How do you run a product design audit?

1 Define the scope

The first step is to define the scope of your product design audit. This means deciding what aspects of your product design you want to assess, such as the user interface, the user experience, the functionality, the accessibility, the branding, or the consistency. You should also determine the criteria and metrics you will use to measure the design quality, such as user satisfaction, engagement, retention, conversion, or feedback. Finally, you should set a clear timeline and budget for your audit.

2 Collect the data

The next step is to collect the data that will inform your product design audit. This can include both quantitative and qualitative data, such as analytics, user testing, surveys, interviews, reviews, or competitor analysis. You should aim to gather as much relevant and reliable data as possible, from both internal and external sources, to get a comprehensive and objective view of your product design performance. You should also organize and analyze the data to identify patterns, trends, gaps, or opportunities.

3 Evaluate the findings

The third step is to evaluate the findings of your data collection and compare them with your design criteria and metrics. This will help you understand how well your product design meets your user needs, expectations, and preferences, as well as your business goals and standards. You should also benchmark your product design against your competitors and best practices, to see how you stand out or fall behind in the market. You should highlight the positive and negative aspects of your product design, and rank them by importance and urgency.

4 Generate the recommendations

The fourth step is to generate the recommendations based on your evaluation findings. These are the specific and actionable steps you will take to improve your product design quality, usability, and performance. You should prioritize your recommendations according to their impact and feasibility, and assign them to the responsible teams or roles. You should also define the expected outcomes and benefits of your recommendations, and how you will measure and track them.

5 Communicate the results

The fifth step is to communicate the results of your product design audit to the relevant stakeholders, such as your product managers, developers, designers, marketers, or executives. You should present your results in a clear and concise way, using visual aids, such as charts, graphs, screenshots, or mockups, to illustrate your findings and recommendations. You should also explain the rationale and evidence behind your results, and how they align with your user and business goals. You should also invite feedback and discussion, and address any questions or concerns.

6 Implement the changes

The final step is to implement the changes based on your recommendations. This means executing the tasks and actions that will improve your product design, according to your timeline and budget. You should also monitor and evaluate the effects of your changes, using the same criteria and metrics you used in your audit. You should also collect and analyze new data, to see if your changes have improved your product design quality, usability, and performance. You should also document and report your changes and outcomes, and celebrate your achievements.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?