Cautioning Against Measuring the Average: Let's Dive into the Real World of User Experiences!

Today, I'm thinking of the essence of user experience, and it's anything but the ordinary. Averages might hang out in the middle, but when it comes to user experiences, the real magic happens at the extremes.

The Power of Extremes

Picture this: You're booking a flight online. You're excited about your upcoming trip, but as you navigate the website, you encounter one frustrating roadblock after another. Confusing layouts, confusing copy, hidden fees, and slow load times make the experience a nightmare, pushing you to the edge of giving up. On the flip side, your friend breezes through the same process on a different airline's website, finding everything she needs effortlessly. It's experiences like these, either incredibly frustrating or delightfully seamless, that truly capture our attention. Your experience, nor your friend's, fell into the middle; it was anything but average. 

Beyond Averages

Let's not get too hung up on just one thing like task completion time. User experiences are influenced by a whole array of factors that solve problems. From task difficulty to correctness, from assistance needed to information presentation, these variables fluctuate constantly throughout a user's journey.

The Need for Understanding

Now, here's the kicker: we need our most important stakeholders to truly understand our users' experiences. We need them to feel the highs and lows, the frustrations and delights. How else can we answer the burning questions: "Why are our users going through these poor experiences?" and "What sets apart those who have exceptional experiences from those who don't?"

The Pitfalls of Averages

Let's face it, averages just don't cut it. They mask the improvements we've made and blur the lines between the best and worst cases. We end up with a bland story that fails to capture the essence of real user experiences.

Embracing Real Experiences

It's time to ditch the averages and embrace the true stories of user experiences. We need UX metrics that speak to the scale and frequency of these experiences. How many users are facing similar issues? What's the cost of a poor user experience to our organization?

A Call to Action

Fellow UX leaders, let our BS detectors go off when someone tries to pass off averages as real experiences. It's time to arm ourselves with the tools and metrics that do justice to the highs and lows of user journeys. Let's tell the real stories, make real changes, and truly empathize with the experiences of our users. 

What are your thoughts?