Lite Insights on Tactics

Lite Insights on Tactics

2020｜Type: Original｜Tag: Experience

Understanding the past and present of tactic

Sorting out the tactic is critical in the early stages of launching a tactic design. tactics depend on logic. In this step we need to clarify:

What this tactic is
What problem is solved in what scenario
How it is used by what users and when
The benefits and risks associated with using the tactic

Analyzing the touchpoint of the tactic

Firstly, revamp the existing touchpoints

Thinking about which parts of the information architecture the tactic relates to and which pages they appear on in the product, we can apply a user journey map to lightly collate and design thinking for them.

Next, add new touchpoints

Consider whether the tactic will generate new touchpoints. The starting point for generating new touchpoints may be that they are not attached to any existing parts, are not supported by the existing architecture, are not obvious in a new feature, are hard to perceive, and so on.

Once again, improve the system of touchpoints

Whether it's an existing touchpoint or a new one, you need to consider whether the change in the touchpoints affects the whole:

Whether it challenges the product architecture
Whether it challenges the interaction operation
Whether it challenges the visual specification

In addition to this, the position of the tactic touchpoints need to be well thought out. Inside the limited space, the state and style of the position need to be considered.

The state, including the state before, mid, and after of user action, and the tactic effect state. It is a collection of semantics. Also, the design of an empty state needs to be considered.
The style, including the guidance system and the criteria for interrupting the user's action.

Selecting Design Patterns

The main design patterns related to tactics include:

Design patterns for touchpoints
Design patterns for guidance
Design patterns for interrupting user’s action

We select the appropriate design patterns based on phasing, grading, and intensity.

Firstly, the phase

Consider which phases the tactic appears in. Whether it covers the full lifecycle or a particular phase (e.g., the learning phase) has a very significant impact on the product architecture. Even some tactics tend to be triggered only under certain conditions, and users are not able to understand the theory systematically and comprehensively. Providing the necessary instructions in a more user-friendly way is an important tool to improve the experience.

Cover the full lifecycle
Cover a certain phase (e.g., the learning phase)
Triggered under specific conditions

Second, the grade

How effective are the tactics when validated, and in what way do we expect users to accept the benefits and risks? For tactics with different risks, there are corresponding tactics to support them. For example, if a tactic is verified to be as effective as 95% for a 50% increase in volume after taking this action, we strongly recommend that users try it out. The design can increase the persuasive expression accordingly.

Strongly recommended
Nice to try
Risky

Again, the intensity

The business level expects to implement the tactic at what scale based on the experiment effect, audience size, and intensity of need.

Full release
Rule level control (e.g. how much cost is satisfied to activate the next level)
Whitelist control
Blacklist invisibility

Ideally, we can think about the phase ✕ grade ✕ intensity design based on the three design patterns of touchpoints, guidance systems, and interruptions. However, it needs to be further precipitated and verified, and we hope to modify it appropriately to corresponding examples soon.

Increase tactic Credibility

After the tactic has been validated as effective, we can increase the credibility of the tactic to improve product usage. Common forms include:

Increase credibility from the benchmark, including the use of competitors, peers, and the whole market.
From the industry's best cases to improve credibility

Disclosure of tactic Effectiveness

One of the tests for determining whether a tactic is effective is whether the application of the tactic meets the set target for effectiveness, or even achieves the set target for effectiveness and beyond. Of course, it is also possible to have an effect that does not meet expectations.

Exceeds expectations
Meets expectations
Lower than expected

How to disclose the effectiveness of a tactic is a discursive skill. Admittedly, we encourage the use of absolute results of setting the goal to measure, such as 35 predicted conversions, after applying the tactic, the actual conversions are 50. Of course, when the absolute results of the data are not very meaningful or desirable, you can also give the relative results from the benchmark. Such as after applying the tactic, 50% increase in impressions compared to yesterday, and after applying the tactic, the click-through rate is equal to the average value of the whole market, and so on. In addition, the disclosure of the effectiveness of the tactic needs to take into account the granularity of the data disclosure, the time of data validity, and the start and end time of the implementation.