Connecting findings to business metrics

Design audit findings gain significance when directly linked to business performance metrics. This connection helps stakeholders understand the tangible value of addressing identified issues.

When connecting design findings to business metrics:

• Identify relevant KPIs: Match design issues to specific business metrics they impact, such as conversion rates, average order value, customer lifetime value, support ticket volume, or churn rates.
• Establish baselines: Document current performance metrics before implementing recommendations to enable before/after comparisons.
• Calculate potential impact: Estimate the business value of improvements based on industry benchmarks or previous optimizations.
• Set measurement timelines: Create specific timeframes for measuring changes after implementations to demonstrate ROI.
• Use attribution modeling: When possible, develop models that show how design improvements contribute to overall business performance.

The most compelling business cases combine hard metrics (revenue, conversion) with soft metrics (satisfaction scores, brand perception). For each major finding, create a clear statement that links the design issue to specific business outcomes: "Simplifying the checkout process could increase conversion by 15-20% based on similar optimizations, potentially generating $X additional revenue per month."