Towards a user experience based online lead generation framework contributing to business value

Abstract

The digitalisation of business markets ensures a highly dynamic environment that can be difficult to navigate and also increases competitiveness within the market. Additionally, the rise of digitalisation grants (prospective) customers tremendous decision-making power. This makes attracting and retaining customers a cumbersome pursuit. With customers at the centre of any business, they are essential for creating value. Many businesses’ value-creating pathways have been fully explored; however, there is a lack of research on applying User eXperience (UX) knowledge to the lead generation process to increase lead conversions and business value. This research study aims to identify the components contributing to a User eXperience-based Online Lead Generation Framework (UXOLF) that can deliver increased business value.

This design science research (DSR) study comprises a six-phase main cycle with three sub-cycles. The first phase of the main cycle, problem identification, used a questionnaire for data collection. The second phase, defining the objectives of a solution, used document analysis as data collection. Design and development, the third phase, has a sub-cycle consisting of three phases with a Participatory Design (PD) session as the data collection method across the sub-cycle. The first version of the UXOLF was created in this phase. The fourth phase of the main cycle has a sub-cycle consisting of four phases. This phase utilised A/B tests to demonstrate the UXOLF, where obstructions are identified, hypotheses formulated, interfaces updated and hypotheses tested. The study evaluated the UXOLF in the fifth phase, consisting of the final sub-cycle with two phases. The evaluation was conducted through the PD iteration, and the researcher made the final changes to the framework in the final development phase. Finally, the sixth phase, namely communication, is enacted through this paper.

The UXOLF created by this research consists of nine concepts and nine design principles as sub-concepts. The main concepts of the UXOLF, in order of appearance, are 1) environment, 2) business strategy, 3) digital transformation strategy, 4) brand awareness, 3) value proposition, 4) user experience design principles (nine principles are presented), 5) communication, 6) online lead generation (with three steps on the process), 7) evaluation and data-driven decision-making, 8) customer and employee experience and 9) business value. The identified concepts underpins a business’s ability to effectively implement UX design principles onto their online lead-generating platform.

These concepts are interrelated and should be considered in order of appearance since they require an outside-in perspective. The framework can be regarded as a meta-model that guides thinking and aids businesses in optimising their lead generation process as a value-creating pathway by implementing UX practices.