UX Design Case Study: How Strategic UI/UX Changes Reduced Churn by 28%

Industry: B2B SaaS 

Design Project Type: UX redesign initiative 

Project Goals: Improve usability, remove friction points, and increase user retention 

Problem Space: Low engagement across key workflows and recurring user drop-offs 

Target Audience: Existing product users across SMB and mid-market segments 

Context: The client approached GainHQ to solve declining retention by modernizing UX flows, refining interactions, and aligning the product experience with user expectations. 

Project Overview 

This UX design project aimed to enhance user retention for a SaaS company by refining key product experiences that were causing friction, confusion, and unnecessary drop-offs. The product served a growing target audience of small to mid-sized teams who depended on the platform for daily operational tasks. As the user base expanded, so did the need for a cleaner interface, clearer workflows, and a design system that supported long-term scalability. 

The problem space became clear once the team analyzed usage data and user behavior patterns. New users were not completing core actions, feature adoption was inconsistent, and critical workflows required too many steps. These issues directly impacted retention and long-term engagement, prompting the company to invest in a design project that addressed both usability and product clarity. 

The primary project goals were to simplify navigation, improve information hierarchy, remove friction points, and create a consistent experience across desktop and mobile. The redesign needed to reflect real user needs, align with the business strategy, and deliver measurable improvements. With this context established, the team partnered with GainHQ to execute a structured UX process grounded in research, analysis, and iterative problem-solving. 

About The Client 

The client is a growing B2B SaaS company operating in a competitive industry where user experience plays a key role in long-term product adoption. Their platform helps small and mid-sized teams manage essential daily workflows, but increasing customer expectations and rapid industry shifts required a stronger focus on usability and product clarity. Their business goals centered on boosting retention, improving onboarding success, and ensuring users could complete critical tasks without friction. 

The company approached GainHQ with a specific project: redesign the core user interface and optimize key product interactions to better support new and existing users. With rising competition and a more demanding market, they needed a UX upgrade that aligned with evolving customer expectations and modern UI standards. The industry context also highlighted how fast-moving SaaS teams rely on intuitive tools, making the experience itself a competitive advantage. This redesign effort became a strategic initiative to elevate the product, improve user satisfaction, and position the company for sustainable growth. 

The Challenge 

User engagement was declining, and retention trends revealed clear friction within the product. Solving this required understanding the problem statement, user needs, and the deeper pain points affecting daily usage. 

Problem Statement 

The existing interface lacked clarity, making it difficult for users to find key features and complete tasks efficiently. Confusing layouts and inconsistent design patterns contributed to unnecessary cognitive load. 

Pain Points In Daily Workflows 

Users faced too many steps in essential workflows, creating frustration and slowing productivity. Repeated actions required manual work, and important elements were buried within secondary screens. 

Challenges Faced By The Business 

Low feature adoption directly impacted the company’s roadmap priorities. Support tickets increased because users frequently misunderstood how to use core functionalities, placing additional strain on the team. 

Unmet User Needs 

Users needed smoother navigation, clearer instructions, and a user-friendly flow that guided them toward successful outcomes. Many expected modern UI standards that the product had not fully implemented. 

Fragmented Experience Across Devices 

The product behaved inconsistently between desktop and mobile, confusing when switching platforms. This inconsistency weakened trust and affected user satisfaction over time. 

Why UI/UX Improvements Were Necessary 

User feedback revealed clear gaps in how people interacted with the product. Many users struggled to complete essential steps in their user journey, leading to frustration and early drop-offs. These signals showed that the experience was not guiding users effectively, and critical actions required more effort than necessary. The issues were not isolated; they consistently appeared across different customer segments, indicating a deeper structural challenge. 

Friction Across The User Journey 

Feedback showed that navigation required too many steps, and users often got lost while moving between tasks. This friction slowed productivity and affected long-term engagement. 

Lack of Clarity In Critical Workflows 

Important actions were buried or unclear, forcing users to guess their way through processes. These usability hurdles directly impacted satisfaction and completion rates. 

Patterns Detected Through Problem Solving 

A detailed review of support tickets and behavior data exposed repeated issues across key workflows. These patterns highlighted systemic design flaws rather than one-time usability gaps. 

Missing Valuable Insights In The UI 

Visual hierarchy problems prevented users from seeing what mattered most. Calls to action were not prioritized, and secondary elements competed for attention. 

Growing Expectations From Users 

As modern SaaS standards evolved, users expected cleaner layouts, faster workflows, and intuitive interactions. The existing design no longer aligned with what customers considered a smooth experience. 

Research & Discovery Process 

Understanding the real issues required a structured discovery effort rooted in user research and data-driven analysis. The team used multiple research methods to capture a complete picture of user behavior, motivations, and frustrations. Instead of relying on assumptions, GainHQ gathered insights directly from the target audience, allowing the design decisions to reflect real-world needs and expectations. 

User Research To Understand Behavior 

Initial research focused on how users interacted with features during daily tasks. This helped identify moments of confusion, hesitation, and repetitive actions. 

Research Methods Used Across The Project 

The team combined qualitative and quantitative insights, including usage analytics, heatmaps, task recordings, and feedback logs, to uncover hidden usability barriers. 

Market Research For Context 

Competitor analysis and industry benchmarking revealed how competing products solved similar problems. This provided context for best practices and emerging UI patterns. 

User Interviews For Deeper Clarity 

Structured interviews helped validate assumptions and uncover emotional responses to the product. Users explained frustrations, expectations, and which improvements mattered most. 

Competitor Analysis For Strategic Direction 

A review of leading competitors showed more intuitive workflows and modern UI standards. These findings helped shape the redesign and inspired improvements in navigation and layout. 

Key UX Problems Identified 

A detailed analysis of product usage, navigation behavior, and feedback patterns revealed several critical UX issues affecting engagement and retention. These findings came from reviewing user flows, information architecture, and the usability gaps that consistently interrupted the experience. The insights showed that users were not struggling because of a lack of interest; they were struggling because the interface made seemingly simple tasks unnecessarily complex. 

Confusing User Flows Slowing Task Completion 

User flows contained unnecessary steps that created friction during everyday tasks. Users moved back and forth between screens, often unsure which action to take next. This lack of guidance led to slower task completion and reduced confidence in the product. The flows did not support a natural sequence, causing hesitation and drop-offs during key interactions. 

Weak Information Architecture Creating Navigation Problems 

Menus, categories, and pathways were not organized logically. Users had difficulty locating essential features because the hierarchy failed to reflect real usage priorities. As a result, frequently used items were buried, while lower-value elements occupied prime placement. Poor information architecture also made onboarding difficult because new users could not form a mental model of how the system worked. 

Usability Gaps Across Core Workflows 

Usability testing uncovered several points where users became stuck or repeated unnecessary actions. Icon meanings were unclear, button placements were inconsistent, and labels lacked clarity. These usability gaps created cognitive overload and slowed down even experienced users. Issues like unclear confirmation states and missing visual cues contributed to errors and frustration. 

Lack Of Visual Priority And Poor Content Hierarchy 

The interface did not communicate what was most important at each step. Calls to action blended in with secondary elements, and key statuses were not highlighted. This visual ambiguity made it harder for users to make quick decisions. Without proper hierarchy, the UI demanded more attention and effort than necessary. 

Friction In Multi-Step Processes 

Multi-step tasks created drop-offs because transitions between steps were not intuitive. Users were unsure if progress was saved or what the next step required. The missing feedback loops and inconsistent progression patterns made longer workflows feel overwhelming. These issues reinforced the need for a cleaner, more intuitive experience powered by structured UX improvements. 

The UX Strategy and Design Approach 

The redesign relied on a structured strategy built on design thinking principles. The team focused on understanding real user behavior, refining the thought process behind each interaction, and creating solutions that balanced user needs with business goals. This approach allowed the project to transition from scattered improvements to a unified and purposeful design system. 

Applying Design Thinking To Frame The Problem 

Rather than jumping directly into visuals, the team defined the core problems through empathy and discovery. Design thinking encouraged a deeper understanding of user frustrations and helped broaden the perspective beyond surface-level design issues. This method made it possible to uncover root causes rather than treating symptoms. 

Structuring The Thought Process Around Real Use Cases 

Each design decision followed a clear thought process that considered user goals, context, and constraints. The team mapped the moments where users felt overwhelmed and then restructured the experience to reduce friction. By aligning design decisions with real use cases, the redesign became grounded in practicality rather than assumptions. 

Creating Solutions With A Clear Problem-Solving Approach 

The redesign introduced solutions that addressed both functional gaps and emotional needs. This included simplifying user flows, improving hierarchy, and reframing interactions to make them more intuitive. Problem-solving skills played a key role in deciding how to streamline each step without compromising key features or business requirements. 

Rebuilding Information Architecture And Interaction Models 

Structural adjustments were necessary to support the new experience. The team reorganized navigation categories, clarified pathways, and introduced more natural progression patterns. User flows were redesigned to follow logical, predictable sequences. This improved both the efficiency and the comfort level of users navigating the system. 

Developing A Cohesive Visual And Interaction Framework 

The final phase of the strategy focused on consistency. The team unified colors, spacing, typography, button states, and interaction feedback. Every visual and functional element was re-evaluated to create a more user-friendly and predictable experience. This cohesive framework served as the foundation for all future product updates and established a new standard for usability within the platform. 

The UX Strategy and Design Approach

The team approached the redesign using a structured UX strategy rooted in design thinking. Rather than jumping directly into visuals, the process began with understanding user frustrations, clarifying business goals, and breaking down the underlying problems hidden in the product experience. This early discovery phase shaped a clearer thought process and ensured that every design process decision connected logically to real user needs. 

A key priority was creating solutions that balanced simplicity with functionality. The team mapped out how users moved through the interface, identified moments of hesitation, and evaluated why certain actions required more effort than necessary. This thoughtful analysis allowed the designers to reframe workflows, shorten steps, and remove distractions that previously slowed users down. 

Strong problem-solving skills guided each stage of the redesign. The team explored multiple concepts, tested alternative knowledge patterns, and refined interactions until they aligned with intuitive user behavior. Each iteration clarified the “why” behind the solution, not just the “how,” helping the product evolve from a collection of features into a cohesive experience. 

Workflow And Interaction Redesign 

The workflow and interaction redesign focused on restructuring user flows to remove friction and create a smoother design phase. The team analyzed thousands of interaction events to uncover inefficiencies and identify where users struggled to complete tasks efficiently. 

User Flow Bottlenecks Found 

• 42 percent of users paused for more than eight seconds during key actions, indicating unclear structure in core tasks. 

• 27 percent of users entered repeated loops inside long workflows, showing that the existing user flows lacked natural progression. 

• 31 percent of total task time was lost due to unnecessary navigation steps across modules. 

Interaction Improvements Implemented 

• Misclicks decreased by 64 percent after adjusting primary and secondary action hierarchy. 

• Interaction timing improved by 29 percent once confirmation steps were reduced. 

• Task handoff friction decreased after reducing workflow length by an average of 3.4 steps. 

Structural Corrections to the Experience 

• Information grouping improved first-attempt task success by 22 percent. 

• Reorganizing the structure of long flows cut abandonment by 19 percent. 

• Unified entry points replaced fragmented menus, improving discoverability by 33 percent. 

This redesign made interactions more predictable and aligned with expected behaviors inside the product. 

Mobile Experience Optimization 

The mobile experience optimization addressed performance, layout, and usability gaps revealed through mobile usability testing. With more than 36 percent of the user base active on mobile, improving responsive UI behavior became a high-priority initiative. 

Responsive UI Adjustments 

• Readability improved by 48 percent after adjusting typography, spacing, and alignment across breakpoints. 

• Tap target sizes increased by 22 percent, reducing accidental taps in crowded layouts. 

• UI shift issues across devices dropped from 17 percent to 3 percent following layout stabilization. 

Findings From Mobile Usability Testing 

• One out of five interactions resulted in tap errors before redesign. 

• 72 percent reduction in tap errors occurred after spacing and hierarchy corrections. 

• 41 percent of users completed tasks faster when step counts were reduced in mobile flows. 

User Behavior Insights Applied 

• Users preferred shorter sessions, averaging 54 seconds per task. 

• Workflows placed within thumb-friendly zones increased completion by 42 percent. 

• Reducing scrolling depth improved satisfaction scores by 37 percent. 

These combined adjustments significantly strengthened the mobile journey and improved overall task success. 

Implementation Process 

The implementation process followed a clear structure supported by standardized tools, well-defined steps, and repeatable practices. This ensured the final solution matched the intended interaction logic and visual alignment. 

Tools Used Across The Process 

• Component libraries reduced design inconsistencies by over 50 percent. 

• Automated UI validation tools caught 92 percent of spacing and alignment issues. 

• Collaboration platforms shortened designer-to-developer handoff cycles by 38 percent. 

Step By Step Guide Followed 

• 17 implementation steps ensured consistency from prototype handoff to production launch. 

• Cross-functional checkpoints reduced rework time by 28 percent. 

• Staged rollouts allowed early issue detection, cutting final bug reports by 41 percent. 

Clear Structure For Testing and QA 

• Testing covered 22 device and browser combinations. 

• Accessibility compliance increased from 74 percent to 96 percent after structured reviews. 

• Performance audits reduced load times by 22 percent across key screens. 

This structured implementation ensured a stable experience and a reliable foundation for future improvements. 

Results and Measurable Impact 

The final product delivered significant improvements across usability, conversion, and engagement metrics. After launch, retention improvement became the most notable outcome, driven by clearer workflows, stronger visual organization, and smoother interactions across both desktop and mobile. The result showed a 28 percent increase in returning users within the first sixty days and a 22 percent reduction in early churn. These shifts indicated that users were finding the experience more intuitive and easier to navigate. 

Key Measurable Outcomes 

• Task completion success increased from 68 percent to 89 percent after workflow restructuring. 

• Average time to complete key actions dropped by 31 percent following interaction and layout refinements. 

• Mobile task completion rose by 38 percent after responsive corrections and mobile-specific adjustments. 

• Support tickets related to navigation and confusion fell by 47 percent, highlighting improved clarity. 

• New onboarding flow performance improved, with 41 percent more users completing the initial setup sequence. 

The redesign also created a valuable resource for the client’s internal teams. Product, support, and development teams gained clearer visibility into user journeys and could make faster decisions on future improvements. The result strengthened overall experience quality and set a scalable foundation for continued product growth. 

What The Client Says 

The client shared positive feedback that highlighted how the improved experience made tasks easier for users and reduced friction in daily workflows. According to their testimonial context, users noticed smoother navigation, fewer barriers in completing actions, and a more organized interface. This feedback confirmed that the redesigned product aligned closely with real user expectations. 

Final Takeaways From This UX Design Case Study 

This ux design case study demonstrates how structured reasoning and measurable outcomes help designers present their work with clarity. UX designers who turn their specific project into a clear story supported by numbers create a stronger impact in a UX portfolio or design portfolio. When potential employers and any hiring manager review case studies, they want to see the problem space, the process, and the final design backed by evidence. A great ux case study highlights improvements, explains decisions, and shows how the final product solved real challenges. 

Key Takeaways 

• Designers should turn their own case studies into clear stories supported by data, such as task success rates or retention changes. 

• UX designers can increase portfolio strength by showing how information architecture, user flows, and user testing improved outcomes by measurable percentages. 

• Portfolio ux case studies that demonstrate quantifiable improvements are 55 percent more likely to be shortlisted by a hiring manager. 

• Potential employers spend an average of 42 seconds scanning a ux portfolio, so each section must quickly highlight the example, the challenge, and the result. 

• A great ux case study connects insights, decisions, and outcomes into one coherent story that reflects strong problem-solving ability and relevance to real business needs.