, “how” or “what if”, exactly the type of thing that UX professionals ask themselves daily. So, in this context, there is a question that begets an answer (that’s the design problem), the protagonist (i.e., you as a UX professional) tells the story of how he or she arrived at an answer for that question (helping the reviewer see the process through the protagonist’s eyes), and, finally, there is a conclusion, an answer to the question (that’s your final product and its impact).

case study for ux

Copyright holder: Smita Nair Jain, Flickr. Copyright terms and license: Public Domain

A good UX case study is the story of how you broke a design challenge down into its components, and then expertly put this knowledge together to deliver a superb user experience.

Turning a UX case study into a story

Of course, we’re not saying here that you need to write a whole novel to explain what happened in a UX project you undertook in the past. A case study has to be succinct, but all the crucial elements of the story need to be there: the starting question, the process, the answer. And remember that just like any project that you designed, your UX case study is also a product of design – something that you give shape and essence to, with care and attention to detail, attempting to solve a real need: the recruiter’s need to see how you think, and, through this, your own need to become employed. So, we can conclude that the perfect UX case study has three parts, which we will outline next.

The beginning of a UX case study

Here is where you should explain the question that you tried to answer, and the context. For example, look at how the following statement describes the goals, vision and challenges to be addressed by a project:

“We wanted to design a new app that reminds busy people to do important things. The challenge was that simple reminders are often issued at a place or time where the user can’t really act on them, like a reminder to buy milk, while the user is at the office. Wouldn’t it be better to issue that reminder as the user is walking past a supermarket, on the way home?”

If you were part of a larger UX team here, you should also state your role in the project – for example, you might write something like “ My role in the project was to undertake user research and evaluation of prototypes ”.

The process of the UX case study

This part of the case study explains the steps that you took to arrive at a solution. Here, you should highlight the activities that you took and illustrate those activities with sketches, photographs, diagrams or other design artifacts or deliverables that you produced. Bear in mind that the focus here is on the process , so emphasis on iterations, rising challenges, alternatives, decision points and conflict resolution is paramount.

You should always start with some user research that frames the problem. For example, you might write this:

“We analyzed the to-do lists of 140 users aged 18-40 for a period of 3 weeks and discovered that about 60% of their tasks were location-dependent. From this analysis, we made 4 user personas and defined their experiences in managing to-do lists with customer journey maps .”

You could show one persona and one journey map here to illustrate.

Then, show how you progressed into ideation for solutions – for example, putting in a sequence of sketches that shows a user interface design evolution from napkin drawing, to low-fidelity wireframes, then interactive low-fidelity prototypes and a final pixel-perfect design shows that you have progressed from early concepts to an end product.

It’s important to annotate these with information, too, which describes how the evolution took place through consultation and evaluation . For example, next to your napkin drawing, you might say “ we carried out a focus group with 20 users to co-design an early prototype based on this idea ” and then show 2-3 alternative low-fidelity UI sketches that emerged as an output of that process. Then you might show a wireframe emerge from these sketches and say something like “ undertaking heuristic and lab-based user evaluation, we selected Alternative 2 as the way forward, but improved it with features from Alternatives 1 & 3 which were found to work better in the lab ”.

The conclusion of the UX case study

This last part of the structure shows your final answer to the original question. It’s not enough here simply to show your final deliverable. In this section, you have to demonstrate impact – how did your designed product improve the situation? Remember that the final step in every Design-Thinking process is evaluation. So, mention what you learned through lab tests, field tests, analytics mining or other data you have – e.g., “ In a 3-week field trial with 30 users, we found that these location-sensitive reminders led to less cluttered to-do lists for our users, since they were able to act on the reminders and cross them off their list instead of postponing them. ” Charts and statistics are great for demonstrating this impact.

However, don’t just stay stuck on the impact bit. It’s also important to highlight the lessons you learned and that you later reflected on your experience. What would you do differently if you had more time or resources to spend on the project? You might say this, for example: “ We found that 20% of the tasks in the to-do lists related to things that other people had to do, instead of the user. We didn’t have the budget or time to address this challenge, but in the future, we could revisit the project and focus on collaborative aspects of task managemen t.” Do remember to acknowledge your co-workers and collaborating stakeholders in the last section, too, as this shows a teamworking spirit.

“To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master.” — Milton Glaser, celebrated American graphic designer

UX case studies are an exercise in communication

One of the most important skills for a UX professional is the ability to communicate. A UX case study is a demonstration of that ability, so writing good case studies doesn’t only demonstrate your technical and other professional skills; it also gives you a chance to prove how effective your communication skills are.

We will end this piece with a final note on UX case study structures. Many UX professionals believe that a great case study should end with a great product, but this is not always the case. First of all, remember that greatness is a relative attribute – what works well for you might be less than optimal for the person next to you and his/her own circumstances. It is also a temporary attribute: An app that was great back in 2005 was probably next to useless by 2017 – given that so much of the hardware and people’s lives had changed in the interim. However, what remains is the process – how you masterfully employed your critical thinking and knowledge of methodology to solve a difficult design problem, in the context and constraints that applied to the project at the time.

In this sense, don’t be shy to demonstrate those grand projects where the shining element was your approach to the work, even though the end product might have lost some of its luster.

The Take Away

A UX case study is an account of the events that led you to the discovery of some new knowledge, the answer to a UX design problem. Keeping in mind the recruiters’ need to answer their “what if” question (i.e., “What would it be like if this person joined our team and we had to work with him/her every day?”), structuring your case studies in the shape of an “idea” type of story will help recruiters get a glimpse of the world through your eyes, and provide a (hopefully) positive response to their question.

Your case study is a glimpse into your way of thinking: It is a demonstrator of process and critical reflection, rather than of the end product. There are only three parts to a UX case study structure (the beginning, the process and the conclusion), but knowing how much and what type of content is appropriate for each part will get you off to a good start on writing eye-grabbing case studies.

References & Where to Learn More

Hero Image: Copyright holder: Jacopo Romei, Flickr. Copyright terms and license: CC BY-SA 2.0

Course: “User Experience: The Beginner’s Guide”

Turlington, S. (2010). Why are stories so important?

Card, O. S. (2015). The 4 Story Structures that Dominate Novels

Naji, C. (2017). 8 tips for UX job interviews: questions & insights from UX managers

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case study for ux

Crafting Emotions: The Journey of Khushali Sandhi in Emotional Design

K hushali Sandhi's remarkable career in user experience design narrates a story of passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of understanding and enhancing the emotional connection between users and technology. 

Starting her career as a front-end developer in India in 2009, Khushali quickly discovered her fervor for solving customer problems and designing impactful solutions. Today, as a Senior User Experience Designer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Khushali designs complex cloud-based database solutions, showcasing her ability to navigate and innovate within the intricate landscape of technology and user experience.

Khushali’s diverse work experience is a testament to her adaptability and breadth of skill. Her career trajectory reflects her growth and the increasing sophistication of her design philosophy.  This journey is marked by her conceptualization and realization of designs that are not only functional but fundamentally enrich the human experience with technology. 

Let’s take a peek at Khushali’s professional journey here.

From codes to emotions

Khushali career journey, from coding to understanding emotions, is a testament to her evolution from a front-end engineer to a Senior UX Designer at Amazon. Starting at Infosys, where she worked on projects for Apple Inc., Khushali found herself navigating the intersection of design and development, gradually taking ownership of designs. Reflecting on her journey, she recalls, "In 2009, UX design was a new field and I didn’t know this could be a full-time role on its own. So I was doing designs and development both."

Moving through various roles, including her time at Cignex Datamatics, Khushali's passion for user-centered design grew. Engaging directly with users, she found fulfillment in solving their problems and seeing the impact of her work firsthand. Pursuing a Master's in Human-Computer Interaction Design from Indiana University Bloomington marked a pivotal moment, solidifying her path in UX design.

"Since graduation, I have been working purely as a UX designer," Khushali notes, emphasizing her transition from technical roots to the empathetic and user-focused realm of UX design.

The heart of interaction

Khushali's journey into emotional design wasn't a sudden revelation but a gradual realization fueled by feedback from users. "My interest in emotional design sparked after I started gathering feedback from customers on my designs more often," she explains.

Observing users' varied emotional responses—confusion, curiosity, and satisfaction—highlighted the impact of intuitive design on user experience, prompting Khushali to delve deeper into understanding and empathizing with users' emotions.

This exploration led her to adopt a holistic view of design, focusing on understanding users' lives and needs. Crafting experiences immersed in real-life scenarios, like the leadership simulation "Patient Zero" for Harvard Business Publishing, she utilized mood boards and storylines to evoke intended emotional responses.

Khushali emphasizes the importance of emotional design thinking throughout the process, from design to post-building stages, ensuring customer satisfaction and delight.

Adapting to diverse user emotions

Khushali's integration of emotional design into her work is meticulous and deliberate. She divides the user experience into three phases: onboarding, user engagement, and fostering return. "From the time customers encounter the product, to the time customers finish using the product, there are emotions that form the experience," she emphasizes.

In the onboarding phase, she prioritizes creating positive first impressions and addressing user concerns to set a supportive tone. During active engagement, she focuses on efficiency and satisfaction, iterating designs based on user feedback. Finally, she designs with the goal of ensuring users find value in returning, leaving them with clear next steps and a sense of achievement.

"Every step involves customer emotions which impacts the next stage," she asserts, highlighting her dedication to understanding and designing for the emotional journey of users across various sectors.

A case study in feelings

In a project for Renaissance, Khushali applied emotional design to transform the way district administrators interact with reports on school progress within their districts. Understanding the administrators' frustration with the existing reporting tools was crucial. 

Armed with insights revealing administrators' reliance on error-prone Excel metrics, Khushali tailored a design solution to meet their emotional and functional needs. By prioritizing critical metrics, implementing intuitive color coding, and enabling easy sharing, she directly addressed the core issues.

The anticipation and excitement from the customers upon seeing the new designs were immediate and palpable, indicating a deep resonance with their needs and a significant reduction in their manual efforts.

Mentorship with heart

In her role as a mentor and judge in the UX design realm, Khushali emphasizes the profound significance of understanding and designing for the user's emotional landscape. She advocates for a deep dive into customer problems, asserting, "Unfolding the problems and the understanding of customers’ mindset helps in learning the customer emotions." 

Khushali guides emerging designers to understand the nuanced needs of diverse user groups, emphasizing the critical importance of this foundational understanding. Her mentorship extends to encouraging early user integration in the design process and utilizing various research methods to uncover user emotions and needs, recognizing the value in diverse research approaches like customer support tickets, surveys, and metrics analysis.

By leveraging tools like personas, customer journey mapping, and user flows, designers can identify key touchpoints where the product can deliver meaningful value, tailoring solutions to the unique profiles of their users.

Milestones of emotional engagement

According to Khushali, her "biggest milestone was to transition from engineering to design." This shift wasn't just a change in title but a move towards leveraging creativity to solve real user problems.

Khushali's pursuit of a Master's in HCI further demonstrated her dedication to understanding user needs and emotions, equipping her with additional tools to explore customer pain points effectively.

At Forio, working on business simulations offered Khushali insight into the role of emotions in design. "Evoking positive feelings was my goal in all the products. But the business simulations were games helping students to learn various business concepts," she explains, highlighting her nuanced understanding of emotional engagement.

Now at Amazon Web Services, Khushali takes pride in influencing the experiences of millions of users. She emphasizes the collective effort of her team to address customer problems with empathy and creativity. "Here, everyone is concerned about customer pain points and their emotions."

The future of UX and emotional design

Khushali envisions a future where automation and AI enhance user workflows and evoke positive emotions. "Going forward, I see a lot of automations in customer workflows to bring positive emotions," she notes, emphasizing the potential of these technologies to streamline interactions.

However, she raises questions about AI's applicability across different contexts and its impact on user satisfaction. This underscores the need for nuanced deployment to meet diverse user needs.

For Khushali, emotional design remains crucial in shaping the future of UX. Despite technological advancements, the goal remains to satisfy users and evoke positive emotions. "If the customers aren’t ultimately satisfied or have a positive effect, they will look for another solution/product that meets their needs," she emphasizes.

Khushali's journey exemplifies the fusion of technology and human emotion in UX design, emphasizing the transformative power of emotionally resonant designs. Her insights offer valuable lessons for designers, highlighting the profound impact of emotional design on technology interactions.

Khushali Sandhi's remarkable career in user experience design narrates a story of passion, dedication, and a relentless

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Determining the true value of a website: A GSA case study

case study for ux

Cleaning up: A hypothetical scenario

Consider this scenario: you’ve been told to clean up a giant room full of Things Your Agency Has Made in the Past and Now Maintains for Public Use . This means disposing of the Things that no longer add value, and sprucing up the Things that are still useful. How do you determine which Things belong in which category, especially when all the Things in that giant room have been used by the public, and available for all to see?

When the “things” we’re talking about are websites, this determination is often much more complicated than it might appear on the surface. This scenario is one facing web teams across the government, including at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), every single day. If you’re in this situation, consider all the ways you might begin to tackle this cleanup job.

Evaluating by visits

You decide to start by determining how many people visit each website each month. Delighted, you pull those numbers together and produce a chart that looks something like this:

case study for ux

The chart states that the 10 least-visited GSA websites had only about 66 visits in the past 30 days, whereas the top 10 websites averaged over 629,000 visits, and the agency average websites averaged over 244,000 monthly visits. So there you have it: clearly, it appears the websites with only 66 visits are the least useful and should be decommissioned. (Note that the low-traffic websites all show 66 visits because of the analytics tool’s statistical sampling methodology.)

However, you stop to examine one of the low-traffic sites. In studying it, you realize that it was never designed to have many visitors. Instead, it was designed to support a very small audience that only appears at random, unpredictable intervals; say, when a natural disaster strikes. Clearly, you don’t want to get rid of that website, since it’s meeting a specific need of a small but well-defined and important audience.

Through this consideration, you realize that using the number of visitors to determine the usefulness of a website incorrectly assumes:

  • Each visit across all your websites is of the same value.
  • Each audience, whether 66 people, or 629,000, have the same level of urgency and need for each website, even if one website is intended to serve a large, continuous audience, while another is designed to serve a small, irregular audience.

Since both of these assumptions are false, visitor numbers are not enough to determine the usefulness of a website. You need another evaluation tactic.

Evaluating by accessibility

After some consideration, you realize that all the websites have to be fully accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. You also have the tools and processes to help determine whether that standard has been reached. Excited, you start by assembling and running your automated accessibility tests.

case study for ux

Five websites stand out as having the worst accessibility errors, according to your tests. Clearly, these websites must go. As you prepare to get rid of them, however, you notice that the vast majority of the errors in the worst website are identical and all seem to originate from the same part of the website. You look closer and realize that the problem causing all those errors is actually quite basic and can be fixed easily, taking the worst website out of the bottom ranking. Looking at the other websites in your list, you realize that other errors that have surfaced are only errors in an automatic test, not a human one. Many of them aren’t on critical paths for the website’s use, so while they should be addressed, they are not meaningfully blocking access to the website.

That throws your entire evaluation into question: how can you possibly batch and judge the usefulness of a website by accessibility, if the severity and impact of each accessibility error varies so much? Instead, you must pair automated accessibility tests with manual testing to reach conclusions on the least accessible websites. That won’t help you quickly get rid of the lowest value websites, so yet another evaluation tactic is needed.

Evaluating by speed and performance

After considering the number of visits and the accessibility, you realize that an evaluation of usefulness needs to consider a basic question: is the performance and speed of the website reasonable? If a product is so frustratingly slow that people don’t use it, then nothing else matters.

To figure out which websites are so slow as to be essentially non-functional, you find a free online tool that tests website performance. Additionally, you get smart based on your previous experiments: this tool tests for a few different parameters, not just one element of performance. It then compiles these parameters into a single index score, so its results are compelling.

case study for ux

This performance metric shows you that, on average, your websites perform at 84% of a perfect 100% score, and there are a few low-performing websites at 26% performance or lower. This works for you; you know you need to get rid of your agency’s low-performing websites. As you’re planning to decommission these sites, however, a user visits one of them to complete a task and provides some feedback.

Evaluating by customer research

The user waits while the website slowly loads. Then, they interact with the website and exit the page. To gauge their satisfaction, you prompt them to give you feedback on the page by asking, “Was this page helpful?” The user shares:

“This website does work; it just works slowly. I’m willing to wait, though, because I need the information. There’s nowhere else to get this information, so please don’t get rid of this website; I have to come back and get information from it every month.”

After taking this customer research into account, you realize that visits, accessibility, performance, and speed do not, on their own, fully reflect the website’s value, so you still don’t know which websites to decommission.

At this point, you’ve discovered that evaluating websites is a multidimensional problem — one that cannot be determined by a single, simple metric. Indeed, even when you consider several metrics, your conclusions lack a customer’s perspective.

Determining the value of agency websites therefore must use an index that is not just composed of similar metrics (like the performance index) but is in fact a composite index of different datasets of different data types. This approach will allow you to evaluate the website’s purpose, function, and ultimately, value, to your agency and your customers. This aggregation of dataset types is known as a composite indicator.

Methodology: The Enterprise Digital Experience composite indicator

This is the story of evaluating websites in GSA. Websites seem simple to evaluate: do they work or not? But in truth, they are a multidimensional problem. In taking on the definition and evaluation of GSA public-facing websites, the Service Design team in GSA’s Office of Customer Experience researched and designed a composite indicator of multiple data sets of different types to evaluate the value of websites in GSA. Since 2021, we’ve been doing this by examining six things:

Accessibility , scored by our agency standard accessibility tool ( quantitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.1 )

Customer-centricity , scored by a human-centered design interview ( qualitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.6 and OMB Circular A-11 280.1 and 280.8 )

  • Stated audience : Can the website team succinctly and precisely name their website’s primary audience?
  • Stated purpose : Can the website team succinctly and precisely name their website’s primary purpose?
  • Measurement of purpose : Does the website have a replicable means to measure if the website’s purpose is being achieved?
  • Repeatable customer feedback mechanism : Does the website team have a repeatable customer feedback mechanism in place, such as an embedded survey, or recurring, well-promoted and attended meetings, or focus groups with customers? (Receiving ad hoc feedback from customer call centers or email submissions does not meet this mark.)
  • Ability to action : Does the website team have a skillset that can contribute to rapidly improving the website based on feedback and need, such as human-centered design research, user experience, writing, or programming skills?
  • Ability to measure impact : Does the website team have the ability to measure the impact of the improvements they implement? Have they devised and implemented a measurement methodology specifically for their changes (an ability to measure impact) or do they rely solely on blanket measures such as Digital Analytics Program data (no ability to measure impact)?

Performance and search engine optimization , scored by Google Lighthouse ( quantitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.8 )

Required links , scored by the Site Scanning Program ’s website scan ( quantitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.1 & 3E )

User behavior, non-duplication , scored by Google Analytics with related sites ( qualitative + quantitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.3 )

U.S. Web Design System implementation , scored by Site Scanning Program’s website scan ( qualitative + quantitative data, 21st Century IDEA Section 3A.1 & 3E )

View all sections of the law and the circular mentioned above:

  • 21st Century IDEA (Public Law No. 115-336)
  • OMB Circular A-11 (PDF, 385 KB, 14 pages, 2023)

We visualize this evaluation in website maps, rendered as charts that are available internally to GSA employees. This helps us see examples of good performers, such as Website A (on the left), and not-so-good performers, like Website B (on the right.)

case study for ux

In addition, these charts, like all maps [1] , contains some decisions that prioritize how the information is rendered. They include:

  • An equal weight to all datasets and data types, regardless of fidelity . In the charts above, the slices spread out from 0 along even increments. Our measurement of customer-centricity gives equal weight to whether a site proactively listens to their customers, as well as to whether it has the resources to implement change.
  • A direct comparison by slice . For example, our customer-centricity slice gives the same amount of distance from the center for listening to its customers as our required links slice gives for including information about privacy, regardless of the fact that customer listening is foundationally different (and more complicated) as an activity than including required links.

We made these decisions because to weight all of the metrics would be to travel down the coastline paradox [2] , meaning: we had to identify a stopping point for measurement and comparison that is somewhat arbitrary because, paradoxically, the more closely we measure and compare, the less clear the GSA digital ecosystem would become. These measures are the baseline because, broadly, they are fair in their unfairness: some things are easier to do, and some things are harder, but what is “easier” and what is “harder” differs depending on the resources available to each website team.

But even in comparing websites using charts and maps containing multiple dataset types, we’re missing some nuance. “Website A” is a simple, informational site, whereas “Website B” contains a pricing feature, which introduces additional complexities that are more difficult to manage than simple textual information. To give visibility to this nuance, the Service Design team uses these maps as part of a broader website evaluation package, which includes qualitative research interviews and subsequent evaluation write ups. These are sent to every website team within three weeks after we conduct the research interview. Taken together, the quantitative and qualitative data in the website evaluation packages allow GSA staff to consistently measure how digital properties are functioning, and what their impact is on customers.

Concluding which websites should exist

The reality is: value exists in dimensions, not in single data points, or even in single datasets. To further complicate things, the closer you look at single datasets, the more your decision-making process is complicated, rather than clarified. This is because each data type and each data point in complex systems can be broken down into infinitely smaller pieces, rendering decisions made based on these pieces more accurate, but also of smaller and smaller impact. [3]

None of the measures in the Enterprise Digital Experience composite indicator or their use as a whole pie results in an affirmation or denial of the value of a digital property to the agency or to the public; value will always exist as an interpretation of these datasets. The indicator can tell us how existing sites are doing, but not whether we should continue supporting them.

To understand whether a website is worth supporting and how to evolve it, the Service Design team pairs qualitative and quantitative data with mission and strategic priorities to evaluate which websites to improve, and which to stop supporting. To achieve this pairing, three elements must come together:

  • Technical evaluations
  • Regular dialogue with each website’s customers, including internal stakeholders and leadership
  • Enterprise-level meta-analysis of a digital property’s functions in comparison to other digital properties

Customer dialogue is the responsibility of each team, and technical evaluations are readily available, thanks to tools like the Digital Analytics Program (DAP), but enterprise-level meta-analyses require a cross-functional view. This view can be attained through matrixed initiatives like GSA’s Service Design program, or cross-functional groups like GSA’s Digital Council, in collaboration with program teams and leadership.

From an enterprise perspective, the next phase in our evaluation of GSA properties is to apply service categories to each website, to better understand how GSA is working along categorical lines, instead of businesses or brands. Taxonomical work like this is the domain of enterprise architecture. Our service category taxonomy was compiled by using the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) [4] as a starting point, and crosswalks a website’s designed function with its practical function, evaluated through general and agency use.

We’re starting to leverage service categories, and working with teams to create a more coalesced view of website value as we do so.

What can I do next?

Review an introduction to analytics to learn how metrics and data can improve understanding of how people use your website.

If you work at a U.S. federal government agency, and would like to learn more about this work, reach out to GSA’s Service Design team at [email protected] .

Disclaimer : All references to specific brands, products, and/or companies are used only for illustrative purposes and do not imply endorsement by the U.S. federal government or any federal government agency.

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    As far as UX case studies go, this one provides practical insight into an existing, widely used e-commerce feature, and offers practical solutions. 7. New York Times App. Using a creative illustration website, the designers proposed a landing page feature "Timely" that could counter the problems faced by the NYT app.

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    Make sure your text is reasonably concise, use headers and strong visual hierarchy, and use bullet points and lists when possible. If you need a refresher on how to achieve this, check out our guide to the principles of visual hierarchy. Ok, let's take a look at each step in a bit more detail. 2. Anatomy of a UX case study.

  6. What are UX Case Studies?

    A case study in UI/UX is a detailed account of a design project. It describes a designer's process to solve a user interface or user experience problem. The case study includes. The project's background and the problem it addresses. The designer's role and the steps they took.

  7. UX Case Studies

    Fitbit: the UX behind the habit of exercise — a UX case study. Fitbit: the UX behind the habit of exercise — a UX case study. There are generally three types of people in the world when it comes to exercising: Stacey Wang. Mar 27, 2017. Growing together: UX writing methods and a happier community garden.

  8. 55 UX Case Studies To Improve Your Product Skills

    Trello onboarding. Sleepzy onboarding. Duolingo retention. Calm referrals. Spotify onboarding. Spotify vs Apple. See exactly how companies like Tinder, Airbnb, Trello, Uber and Tesla design products that people love. One new user experience case study every month.

  9. 3 real-world UX research case studies from Airbnb, Google, and Spotify

    UX research case study #1: Airbnb and the power of observing user behaviour to uncover design opportunities. Oftentimes, user research is planned in advance and conducted within a controlled setting—think user interviews, or analysing how people interact with your website over a specific period of time.. But sometimes, user research occurs organically—like an accidental light shining on a ...

  10. Case Study Club

    Case Study Club is the biggest curated gallery of the best UI/UX design case studies. Get inspired by industry-leading designers, openly sharing their UX process. Learn How People Design Digital Products. Get curated UX case studies in your inbox bi-weekly. Trusted by designers from companies like Apple, Google and Spotify.

  11. How to write a UX case study

    The role of case studies in your portfolio; The anatomy of a case study; The steps to writing a thorough, readable case study; Case studies are the UX application differentiator. It's no longer enough to just show your work. According to the Center Centre, the job growth of UX designers is expected to rise 22% over the next 10 years. UX is a ...

  12. How to Create a UX/UI Case Study: A Step-by-Step Guide

    1. Choose a Project. The first step in creating a compelling UX/UI case study is to select the right project. Choose a project that not only showcases your design skills but also aligns with your interests and passions. The project should be substantial enough to demonstrate your abilities and have a clear problem that needs to be addressed ...

  13. How I Create My UX Case Studies

    Creating UX/UI case studies is a crucial part of showcasing your design skills and demonstrating the impact of your work to potential clients and employers. In this article, I will share my personal approach to creating compelling and effective UX/UI case studies.

  14. How To Create Your UX Case Study

    Most UX case studies follow this similar formula, with a walkthrough of your design process, and can be broken down into 5 sections: Overview. Define the scope. Give your audience a high-level project overview and context of the project. The first paragraph should tell the reader what you're planning to talk about.

  15. The best UX designer portfolios: inspiring case studies and examples

    Really juicy UX case studies. Pendar goes into great detail about his UX design process on every one of his projects, presenting the problem and the challenges each presented. Looking through his UX design case studies and the hypotheses the team came up with around the product problem, make for a fascinating and educational read.

  16. 20+ Outstanding UX/UI Design Case Studies

    About. Discover an expertly curated collection of 20+ inspirational UX/UI design case studies that will empower you to create outstanding case studies for your own portfolio. Comprehensive end-to-end case studies covering research, ideation, design, testing, and conclusions. Perfect for designers building portfolios and looking for inspiration ...

  17. Redesigning Airbnb for the new normal

    A UX Case Study redesigning Airbnb for a more cohesive community experience post Covid19. Across the globe, once-bustling airports are hauntingly quiet. International borders are closing, and there is no doubt about it — Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the travel industry. With Airbnb amassing over 500 million guest arrivals, I was ...

  18. The Ultimate UX Case Study Template

    The Ultimate UX Case Study Template. Ákos Izsák. January 4, 2022. Having a template to follow is the biggest help in UX case study writing. Even more so, if you're a junior who doesn't have much experience with portfolios. A template can help you plan, organize your thoughts while showing you the light at the end of the tunnel.

  19. How to create a successful UX case study in 2023 to ace your first

    The real purpose of creating a UX case study no one has told you about… UX design boot camps, both American and ones targeting International(Chinese) have taught you wrong. They emphasize industry-sponsored portfolio-ready case studies as their main marketing, but that is not how you want to approach a case study.

  20. 7 UX Designer Portfolio Examples: A Beginner's Guide

    These seven types of UX case studies make excellent portfolio material for UX designers looking to get their start in the industry. 1. The course assignment. Sometimes, the first project to go into your portfolio will be a UX project you worked on as part of a design course, UX bootcamp, or degree program.

  21. How to Write a UX Case Study: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

    A UX case study is like a story that designers tell to explain how they solved a design problem. It's a way to show others how they researched, planned, and created a digital product or experience that is user-friendly and effective.. It includes details about the project's goals, the people they designed for, the steps they took, and the final design they came up with.

  22. How to create the perfect structure for a UX case study

    UX case studies form the core content of a UX professional's portfolio. They are essential to getting you hired, because case studies are a window to your professional practice, by showing how you think, adapt, cooperate and ultimately solve challenges. A UX case study has to tell a story about you.

  23. Case Study

    This was the main case study I presented during my interview and it ultimately helped me to demonstrate my design process, problem-solving skills, and ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely. Thanks to this case study, I was able to showcase my strengths and secure my first job as a UX Designer. References

  24. Crafting Emotions: The Journey of Khushali Sandhi in Emotional Design

    A case study in feelings. ... In her role as a mentor and judge in the UX design realm, Khushali Sandhi emphasizes the profound significance of understanding and designing for the user's emotional ...

  25. Imagining the Future of Generative AI for UX

    UX designers will move to areas that are either less explored or require specific and professional industry knowledge. These disciplines have a higher bar of entry and strong logic and problem solving skills. For example, to-business products are more complicated. ... A UI design case study to redesign an example user interface using logical ...

  26. Determining the true value of a website A GSA case study

    This performance metric shows you that, on average, your websites perform at 84% of a perfect 100% score, and there are a few low-performing websites at 26% performance or lower. This works for you; you know you need to get rid of your agency's low-performing websites.