Design thinking for website optimization. A case study.

This paper presents results from a pilot study, which is part of a larger research project where we study the process innovation of website optimization as a service through the use of big data. Over a process of design thinking we investigate which type of website design best addresses the needs of potential customers and, consequently, improve their user experience. The case considered in this study focuses on a company from the retail banking industry offering loans through comparison websites.
First, to find a solution to this wicked problem we adapt the process of design thinking to the context studied, i.e., to the design optimization of retail banking web sites. Second, we provide insights in how big data can aid the development of a website design that optimizes the user experience of the customers. As the creation of these user-centric websites is a never confronted task for this type of organization, a variety of methods is applied. In particular, we take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies for analyzing users’ interaction with websites. More specifically, we employ heat maps and track the clicking-behavior of users through the software tools Hotjar and Smartlook, allowing for observing the users in their native environment. Furthermore, we use the method of Digital Anthropology to complete the loop between the human-centric designs and the possibilities offered by the analysis of big data.