Revamping Auction.com’s Help Center: Common People’s Strategy for Enhancing User Experience and Clarity

Auction.com is an online real estate marketplace that specializes in bank-owned and REO (Real Estate Owned) properties, allowing users to bid on foreclosed homes. Given the unique complexities involved, first-time users often find the process confusing.

• Real Estate
• Online Marketplace

Over time, Auction.com’s Help Center had accumulated numerous articles, leading to a confusing user experience that no longer aligned with the current brand messaging. Key challenges included:

1. Confusing Information Architecture: The Help Center was difficult to navigate due to outdated content models and an unstructured sitemap.
2. Complex User Needs: Given the intricate nature of bidding on bank-owned properties, first-time participants needed clearer guidance to understand the unique terms, processes, and steps involved.

Common People undertook a thorough audit and redesign of Auction.com’s Help Center to streamline user experience:

1. Audit and Evaluation:

   • Conducted a comprehensive audit of existing Help Center documents, evaluating their relevance and effectiveness.
   • Analyzed user data to identify the most frequented pages, user journeys, and common points of confusion that led to customer service interactions.

2. Content Strategy and User Research:

   • Performed user interviews to gather insights from individuals who had used or attempted to use Auction.com, focusing on their pain points and feedback.
   • Mapped out a new information architecture and content models to simplify the navigation and improve content discoverability.

3. Content Design and Prototyping:

   • Created wireframes in InVision to prototype a new sitemap and Help Center layout.
   • Iteratively tested these wireframes with users, conducting multiple rounds of user testing and post-experience surveys to fine-tune the presentation and ensure intuitive navigation.

• Improved Navigation: The new Help Center featured a clear and structured information architecture, allowing users to easily find the information they needed.
• User Satisfaction: Initial tests and user feedback indicated that the redesigned Help Center significantly improved understanding of the bidding process and reduced user confusion.
• Efficient Content Management: The content update not only aligned with the current brand messaging but also provided a scalable framework to accommodate future updates.

Result Data:

• Reduction in customer service chats related to Help Center navigation issues
• Improved user scores from post-experience surveys