User experience (UX) is not just about creating pretty screens—it’s about solving real user problems through meaningful design. In this case study, we’ll walk you through how our design thinking consulting firm helped a mid-sized SaaS company transform its product’s UX. The result? A dramatic improvement in usability, customer satisfaction, and business outcomes.
Our goal was simple: deliver improved UX for a SaaS platform to help it scale with confidence. This blog details how we made that happen.
Understanding the Initial UX Challenges
The SaaS company came to us with a clear pain point: users were abandoning the product mid-journey. Although their platform was packed with features, users struggled to complete tasks, and customer support tickets were piling up.
Key challenges we identified during our initial audit:
- Cluttered user interface
- Inconsistent user flows
- Lack of mobile responsiveness
- High onboarding drop-off rates
- Poor accessibility for visually impaired users
The company realized that if it didn’t act quickly, user churn would continue to rise. That’s where we stepped in to create an improved UX for a SaaS platform that could evolve with user expectations.
Our Design Thinking Approach to Improved UX for a SaaS Platform
We applied our proven design thinking methodology to uncover the core user problems and design solutions that were simple, scalable, and empathetic.
1. Empathize: Understand User Needs
We conducted in-depth interviews with users, customer support teams, and stakeholders. We also studied session recordings, heatmaps, and behavior analytics. This gave us a clear picture of what users were trying to do—and where they got stuck.
Insights revealed that many users felt overwhelmed when first interacting with the platform. They couldn’t quickly find what they were looking for, and onboarding was more complex than necessary.
2. Define: Pinpoint the Real Problems
With the data in hand, we reframed the problem. It wasn’t just about usability—it was about confidence. Users didn’t feel confident navigating the platform, which led to frustration and dropout.
We identified key user journeys that needed urgent attention:
- First-time onboarding
- Feature discovery
- Task completion efficiency
UX Redesign Strategy: Building for Usability, Trust, and Flow
The solution wasn’t to add more features. It was to simplify, clarify, and guide the user. Our UX improvement strategy was focused on creating a cohesive and intuitive design system.
Here’s what we changed:
Simplified Onboarding
We redesigned the onboarding experience into a guided, step-by-step process. Users were introduced to the most valuable features with tooltips and contextual help. This reduced the onboarding drop-off by 41%.
Responsive Design
We rebuilt the platform to ensure full mobile responsiveness. This allowed users to work across devices, which boosted engagement, especially among field users.
Smart Navigation
A cleaner and flatter information architecture helped users get where they needed with fewer clicks. The new navigation system used role-based content visibility to personalize the experience.
Visual Hierarchy
We used clean layouts, larger typography, and a visual hierarchy that directed attention to what mattered most. Important CTAs were easy to find and interpret.
Accessibility Upgrades
The platform was optimized for WCAG 2.1 compliance, including keyboard navigation, alt text, and proper color contrast. This opened the doors to a wider, more inclusive user base.
Measuring the Impact: UX Improvements That Drove Business Growth
Here’s how the new design impacted key metrics over six months:
- User retention increased by 27%
- Support tickets reduced by 38%
- Time-on-task decreased by 22%
- Customer satisfaction (CSAT) rose from 3.4 to 4.6 out of 5
- Trial-to-paid conversion jumped by 19%
The business outcomes were clear. By prioritizing improved UX for a SaaS platform, we helped the client move from user frustration to user delight.
Adding Microinteractions for Better Feedback Loops
One area often overlooked in UX design is the provision of feedback. We introduced subtle animations and microinteractions to make the platform feel more responsive and engaging. For instance, form validation occurred in real-time, and save confirmations used pleasant visual cues.
These small touches made the platform feel alive, guiding users through their journey without overwhelming them.
Building a Scalable Design System
We created a design system with reusable UI components, typography rules, color schemes, and interaction guidelines. This reduced design debt and made it easier for developers to build new features in a consistent way.
The scalable design system also enabled:
- Faster feature releases
- Easier onboarding for new team members
- Consistent branding across product, website, and mobile
The Power of User Testing in UX Improvement
Throughout the redesign process, we conducted several rounds of usability testing. Each prototype was evaluated by real users, and their feedback informed iterative improvements.
Key discoveries:
- A key feature was buried three levels deep—moving it to the dashboard boosted usage by 70%.
- Users preferred short tutorials with a “skip” option rather than full walkthroughs.
- Progress bars increased onboarding completion rates.
These insights helped us deliver tangible value and build a solution that users wanted.
Why Improved UX for a SaaS Platform Is More Than Just Aesthetics
Many companies confuse UI and UX. A clean interface is important, but without the right information architecture, usability patterns, and feedback mechanisms, users will still struggle.
An improved UX for a SaaS platform involves understanding users at a psychological level. What motivates them? Where do they hesitate? Why do they churn?
By diving deep into user behavior and marrying it with strategic design, we helped create a product that didn’t just look good—but performed better, too.
Scaling with Confidence: Post-Launch Optimization
After launch, we didn’t stop. We tracked KPIs and user behavior over the next 90 days. A/B testing was used to fine-tune headlines, button placements, and feature availability.
Some enhancements were made during post-launch optimization:
- Moved most-used tools into a collapsible sidebar
- Personalized dashboards using AI-based suggestions
- Added dark mode based on user demand
This ongoing improvement loop is key to sustainable UX success.
Lessons Learned: What This Case Study Taught Us
Here are some valuable takeaways from this journey:
- UX is never done: It evolves as user needs and tech trends evolve.
- Less is more: Simplification often leads to better user flow.
- Empathy drives design: When we walk in the user’s shoes, we build better products.
- Data + Intuition = Gold: Use analytics to guide design, but never ignore gut instincts and emotional insight.
- Consistency builds trust: A unified look and feel fosters brand loyalty.
Final Thoughts: Why UX is Your Product’s Silent Salesperson
In the digital age, UX is the bridge between your product and your users. Poor UX can make even the best technology irrelevant. Great UX, on the other hand, builds trust, reduces churn, and turns users into brand advocates.
This case study proves that investing in improved UX for a SaaS platform is not just a design decision—it’s a growth strategy.
Ready to Improve Your SaaS Product’s UX?
Whether you’re a startup or an established SaaS business, the right UX strategy can help you:
- Reduce customer churn
- Increase engagement
- Accelerate conversions
- Boost user happiness
At our design and innovation consulting firm, we combine research, creativity, and real-world testing to craft digital products users love.
Want to transform your SaaS platform with design thinking?
Let’s talk.
About the author
Anuradha is a passionate Design Thinking practitioner with 10+ years of industry experience. She has dived into the field of Design and Design Thinking, where she is trained to design experiences. She is the Founding Partner and Design Lead at Humane Design and Innovation (HDI) Consulting. Her professional career spans various roles in Advisory, UX Design, Service Design, Engineering Design, Design integration, and Training. She was the lead designer of the Design Thinking and Innovation practice at KPMG. She has designed multiple digital experiences by conducting strategic UX workshops and design experiences that add functional and emotional value. To her friends & peers, she is the Bonding Agent of the team and always a go-to person. She is an avid reader, blogger & painting enthusiast.
We at Humane Design strongly believe in the human ethos and draw inspiration from humans and other elements of nature to design innovative solutions for organizations of all sizes. We will be glad to be your success partner. Please email us your requirements at explore@humaned.in.
FAQs
What does it mean to improve UX for a SaaS platform?
It involves making the product simpler, more intuitive, and more enjoyable to use by focusing on user needs and behavior.
How long does a UX revamp typically take?
Smaller updates might take 4–6 weeks, while full redesigns often require 3–6 months, depending on complexity.
Which tools are best for UX improvement?
Figma, Hotjar, Maze, Google Analytics, and FullStory are commonly used to prototype, test, and analyze user behavior.
Can hiring a UX consultant help?
Yes. It ensures user issues are addressed strategically, avoiding wasted resources and guesswork.
Does better UX reduce churn?
Absolutely. When users find value quickly and easily, they’re more likely to stay engaged and loyal.
How often should we iterate on UX?
UX should be tested and updated regularly to meet evolving user expectations and feature changes.
Is a design system really necessary?
Yes. It brings consistency, speeds up development, and ensures scalability as your platform grows.
What’s the ROI on UX investment?
Strong UX can lead to up to 200% ROI through better retention, higher conversions, and fewer support issues.
How can I identify UX issues in my SaaS product?
Look for high drop-off rates, frequent support queries, and poor user feedback.
What’s the first step toward better UX?
Begin with user research. Without understanding the user’s perspective, every improvement is just a guess.
Need help with UX improvements?
Let’s build something your users love to use—together.
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