A layout, editing, and control software for laser cutting and engraving.
Evaluating the usability of LightBurn's new website
The Impact
Building on prior work (read case study), the usability study helped identify critical pain points and refine the redesign to better align with user expectations.
The changes are expected to significantly reduce support ticket volume by improving clarity around license purchase, renewal, and upgrade-related tasks while also preventing costly post-launch fixes.
Overview
Role: UX Designer (Team of 2)​
Duration: 6 weeks (Nov - Dec, 2024)
Tools: Figma, Fathom Notetaker, Google Docs, Zoom, ClickUp
Key Skills
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Defined recruitment criteria
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Recruited participants
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Devised study protocol
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Jobs to be done
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Conducted remote moderated usability tests
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Updated website design based on insights
Context
LightBurn was transitioning to a new website, Digifable, to integrate their new product, MillMage, alongside their flagship LightBurn software. The existing website struggled with usability challenges, particularly around license purchases, upgrades, and support, leading to user confusion and a high volume of support tickets.
Project Goal
The usability study aimed to evaluate the redesigned Digifable website’s ability to support new and returning customers while reducing reliance on customer support. Key objectives included -
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Ensuring users could easily complete critical tasks like purchasing, upgrading, and managing licenses.
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Assessing whether first-time and returning customer journeys were clear and intuitive.
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Identifying usability issues that could hinder task completion or increase support ticket volume.
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With over 2,000 out of 2,500 monthly support tickets related to license key confusion, the redesign needed to streamline these processes to enhance self-service and reduce friction.
Approach
A. Recruitment & participant selection
I conducted a usability study in collaboration with a colleague, covering participant recruitment, test facilitation, and insights translation. We defined criteria based on prior research and recruited 11 participants—hobbyists and small business owners—via a screener survey in LightBurn’s forum. This ensured alignment with real user needs.​
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Hobbyist Henry: A DIY enthusiast using LightBurn for personal projects.
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​Startup Sam: A small business owner relying on LightBurn for production.
Recruitment criteria
B. Testing methodology
We conducted remote moderated sessions where participants navigated the prototype using the think-aloud method. Each session included pre-task questions to understand user expectations and post-task discussions to uncover pain points and design opportunities. Tasks focused on three key interactions –
Adding Seats
Previously hard to find, this feature needed better visibility to reduce support requests.
Purchasing Upgrades/ Updates
A priority for the business, testing ensured users could navigate these flows smoothly.
Contacting Support
Evaluated clarity of self-service resources and ticket submission.
Key Insights & Recs
Insight 1: Navigation challenges due to lack of information scent
Users struggled to find key actions like license upgrades and adding seats due to unclear navigation. Many didn’t associate upgrades with the “My Account” page, leading to confusion and delays.
Business Impact
Poor navigation can result in missed conversions, as users may abandon purchases or upgrades. It also increases support tickets for tasks that should be self-service, raising operational costs.
Recommendation
Restructure navigation and improve the visibility of upgrade/update CTAs to better align with user expectations.
Before: Users missed the CTA due to its deep placement, low visibility, and unclear wording
After: Improved the CTA’s visibility and clarity by making it more prominent and simplifying its description. Reworded the CTA to better connect upgrades/updates with the user’s account
Before: Users associated "Need more help?" with "more resources" rather than "contact support"
After: Changed "Need more help?" to "Contact Us" — Simplified language to improve findability
Insight 2: 'Contact Support' flow issues
Users frequently overlooked the “Need more help” label, assuming it led to additional resources rather than direct support options, making it harder to find the right help.
Business Impact
Confusing support pathways increase ticket volume, straining the support team and frustrating users. Clearer self-service options improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Recommendation
Introduce clearer labeling and guided flows to make self-service tasks more intuitive, reducing reliance on support.
Insight 3: Low visibility of helpful features
Features like the "laser compatibility checker", were hard to discover. This reduced the likelihood of users utilizing these tools effectively.
Business Impact
Hidden features lead to missed opportunities, as users who can’t easily validate compatibility may abandon purchases, lowering conversion rates.
Recommendation
Improve the information hierarchy to improve the visibility of key features, ensuring users can easily access and benefit from them.
Before: Users missed the availability of a useful feature to help them make an informed decision before purchase
After: Improved hierarchy of the feature in the information architecture so users are less likely to miss it
Why usability testing was important
Without usability testing, the redesigned website risked failing its primary goal—reducing support ticket volume. Users struggled with unclear navigation and missing cues, making key tasks like license upgrades difficult. This would have forced more users to contact support, undermining the redesign’s purpose.
Testing ensured the site aligned with user expectations, improving clarity and self-service options. Identifying these issues early prevented costly post-launch fixes and allowed for a smoother user experience from the start.