You know something isn’t working on your website. Maybe your conversions are stuck, users are leaving too quickly, or your pages just don’t seem to connect. Everyone tells you, “You need to understand your customers.” But let’s be honest—deep customer research can feel like a rabbit hole, one you may not have the time, resources, or patience to go down.
The good news? You don’t need to know everything about your customers to start making meaningful improvements today. Sometimes, the fixes are simpler than you think.
Uncovering Universal Truths: Fixing What Frustrates Everyone
It might sound counterintuitive to hear this from an expert in digital product design, but you really don't need to know everything about your customers to make meaningful improvements today.
The design world often emphasizes deep customer understanding—uncovering latent needs, diving into underserved jobs to be done, and crafting experiences tailored to specific personas. And while that work has its place, there’s also a universal truth about human behavior: people share common frustrations, beliefs, and motivations.
We all value clarity. We all dislike confusion. We all appreciate efficiency.
When your website struggles to convert or your users seem to disengage, it’s often due to issues that affect everyone, regardless of their deeper, more nuanced needs. A cluttered interface, slow-loading pages, or unclear calls to action frustrate all users—not just one segment. Addressing these kinds of problems can lead to significant improvements, even before you start digging into your customers’ unique stories.
By focusing on observable issues and universal experiences, you can create a better foundation for your digital product—one that benefits everyone and sets the stage for more personalized, strategic changes later.
A Pragmatic Approach to Improvement
Before embarking on a long, resource-intensive process, focus on what you can see and control. Small, observable issues often have a significant impact on the user experience.
For example:
- Simplify your homepage layout to reduce cognitive load.
- Fix broken links or outdated information to improve credibility.
- Add clear calls to action to guide users more effectively.
- Optimize page load speed for a seamless browsing experience.
These small, actionable improvements not only enhance usability but also create breathing room for your team. They give you wins to build on while laying the foundation for bigger, more strategic changes down the road.
How to Start Thinking Bigger
So, how can you focus on quick wins while still setting yourself up to understand your customers better and make broader, strategic improvements?
This is why I developed the 10-2-1 model. It’s designed to help you take manageable steps toward thinking bigger without feeling overwhelmed. By addressing immediate problems while laying the groundwork for deeper insights, this framework bridges the gap between quick fixes and transformative change.
Here’s how it works:
- Identify 10 Quick Wins: Start with actionable fixes that tackle visible issues, such as improving mobile responsiveness, simplifying navigation, or speeding up page load times.
- Commit to running 2 Experiments: Develop a couple hypotheses regarding your quick wins. Push yourself to explore new or different ideas. Run thoughtful tests, like A/B testing calls to action or piloting a redesigned user flow.
- Define 1 North Star Metric: Identify a single, guiding goal that aligns your team and provides long-term focus. For example, this might be increasing the percentage of users who complete a key task, like scheduling an appointment or making a purchase.
The beauty of this framework is its balance: it helps you build momentum with quick wins, gets you thinking about and establishes processes for experimentation, and establishes a longer term metric that can be used to guide a larger strategic vision. Thinking bigger doesn’t have to be daunting—it starts with intentional, actionable steps that naturally lead to transformation.
Action Over Analysis
Improving your website doesn’t mean you need to solve every problem or understand every customer need right away. It starts with focusing on what you can fix today.
By addressing visible issues, testing new ideas, and aligning your efforts with a clear North Star Metric, you can make meaningful progress while building the foundation for more strategic initiatives.
So, stop waiting for perfect conditions or exhaustive data. Start where you are, fix what you can, and use models like 10-2-1 to bridge the gap to bigger, better changes.
Ready to take the first step? Let’s chat about how we can help you start making improvements today.
Jordan Julien
Jordan (he/him) is passionate about making products better for people, especially those who are often overlooked or underserved. He believes great design should be accessible, inclusive, and built with real people in mind.