Monadic Surveys (Suzy, 2021)
Monadic Testing became a core feature on the Suzy platform, but its original setup made users repeatedly upload the same stimuli for each question—a time-consuming process.
By creating a single 'Concepts' page for all uploads, we made the setup faster and simpler, shifting from a complex redesign to a straightforward, user-friendly solution.
Impact
Following the launch of the Monadic Testing feature:
High Adoption: Monadic tests now represent 28.6% of all surveys launched on Suzy in the past year (2022-23), marking it as the platform’s most popular survey type.
Feature Expansion: Since the MVP, monadic testing has evolved to include advanced functionalities such as standard question integration, piping logic, quotas by concept, and global audience reach, underscoring its value to our users.
Taking over this project mid-development sharpened my ability to conduct rapid design audits, surface usability issues, and advocate for impactful changes. This experience enhanced my confidence in transforming complex processes into accessible, streamlined solutions.
The Challenge
With an uptick in platform usage due to the pandemic, Suzy’s inability to support monadic testing effectively threatened to undercut user satisfaction and limit platform engagement. Our users needed a feature that supported their core testing methodology—one that didn’t compromise efficiency for functionality.
The project had been shelved and revisited multiple times, with initial designs presenting an overly complex setup process. Taking over at this stage required me to navigate through previous design decisions, gathering insights from various stakeholders while quickly proposing feasible solutions.
The Solution
The revamped design introduced a separate "Concepts" page for users to upload stimuli in advance, bypassing the need to add stimuli individually to each question. Users could then specify if the stimuli should display before specific questions, making the monadic setup streamlined and intuitive.
Strategy & Approach
The decision to create a centralized “Concepts” page stemmed from a usability audit and discussions with internal teams. This approach reduced unnecessary repetition and focused on the core user task: setting up monadic questions swiftly and effectively. This simple pivot allowed users to upload all stimuli in a single, central location, creating a fluid, efficient survey setup experience. By removing redundant steps, we enhanced the usability of a previously complex feature without compromising its analytical depth.
My process involved an initial audit, competitive analysis, and usability testing with prototypes. Stakeholder interviews and a design studio facilitated ideation and alignment, revealing opportunities to streamline setup. This agile feedback loop enabled me to refine the feature quickly and efficiently.
As the UX Designer, I took over the project midstream, conducting a comprehensive audit of prior designs and leading stakeholder interviews to refocus the project vision. From ideation to final wireframes and prototype testing, I championed a streamlined approach that drastically improved the feature’s usability. This role enhanced my skills in stakeholder communication, design audit, and iterative user testing.
Research & Key Insights
Key Findings That Informed Design
User feedback and a comparative analysis of competitors revealed the need to simplify stimuli management. The repetitive task of uploading stimuli for each question hindered usability, highlighting the need for a centralized upload process.
Unexpected Discoveries or “Aha” Moments
During initial interviews, it became clear that users found the naming of the feature itself confusing. This insight informed the development of clear onboarding steps and documentation, ensuring that both novice and expert users could navigate the setup with ease.
Problem Statement
Although monadic concept testing quickly emerged as a core use case for the Suzy platform, the initial design required users to repeatedly upload concept stimuli for each survey question, resulting in a cumbersome and inefficient setup process.
Key Insight
A small yet strategic change—implementing a dedicated "Concepts" page for stimuli uploads—could drastically streamline the process, enhancing usability without overcomplicating the feature. This insight reframed our approach from complex redesigns to an efficient, user-friendly pivot.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, we’re exploring AI-driven analysis within monadic surveys to further enhance insight generation. Additional capabilities, such as automated concept rotation and advanced audience targeting, are under consideration to make the Monadic Testing feature even more powerful and versatile.
Suzy’s Monadic Survey feature enables users to test individual concepts in isolation, providing valuable standalone insights without the interference of other options. Suzy supports a wide range of users from novice researchers to experienced professionals, making usability a core value for this feature. Monadic testing is essential for clients needing focused, unbiased concept insights.
