Application marketplace case study

Incorta’s app marketplace.

Problem

Incorta had 20+ data applications in their new app marketplace. The apps supercharged the impact of Incorta’s primary data analytics software. Different information about the apps appeared on Incorta’s website. Incorta and their partners were creating 4-5 more data apps each month.

However, Incorta lacked a content strategy that inspired users to download and leverage the apps.

Research

I started by researching users, pain points and challenges, and other app marketplaces, including competitors’. Key insights included:

  • Users included IT admins, data analysts, and finance leaders. They were either considering purchasing the software or were already users.

  • Users didn’t understand how the apps helped them do their jobs better and faster.

  • Existing marketplace content was repetitive.

  • Other app marketplaces followed repeatable patterns to structure their content.

  • Incorta’s users responded better to certain content structures than others. The following insights are based on data compiled from user sessions in FullStory:

A slide summarizing user research and highlighting the importance of the primary text content and images on each page.

Design and iteration

I collaboratively developed a phased approach for new and existing content with the marketplace product manager (PM). We presented it and got buy-in across the organization, resulting in quick changes and results.

Here’s how:

  1. I mapped out all of the possible content structure (information architecture) options and their pros and cons based on user research.

  2. The product manager and I created a phased approach for changing and testing the content, ensuring results.

  3. After presenting our plan, I worked with product and engineering to implement it.

The phased approach for content updates.

The phased approach had multiple benefits. It did the following:

  • Provided a path to tackle a large amount of content debt.

  • Prioritized impactful changes with the lowest effort and highest assumed benefit. This enabled testing and iteration with the lowest risk.

  • Reused content across the website and marketplace. This reduced the time and resources spent on creating and translating content.

  • Allowed me to create content templates, including for external companies that developed marketplace apps. This ensured consistency and made the process smoother for everyone.

Results

The Product Manager and I reviewed the impact of each phase.

Ultimately, we found that users now interacted twice as much with key content on both the website and in-app marketplace. This resulted in a 20% increase in data application downloads.

Still of a Fullstory user testing video, analyzing the performance of the new format on the website. Blue shows users interacting with the key content.

Further down the same page in Fullstory.

Rave review

“I had the opportunity to work closely with Dez during her time at Incorta. She was an ideal partner for our design and product teams and helped establish very high standards for UX writing.

She helped us establish a cohesive user experience with style guidelines, writing samples, etc., and helped us with the rollout of several key initiatives including the Incorta marketplace for data applications and components. She has great attention to detail, an outstanding work ethic, and is a pleasure to work with. She will be a great addition to any product organization with a focus on user interactions and content strategy.”

— Ashwin Warrier, VP of Product at Incorta