B2B Software Case Study:

Software Usability Testing with Small Business Customers for Thryv

Goals

Approach, Phase 1: Research

Marketade led a project with 2 main phases: 1) a qualitative usability testing study and 2) a 1-day workshop with Thryv team members.

Key steps in the research phase included:

• We recruited 6 research participants: 3 current Thryv customers and 3 members of the target audience.
• We designed the research and wrote a 5-page research plan that included separate discussion guides for each of the two audience types.
• We scheduled and moderated 1:1 remote research sessions via Zoom.

The research sessions were structured as follows:

• We began each session by asking open-ended interview questions about their business and existing software tools.
• We then conducted a usability test and observation session.
• With current customers, we focused on each user’s frequent tasks and commonly used features.
• With non-customers, we watched as they interacted with a new onboarding flow.
• We closed each session with a series of post-test interview questions.

Approach, Part 2: Workshop

Soon after completing the research, 2 Marketade team members traveled to Dallas, TX to facilitate a 1-day analysis and ideation workshop at Thryv headquarters. 5 Thryv stakeholders participated in the workshop; they represented these roles:

• Chief Product Officer
• Product Director
• AVP of Strategy
• Head of Research
• Customer Experience Specialist

The workshop included these steps:

• Workshop stakeholders spent the morning viewing recordings of the 4 most representative research sessions — 2 non-customer sessions and 2 customer sessions. As they watched the sessions, Thryv team members took structured notes on post-its.
• Stakeholders chose their top 10 sticky notes and posted them on the wall.
• We facilitated an affinity mapping exercise to group the findings and then vote on the highest-priority problems.
• Of the top 8 problems, the team identified 6 problems for quick or straightforward fixes. We led a “lightning round” and helped the team identify a solution for each of those 6 problems.
• We formed breakout groups to tackle the remaining 2 problems. These were 2 of the biggest problems and there was no quick fix for these.
• Each breakout group went through a series of steps better understand the problem, brainstorm solutions, and settle on the most viable solution(s).
• Each small group presented its solutions to the larger group.
• After the presentations, the team engaged in a brief discussion and reached a consensus on whether to move forward with the proposed solutions and discussed the next steps.

Insight Examples

One of the Lightning Round problems was:
“I’m not sure calendar can do what I want.”

The solution that the workshop team agreed to was:
Let user know Google Calendar is available for syncing.

One of the breakout group problems was:
“I don’t know what happens next.” Among other specific problems, users were not clear on what the outcome of the onboarding wizard process meant for them.

Below are 3 of the solutions to this problem that the breakout group identified:

• Employ a more narrative-style onboarding flow that walks users through the process, potentially asking them questions as they go to draw them into more product areas.
• Add large, brief text on each onboarding screen that says “Give us XYZ information so you can __________.” Also including a note about how long each step takes.
• Create larger, clearer, briefer in-context tool tips.

Outputs

At the end of the project, the Thryv product team walked away with:

• 19 total findings
• 8 prioritized UX problems based on team votes (out of the 19)
• 6 quick-fix solutions from the Lightning Round
• 7 long-term solutions ideas to tackle the 2 largest UX problems
• 5 next steps to advance the most viable solution ideas, with deadlines and owners

“The interviews were conducted really well and the workshop generated great ideas. Marketade did an excellent job! “

— James Walsh | Client Experience Specialist, Thryv

About the Project

• Industry: Software
• Platform: SaaS (Mobile and Desktop)
• Audience type: B2B
• Specific audiences: Small business owners and managers
• Methods: Usability testing
• Stakeholder teams: Product; research
• Organization size: Over 2,500 employees
• Company location: Dallas, TX

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