U1 Group Credentials 2015

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Devoted to
defining experiences

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There are so many products and services
for consumers to choose from every day.
Organisations need to be certain they
have the right insight and strategy to
move forward with success.

3
Clarity and understanding,
one step at a time.
U1 is an independently owned Australian
company that offers unbiased insight,
driven by expert research.
For more than 15 years, U1 Group has tried and tested thousands
of experiences and been fortunate enough to work with a diverse
range of clients, all of whom face unique business challenges.
Our devoted team of professionals analyse both our clients’
and target audiences’ needs to ensure they enjoy their
experience, every time.
What clients get is a definitive roadmap to long‑term
success, not just a quick fix.
Organisations who work with us walk away with recommendations
and advice – aligned with goals and resources – that resonate
with audiences like never before. Now we think that’s an
outcome worth working towards.

4
U1 offers a range of tools and
techniques to help clients create
and tune their user experience.

5
At U1, our extensive expertise
spans four practice areas:
Discovery & Design Experience Research
Strategy Analytics & Insight
As a client, you benefit from our experience across
each of these fields. Trust us to identify the root of
your problem, then draw upon our knowledge in
these areas - and collaborate with each other -
to deliver exactly what you need.
Let’s find out more…

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Exploration. Discovery. Direction.
Understand experience through
research like never before.
DISCOVERY & DESIGN

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THE DETAILS
This practice area is about exploring intent. Goals are
open-ended and answers are unknown. It is perfect
for clients who are interested in attracting a new
market or initiating a new product idea and unsure
of potential customers’ needs.
We work to new audiences, develop tools clients might
need to enhance their current customers’ experiences,
and define a path moving forward. Our team is likely
to recommend going through this process as a first
step if clients have the eventual goal of creating a new
website or digital strategy.
DISCOVERY & DESIGN
The Discovery & Design practice helps clients in the early
stages of a project, ideally before a solution has been fully
realised. Beginning with a tough problem or question(s),
we use workshops and other methods to gain a thorough
understanding of both the business and its intended audiences
to determine appropriate next steps towards a solution.
THE DELIVERABLES
Research methods may include observation,
workshops, contextual interviews, mobile ethnography
or diary studies. Results of this exploratory work will
produce findings that lead to:
– insights to be further explored or validated
with quantitative methods
– a prototype of a new product or service or
a decision on what to design, define or build
– an engagement plan for how to incorporate
customer feedback on a regular basis
– the initiation of a strategy or roadmap.

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Unbiased analysis. Crystal clear certainty.
Optimise your products and services by
finding the X that marks the spot.
EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

11EXPERIENCE RESEARCH
THE DETAILS
Our team has the ability to draw upon a broad range
of research approaches (depending on what agreed
project outputs are) during concept, design, pre-launch
or post-launch phases.
We answer many questions in a structured,
comprehensive, and meaningful way by identifying
clear research questions, tailoring suitable project
approaches to clients’ needs. This enables us to
deliver product and service insights, and to provide
actionable recommendations to help meet the most
discerning customer and user expectations. Senior
consultants also advise client on how to develop
and implement evaluation frameworks that measure
customer advocacy of products and services.
The Experience Research practice works with client creative,
technology, marketing and strategy teams to create and instil great
product usability and service experiences. We do this by leading
projects through end-to-end analysis and focusing on user-centric design.
The end result is meaningful insight and recommendations that can be
shared and incorporated product and service development or reviews.
THE DELIVERABLES
Depending on the problems or questions clients
would like us to solve, we provide the following:
– concept/design testing
– reports for usability testing, interviews,
online user tests and surveys
– end-to-end product and service walkthroughs
– information architecture (IA) development
and content models
– eye tracking, accessibility reviews and
UX training services
– implementation of customer centric
products and service metrics.

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Turn guesswork into good decisions.
Drive your business forward with a roadmap
destined for success.
STRATEGY

14STRATEGY
THE DETAILS
Once we have the insights to identify where channels
are working well and where to focus more attention,
we create a clear roadmap of action for the short,
medium and long term that allows the client to focus
their efforts in the right places.
Having a clear strategy enables a client to demonstrate
the value of their channels to the wider business.
With a clear goal to work towards and an
understanding of what steps to take, clients are able
to identify the resources and processes likely to
be required along the way to ensure success.
The Strategy practice helps clients who manage their
customer‑facing or staff-facing channels make them as effective
as they can be, by taking a planned and considered approach that
supports the overall business strategy. We work through a process
of business discovery and user research to explore both the needs
of the business and the needs of users.
THE DELIVERABLES
Depending on a client’s needs, they will receive detailed
reporting on the research, plus recommendations and
roadmap actions that may cover the following areas:
– product and service innovation/development
– content model and strategy
– social media approach
– device strategy
– governance, resourcing and delivery
– measurement and scorecard frameworks
– accessibility.

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Remove subjectivity and redefine
the possibilities. Measure – and let
insight lead the way.
ANALYTICS INSIGHTS

17ANALYTICS INSIGHTS
THE DETAILS
Our quantitative researchers are highly qualified
professionals with the ability to analyse information,
interpret it in a commercial environment, and make
practical actionable recommendations. They have
strong technical skills and can apply multiple
analysis techniques to better understand data
including inferential statistics, predictive modelling,
segmentation, and text analytics to name a few.
We work as a team to ensure research is holistic in
its approach, and that clients receive the best of
both qualitative and quantitative research.
The Analytics Insights practice helps clients make informed
data‑driven decisions at both strategic and tactical levels to
achieve organisational goals. Overall objectives include reaching
definitive conclusions and recommendations – and, where
applicable, projecting future outcomes – based on quantitative
data analysis and statistical measurement and testing.
THE DELIVERABLES
Clients can expect from this area:
– prioritisation of key qualitative findings, a greater
understanding of broader target populations,
and the making of future predictions
– analysis of multiple internal/external data sources
– monitoring of performance, pre- and post-launch
of a product, service or initiative
– rigorous reviewing of websites and intranets
for usability issues and content gaps
– devising of a customer experience driver
framework – identifying, measuring and tracking
the end-to-end customer experience, including
pain points.

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What we have
done for others

19WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS
The Bureau of Meteorology
Advertising vs usability kicking
up an award-winning storm
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology
came to U1 Group looking to find out
whether the presence of paid advertising
on its site hindered visitors from
accessing weather information.
To explore how it affected users, U1 carried out
lab-based user testing and online usability studies.
Participants were asked how they felt about advertising
on the site. At the same time, U1 measured whether
the ads interfered with the user’s ability to complete
certain tasks. Both strategies allowed U1 to get a
statistical assessment of each design that could not
have been achieved with lab-based testing alone.
EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY
OUTPUTS OF FACE-TO-FACE MODERATED LAB-BASED TESTING
TASK RESULTS (EXAMPLE ONLY)
Participants 1 2 3 4 5 6
Task
1a Initial Application
1b Personal Details
1c Employment Details
1d Financial Details
1e Credit Limits
1f Review Application
1g Submit Finish
For the Bureau, we implemented moderated user testing.
The images below show what this approach usually involves.
1) This table summarises what tasks participants were able
to successfully complete during research and testing.
(It is sample data only.)
2) Moderated user testing often involves discussing
and writing down feedback with participants.
3) In addition to testing the usability of websites on
desktop computers, we also test on mobile devices.
2) 3)
1)

OUTPUTS OF ONLINE USABILITY TESTING
As part of our research for the Bureau,
we also carried out online usability testing.
These images demonstrate the types of
interactions we measure and the results
we are able to gather via our proprietary
online testing tool, Loop11.
Note: The figures shown are not related
to the Bureau of Meteorology project –
the images comprise sample data only.

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Most common success page
Most common fail page
Time to complete tasks (secs)
Overall task completion rate
Task description to participants
Number of participants
User interactions
WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS
Participant path analysis
Clickstream and heatwave
analysis

Project results highlights
Using definitive data from in-depth
quantitative and qualitative research,
U1 could confidently advise and
suggest improvements. Overall,
no negative effects on usability
were found from the inclusion of
advertising, however, participants did
voice concerns over the types of ad
content that would be shown.
The Bureau of Meteorology was
able to take this feedback into
consideration before going live.
Excitingly, after launch, the website
won a 2014 Australian Mobile and
AppDesign Award in Sydney.
The final award-winning homepage design.

Bush Heritage Australia
How to rally donations and convert
supporters into lifelong fans
Garnering financial support is a challenge
that all not-for-profit organisations
experience. Resources are limited;
not knowing what makes supporters
tick can often lead to the ineffective
use of precious funds.
Bush Heritage Australia came to U1 Group asking
how it could best allocate its resources to inspire
potential supporters to take action – and motivate
one-off donators to become long-term fans.
To understand attitudes, behaviours and needs,
U1 Group ran focus groups with a total of 34
participants comprising both existing and potential
supporters. Staff and stakeholders were also quizzed
so their point of view could be considered.
A fantastic set of five personas representing
each audience group was delivered, along with
detailed customer journey maps that highlight
each supporter’s engagement patterns.
EXPERIENCE RESEARCHDISCOVERY DESIGN

BUSH HERITAGE AUSTRALIA
EXAMPLE OUTPUT OF A CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP

EXAMPLE OUTPUT OF A PERSONA

After completing the research, our findings determined
the following strategies would help generate (and sustain)
donations from supporters:
– Sharing the impact of contributions
via visually engaging stories
– Posting regular updates via social media channels
– Investing in SEO to rank for keywords related to its cause
– Providing educational materials free of charge
to those interested
– Pairing tax receipts with feel-good updates on
how funds are being put to use
– Asking supporters how they prefer to receive communication
– Getting involved with grassroots conservation groups
– Offering non-financial ways to contribute,
such as volunteer opportunities
– Ensuring supporters are greeted with a personal
experience each time
– Acknowledging long-term supporters as ‘part of the team’
– Articulating long-term goals.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
For Bush Heritage Australia, we identified which methods would
work best for different audience groups compared to others.
Bush Heritage Australia was invited to view the focus
groups and interviews, up close and personal, in U1 Group’s
professional UX testing facilities. This experience was a great
eye-opener. Staff members were able to uncover thoughts
of participants firsthand, and validate internally what was
working and what wasn’t.

Department of Economic Development,
Jobs, Transport, and Resources
Rethinking the goal to achieve
definitive success
U1 was approached by the team
responsible for “SwitchOn”, a website
designed to help Victorian consumers
become more efficient energy users.
They were experiencing issues with an
offer comparison tool they’d developed.
After employing an innovative co‑design process
to define the problem, U1 discovered it was not
the usability of the tool that was causing users to
abandon the site; it was the information it conveyed.
Through multiple workshops and rounds
of testing, U1 was able to revise the team’s
wireframes in line with users’ needs.

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
JOBS, TRANSPORT, AND RESOURCES
EXAMPLE OF FOCUS GROUP AND AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
Effective problem solving can result
from the running of focus groups,
workshops and interviews at early stages
of a project – with both participants
and stakeholders.

EXAMPLE OUTPUT OF WIREFRAMING
After going through the ‘discovery’ phase,
we assisted “SwitchOn” with its ‘design’ phase.
This involved coming up with wireframes that
would suit the needs of the organisation and
its users. As shown here, using South East
Water as an example, wireframes we create
and deliver can range from black and white
drawings through to design-ready high-fidelity
interactive templates.

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The benefit of co-design – an incredibly powerful
approach to problem solving – is that it interrogates
problems at the core. It increases the depth of
understanding and consequently yields far greater ROI.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS

WorkSafe
Creating web accessible content
for users of all abilities
All government agency websites in
Australia are required to comply with
‘A’ level Website Content Accessibility
Guidelines (WCAG 2.0), and all Federal
government sites in Australia must
be compliant with ‘AA’ guidelines.
WorkSafe is just one of many clients that have come
to U1 for an accessibility audit to adhere to these rules.
Unlike other providers, audits involve a bulletproof
combination of both manual and automated testing,
and come with practical and actionable recommendations.
Accessibility audits are not just for the government
sector. They lend themselves to better user experience
and are best practice regardless of industry.
Other organisations we have completed audits
for include Zoos Victoria, Victoria University,
Telstra, RealEstate.com.au and the Department
of Veteran Affairs.
EXPERIENCE RESEARCHDISCOVERY DESIGN STRATEGY

WORKSAFE
ACCESSIBILITY REVIEW OUTPUTS
Expert review and manual inspection
of homepage and high-level index
pages code using a variety of web
developer tools and page sources.
Review search forms and search results
(successful and unsuccessful queries).
Navigational elements of the site.
Online media such as interactive or
audio-visual content.
PDF reviews are
executed with
Adobe Acrobat X Pro.
Test legislative compliance with
WCAG (2.0) Level AA standards.
Manual inspection coupled with automated technology
ensures every potential user can access the website/
interface, including those with physical, sensory and
cognitive impairments or disabilities.
Forms/ Complete processes and user task flows.
The example graphic below shows some
of the criteria we examine when determining
compliance.

ANZ
Understanding consumer behaviour
online through eye tracking
Eye tracking uses advanced infrared
technology to study what users are
looking at when interacting with
websites. The method monitors eye
movements across the screen while
users execute tasks, and determines
what elements people are drawn
to (and how they interact with them)
on a page.
ANZ came to U1 Group to figure out how it could best
promote certain products within a particular section
of its website. Eye tracking served as the perfect way to
analyse general behaviours, preferences and motivations.
It was combined with a ‘think out loud’ approach,
encouraging participants to verbalise thoughts and
actions – meaning ANZ could clearly understand overall
impressions of the experience, and how it could best
optimise its website to meet user needs.

ANZ
EYE TRACKING TECHNOLOGY
The following images show the set up
we use when conducting eye tracking
as a research exercise. A moderator
watches what a participant looks at on
screen using Tobii technology (for both
desktop and mobile) while interacting
with a site/prototype. You can also see
the outputs, which include maps that
indicate a user’s gaze.
Note: The websites shown are not ANZ
products.

ANZ

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ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS
Online experiences should be inclusive for
all. That’s why adherence to Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is an
important Australian regulatory requirement.
Accessibility audits provide you with a report
that outlines your compliance, with actionable
recommendations for addressing
non‑compliance points.
BENCHMARKING AND TRACKING
Benchmarking and tracking allows easy
comparison and identification of aspects of your
web presence and/or service that are performing
well and areas that are in need of improvement.
You get the insight you need to develop plans
and target specific areas for improvement,
and track your improvement.
BUSINESS DISCOVERY
Before starting any project, you can rest
assured we get to know you, your intended
audience and what you understand about your
project (or problem). This means we meet with
you and your team to solidify information,
fill in knowledge gaps and collaboratively
determine key goals.
CONTENT AUDIT
A content audit helps you identify the areas
of your site content that are most in need of
attention. It can form part of a content strategy,
or work as a stand-alone activity that enables
you to focus on creating high-value content
that supports the goals of your site visitors.
CONTENT STRATEGY
A content strategy helps you create useful,
usable content that your users need, and
that supports your overall business goals.
We run several activities to create specific
recommendations for the short, medium and
long term and ensure you have governance
guidelines to maintain the improvements.
CX DRIVER FRAMEWORK
A customer experience (CX) framework
is an asset we create for you in conjunction
with key stakeholders when studying new
or existing products/services. It focuses on
identifying what drives successful interactions
and experiences for customers, end-to-end,
and how/what can be improved.
DATA ANALYTICS
Receive a comprehensive review of
internal/external data to assist with project
discovery, support research findings and
make better business decisions.
DEPTH INTERVIEWS
Depth interviews are conducted one-on-one
rather than in a group environment to dig a little
deeper. Findings contribute to the development
of wireframes, design concepts, personas,
customer journey maps or a digital strategy.
DIGITAL STRATEGY
A digital strategy will help you think
long-term the about content, governance,
and resourcing needed to ensure your digital
channels are effective. We create a strategy
and roadmap to give you direction and focus
on the needs of your users.
THE U1 TOOLKIT

39THE U1 TOOLKIT
EXPERT REVIEW
Our consultants will draw on our combined
experience observing thousands of users’
interactions with live interfaces, along
with a set of established user experience
principles, to identify issues with your digital
assets (e.g. websites and mobile applications).
We also provide recommendations on how
to successfully address any concerns.
GLOBAL FUNCTIONAL REVIEW
Best practice reviews provide examples
of best practice principles relating to design,
content and functionality associated with key
objectives you may have in mind for your
website or application.
GOVERNANCE
When you’ve made an investment in creating
a better experience for those who use your
digital channels, you want to make sure your
improvements ‘stick’. A governance framework
ensures these improvements – including content,
information architecture and search integrity –
are sustained over time, preventing priorities
and developments heading off track.
MOBILE ETHNOGRAPHY
Mobile ethnography involves participants
providing us with insight into their lives via an
app downloaded to their smartphone.
Findings then facilitate empathetic design and
drive product/service development that is suited
to customer segments.
MODERATED CARD SORTING
Card sorting helps you explore and produce
the most effective information architecture
(IA) possible. This technique enables us to
understand how users classify content and
what terminology they might use to describe
this content.
MODERATED IA VALIDATION
Moderated IA validation research explores
the effectiveness of an existing or draft site
structure in a face-to‑face environment.
Feedback and results from participants highlight
what is working well within your IA and what’s
not – and what opportunities there are for
improvement, along with recommendations
for changes.
MODERATED USER TESTING
This research method helps you gain insight
into how well your digital (e.g. website,
mobile application) and non-digital (e.g. paper
based forms, bills) assets meet user needs
and expectations via one-on-one task-based
interviews with users. You walk away with
actionable recommendations. Depending on
your needs, we can conduct one-off testing
or incorporate an ongoing lean, agile process.
ONLINE IA VALIDATION
This technique involves giving participants an
online survey to assess the effectiveness of an
existing or draft information architecture (IA),
also commonly referred to as site structure.

40THE U1 TOOLKIT
ONLINE USER TESTING
Online user testing is a task-based activity
that provides insight into how well your digital
(e.g. website, mobile application) and non-digital
(e.g. paper based forms, bills) assets meet user
needs and expectations. It delivers greater
geographical scope and facilitates bigger
participants numbers as users complete
the testing online; they can respond in their
own time and in their own environment.
OUTSOURCING RESEARCH
Outsourcing a research capability into your
organisation allows you to meet the needs
of consumers and stay ahead of the competition
– with minimal disruptions and overheads.
We can provide you with this robust solution
by integrating our research team with your
company. The approach is lean; it’s productive,
low in cost and quick to implement.
PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
Essential in developing successful digital
experiences, personas allow you to recognise
who your users are – and ensure you offer
products/services clearly aligned with their
needs. We consolidate research findings
to create a set of personas that provide a
reference point for your users’ core
behaviours, motivations and expectations.
QUANTITATIVE SURVEYS
Quantitative surveys give you access and insight
to customers’ opinions. Statistics from research
can be used to assist business decisions,
test specific hypotheses, analyse relationships
between information, and identify (or validate)
key sub-groups of customers.
SERVICE WALKTHROUGH
In a service walkthrough we simulate the
customer experience of a service or product from
end-to-end. This technique provides invaluable
insights into how the customer experience is
influenced by many different areas across an
organisation, and where it can be improved.
TRUE INTENT ONLINE STUDY
Achieve a greater understanding of who
is visiting your website, and what their
perceptions are. We intercept live visitors upon
arriving at your site and invite them to provide
feedback on their experience. The data can
influence a web redesign or rebuild, or assess the
impact of changes after a new site is launched.
USER JOURNEY MAPS
Gain a visual illustration of the different
touchpoints users experience when interacting
with an organisation or service. The ‘journey’
depicted tells an engaging story based on the
customer’s experience, and sometimes includes
their emotional state. Journey maps can reflect
either the ‘current state’ experience or
a ‘future state’ vision.
UX TRAINING
If your organisation is seeking private UX training,
we can offer bespoke face-to-face day courses
on a range of topics that can be customised
to your needs, hosted at your premises.
We also offer several online UX courses you
can undertake in your own time, and present
at events and guests lectures upon request.

41THE U1 TOOLKIT
WEB ANALYTICS
Web analytics can also be used to assess and
improve the effectiveness of a, website. The data
can be used for benchmarking and tracking.
WIREFRAMES
Having invested in user research, it is important
your research findings translate into an improved
user experience. We can provide high-quality
wireframes that provide a blueprint for delivering
the best possible design solutions. If required,
they can be matured into a clickable prototype
for the purposes of user testing.
WORKSHOPS
Gain an excellent understanding of how
your users (and potential users) operate in the
world. Understand their current experiences and
articulate pain points and identify opportunities
for improvement. You can also ask for their help
in creating new solutions.

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“U1’s support was invaluable on our project; it was very
helpful to have their impartial view and expert opinion.
The research conducted was excellent, it really gave us
a good sense of what our users really need and want.”
KELLEY JOHNSON
WEB MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (UNSW)
“We engaged U1 to help us improve the overall user
experience of our new website. They really immersed
themselves in our business to understand both the system
and its key components. They then helped us implement
the research findings so as to enable an elegant new solution
which follows best practice in every possible manner.”
ROB HARRIS
FINANCIAL SERVICES MANAGER, NAB WEALTH
What our clients say about us

43
“RMIT’s web community and project team worked
extremely hard to transform this large and complex
website. U1’s early involvement in the project, producing
the requirements documentation and conducting lab testing,
was a contributing factor to achieving this recognition.”
RODNEY ZANDBERGS
SENIOR MANAGER OF USER EXPERIENCE, RMIT (2015 WEBBY AWARD HONOREE)
“The UX team was really good to work with. They made
themselves available, they were great with feedback and helping
us understand how to best apply the sentiments captured
by the users. We found the team where creative in applying
alternative perspectives – which in our case included drawing
on experiences in different sectors.”
AMANDA SHEEHAN
SENIOR POLICY ANALYST, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
JOBS, TRANSPORT AND RESOURCES

45
Make every
moment count
119 Ferrars St
South Melbourne Vic 3205
+ 613 9684 3470
Level 1, 26-28 Wentworth Ave
Surry Hills NSW 2010
+ 612 9261 4624
email@u1group.com
www.u1group.com

U1 Group Credentials 2015

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U1 Group Credentials 2015