SaaS Redesign Research Framework · CHAPTER 5 OF 5

Applying and validating the research

The Big Consequences of Poor Research

Poor research creates expensive design debt.

When research is weak, redesign decisions become risky. The product may look better, but it can create more

Confusion

Poor research creates expensive design debt.: Confusion Rework Support Dependency Adoption problems

Rework

Poor research creates expensive design debt.: Confusion Rework Support Dependency Adoption problems

Support Dependency

Poor research creates expensive design debt.: Confusion Rework Support Dependency Adoption problems

Adoption problems

Poor research creates expensive design debt.: Confusion Rework Support Dependency Adoption problems

Poor research creates expensive design debt.

When research is weak, redesign decisions become risky. The product may look better, but it can create more

Confusion

Rework

Support Dependency

Adoption problems

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Costly rework User confusion Wrong priorities

Costly rework

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Costly rework User confusion Wrong priorities

User confusion

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Costly rework User confusion Wrong priorities

Wrong priorities

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Broken workflows More UX gaps Missed steps

Broken workflows

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Broken workflows More UX gaps Missed steps

More UX gaps

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:: Broken workflows More UX gaps Missed steps

Missed steps

When industry research is weak, the redesign may lead to:

Broken workflows

More UX gaps

Missed steps

Costly rework

User confusion

Wrong priorities

“It affects business performance.”

Poor research does not just affect design.

Poor research does not just affect design.

“It affects business performance.”

What Good Research Changes in the Final Design

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions

With strong research, the redesign is based on real users, real workflows.

This helps the team create

Clearer navigation

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions: Clearer navigation Less Rework smoother workflows Fasteradoption

Less
Rework

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions: Clearer navigation Less Rework smoother workflows Fasteradoption

smoother workflows

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions: Clearer navigation Less Rework smoother workflows Fasteradoption

Faster
adoption

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions: Clearer navigation Less Rework smoother workflows Fasteradoption

Good Research Leads to Better Design Decisions

With strong research, the redesign is based on real users, real workflows.

This helps the team create

Clearer navigation

Less
Rework

smoother workflows

Faster
adoption

Industry Research Checklist

The Final Check Before moving to next process

If the answer is no for even one or if there is even the tiniest bit ambiguity, the team should not proceed. Fill the research gaps before making design decisions.

Illustration accompanying The Final Check Before moving to next process

The industry context?

The terminology?

The user roles?

The real workflows?

The departments involved?

The competitor standards?

The business goals?

Have You understood:

Have You understood:

  • The industry context?

  • The terminology?

  • The user roles?

  • The real workflows?

  • The departments involved?

  • The competitor standards?

  • The business goals?

The Final Check Before moving to next process

If the answer is no for even one or if there is even the tiniest bit ambiguity, the team should not proceed. Fill the research gaps before making design decisions.

Have You understood:

How Upslide Uses This in Real Projects

Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process

At Upslide, industry research comes before deeper UX work. It helps us understand the industry, users, workflows, terminology, and business context before making design decisions.

Illustration accompanying Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process
Illustration accompanying Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process

Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process

At Upslide, industry research comes before deeper UX work. It helps us understand the industry, users, workflows, terminology, and business context before making design decisions.

Illustration accompanying Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process
Illustration accompanying Industry Research Is the First Step in Our Redesign Process

After industry research, our process continues with

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Visual User Flow Mapping

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

User persona creation

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Competitive analysis

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Business Model Canvas

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

UX audit

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Information architecture

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Wireframes

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

UI concepts

After industry research, our process continues with: Visual User Flow Mapping User persona creation Competitive analysis Business Model Canvas UX audit Information architecture Wireframes UI concepts Final UI design

Final UI design

After industry research, our process continues with

Visual User Flow Mapping

User persona creation

Competitive analysis

Business Model Canvas

UX audit

Information architecture

Wireframes

UI concepts

Final UI design

Final Takeaway

If starting a redesign,
It must begin with Understanding context.

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The users The risks

The users

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The users The risks

The risks

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The industry

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The business model

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The workflows

A good redesign is not just about making screens look better.
It is about understanding

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.

A good redesign is not just about making screens look better. It is about understanding

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The industry

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The business model

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The industry The business model The workflows

The workflows

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The users The risks

The users

If starting a redesign, It must begin with Understanding context.: The users The risks

The risks

Before changing the interface, understand what is really slowing users down.

Planning to redesign SaaS & Enterprise Software ?

Planning to redesign SaaS & Enterprise Software ?

Before changing the interface, understand what is really slowing users down.

LET’S PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Ready to improve your SaaS product?

Work with Upslide to uncover UX gaps, simplify complex workflows, and create a product your users can navigate with confidence.

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SaaS Redesign Research Framework

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