Why my designs weren’t delivering business impact
The moment I learned why my designs lacked impact on business metrics at my first job…
I walked into the analysis meeting, eager to see the results of the feature I had designed two weeks ago.
Not to brag, but the screen looked good. The design was sleek, modern, and polished.
A massive upgrade from the old, clunky design.
I had done the work, refining every detail to ensure it was functional and aesthetically pleasing.
It had been live for two weeks, and I was sure the data would prove that it had a big impact on our project metrics.
But then, the analytics lead dropped the bombshell:
"We've seen no change with the new design. We won't be rolling it out to the entire user base."
I couldn't believe it. How was that possible? 🥲
Deflated and confused, I walked into my design manager's office, hoping she could help me understand where I went wrong.
She listened carefully, gave me a reassuring smile, and pointed out my mistake.
↓
I had only made UI changes:
refining layouts
enhancing aesthetics
improving the structure of the interface
I had optimized how things looked and functioned.
However, I hadn't improved the actual user experience.
I didn't make it any easier for them to reach their goal.
I hadn't solved the real friction holding them back.
Worse? I hadn't even spent time figuring out what that friction point was.
Instead, I had jumped straight into UI improvements, assuming that was the solution.
So when my projects were released…
📉 The impact wasn't there
📉 The numbers didn't improve
📉 It felt like wasted effort and resources
What made it worse was that I wasn't positioning myself as a strong product designer. With my performance review coming up soon, I knew I couldn't afford to overlook this.
Walking out of my manager's office that day made me realize:
I need to stop just designing screens.
I need to design for outcomes.
A perfect example of this shift was when I worked on improving the sign-up flow for a home insurance app. Here's the approach I would take Before and After:
Before: A ‘Designing Screens’ Approach
Before learning this lesson, my focus would have been on:
👉🏽 Refining the layout
👉🏽 Grouping related questions
👉🏽 Strengthening hierarchy with typography
👉🏽 Adjusting spacing for better readability
These changes made the sign-up flow look better and improved usability.
But they didn't remove users' real friction or help them complete their task faster.
No matter how much I refined the UI, users would still struggle.
The new flow may have looked better and felt smoother, but the core issues remained.
That's because I was focused on the interface, not the experience. I was treating symptoms instead of addressing the real problem.
Solving real user problems requires a different approach.
❌ I needed to stop focusing on just improving screens.
✅ I needed to start tackling the real friction users faced.
After: A ‘Designing Outcome’ Approach
Instead of going straight into UI tweaks, I focused on understanding the user's underlying issue.
First, I would investigate and identify the actual problem a user was facing that was impacting their ability to reach their goal.
How?
🔍 User's goal: Complete the sign-up flow as quickly and accurately as possible.
🔍 Pain point: "I don't always have the required information (e.g., the date my property was built) with me when filling out the questions in the flow, especially when I'm on the train."
Instead of just adjusting the layout, I would design solutions that solved this problem.
🎨 Idea 1: Include an intro screen listing all the documents users need so they can gather them in advance.
🎨 Idea 2: Allow users to skip questions that require documents, then send them a text reminder where they can reply with the missing details without needing to log back in.
Would simply rearranging the sign-up flow have solved this problem?
No.
Because layout wasn't the real issue.
The issue was users getting stuck without the right information on hand.
My Shift in Thinking
Before: I assumed the interface was the problem.
Now: I dig deeper to find the actual source of user friction and solve that.
That's not to say UI and usability improvements aren't important.
They are.
But only after you've addressed the real barrier users face.
A beautifully designed sign-up flow is pointless if users still struggle to complete it.
The Impact Of This Shift
By moving from surface-level improvements to real problem-solving, I started seeing major benefits:
✅ Less wasted effort → the team wasn't working on projects that wouldn't move the needle.
✅ Bigger impact → solutions solved actually user problems, leading to better product success.
✅ Stronger collaboration → teams worked smarter by aligning on real user needs instead of making assumptions.
✅ I was seen as a stronger designer → stakeholders saw the impact my design projects were having, and they would give me more important projects
The Question You Should Be Asking
Next time you're working on a project, instead of asking:
❌ "How can I improve this screen?"
Ask:
✅ "What is the user trying to achieve, and how can I help them do it faster, easier, or more effectively?"
That's the difference between designing screens and designing outcomes.
P.S.
Oh, and that performance review?
It went fantastic.
After applying this new approach to my projects and seeing them drive real impact on business metrics, I got a promotion.
