Subscriptions in ArcXP

Business Objective 

Enhance user engagement and monetization opportunities for B2B clients by providing out-of-the-box subscription capabilities that can be easily integrated into their websites.

Understanding the current state

User interviews

I conducted interviews with B2B clients using the existing subscription features. These discussions helped uncover their needs and expectations regarding subscription capabilities.

Through these interviews, I identified key user personas:​

Content Manager

Responsible for overseeing subscription offerings and ensuring user satisfaction.

• Top Need: Simplified tools for integrating and managing subscriptions on their websites.

End User (Readers)

Users subscribing to content from B2B clients.

• Top Needs:

• Easy access to manage their subscriptions.

• Ability to save content for later access.

• Options to use different payment methods for flexibility and convenience.

User flow

Before developing the design solutions, I created detailed user flows primarily focused on end users. These user flows mapped out the key interactions and steps involved in the subscription management process, allowing us to identify potential bottlenecks and ensure a smooth experience throughout the user journey.

Research

The research phase included extensive user interviews and competitive analysis. I connected with various stakeholders to understand how the subscription features could best fit into their workflows. Users expressed the need for straightforward solutions that would allow them to offer subscription functionalities without extensive technical barriers.

Key findings

• Clients needed user-friendly, out-of-the-box elements to integrate subscriptions easily into their websites.

• Users highlighted the importance of content-saving and bookmarking capabilities to enhance their overall engagement.

Design Iterations

With a solid understanding of user needs and the user journey established, I collaborated with the development team to create a vision for the subscription management components.

Due to project constraints, I could not test the designs for the checkout block and profile management components with B2B clients before launch. However, I tested the saved content and bookmarking designs through Respondent, creating a survey in Maze to gather feedback. The insights gained from this testing allowed me to iterate on those designs effectively. I relied on internal stakeholder feedback for the checkout block and profile management designs.

I designed three main elements:

1. Subscription Profile Management Block:

This element allows users to view and manage their subscriptions effectively on client websites. Key functionalities included:

• Clear display of subscription status (active, cancelled, or terminated).

• Payment details and options for managing subscriptions directly.

2. Checkout Block:

• Account verification and billing address entry.

• Payment Options: Integration of various payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, providing users with flexible payment choices.

• A summary page for users to review their subscriptions before finalizing payments.

3. Content Bookmarking Feature:

• Designed to enable users to save articles and media for later access, enhancing engagement and allowing end-users to interact more effectively with the content.​

User Testing with Maze

After designing the saved content and bookmarking features, I wanted to validate these designs with real user feedback before finalizing them. To achieve this, I conducted a survey using Maze, focusing specifically on the usability of the bookmarking feature. The survey allowed me to gather insights into user preferences and identify any usability issues before moving forward with the final implementation.

Some user feedback:

Incorporating User Feedback

The Maze survey revealed valuable insights into the usability of the saved content and bookmarking features, which directly influenced the final design iterations:

• Task Completion:

• 85.7% of users successfully saved content, but a few users had difficulty with the location of the "Save" icon, which led to a redesign for better visibility.

• 75% of users found it easy to access their saved content, but 50% had difficulty locating the saved section, indicating the need for clearer labeling and a more prominent "Saved" section.

• User Satisfaction:

• 80% of users rated the bookmarking feature as easy to use and intuitive, confirming its design direction.

• Users expressed interest in additional features like content categorization and a search function to better organize saved content, leading to further iterations of the feature.

• Improvement Areas:

• A significant portion of users requested the ability to sort and categorize saved content by topic, prompting the addition of this functionality in later iterations