Tired of scrambling to fix website issues before clients notice? 😩 Stop the stress! WP Engine’s Site Monitoring is here to save the day! 🔥 Learn how this innovative product came to life, from user insights to product launch. Dive into the exciting journey!

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DE{CODE}: Site Monitoring: The Intersection of Product UX Design & Research

picture this: You’re chilling maybe enjoying a well-deserved coffee when BAM! Your phone buzzes with a frantic message from a client.

“My website is down!” You’re instantly thrown into crisis mode scrambling to fix the issue and let’s be real it’s not a great feeling to be caught off guard like that right?

Thankfully there’s a solution! WP Engine’s Site Monitoring is a must and I’m here to break down how this innovative product came to be. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of UX research design and product development because we’re into the exciting journey of creating a product that truly solves a real-world problem.

The Genesis of Site Monitoring: From User Insights to Product Launch

To understand how Site Monitoring came to fruition we need to rewind the clock and dive deep into the world of UX research.

Kate Meyer our UX researcher led the charge using the power of design thinking to uncover user needs and pain points.

Uncovering User Needs Through Generative Research

Design thinking is like a superpower for problem-solving.

It’s all about focusing on the users understanding their challenges and then creating solutions that truly meet their needs.

This process starts with generative research which is like a treasure hunt for valuable insights.

In this case the team interviewed a diverse range of WP Engine users asking them about their jobs goals and the challenges they faced.

The goal was to gather a wealth of information that would help the team understand the user experience from multiple perspectives.

Think of it like a detective trying to piece together clues – the team was searching for patterns common threads and those “aha!” moments that revealed the most pressing needs.

One of the most significant insights was that users regardless of their roles shared a common desire for a single tool to monitor their websites and proactively identify issues before their clients even noticed anything was wrong.

This desire for preemptive problem-solving was particularly evident in the words of one agency owner who summed up the sentiment perfectly: “If I can resolve an issue before the client sees it that’s fantastic.

I don’t want to get those client calls of ‘Oh hey guess what? I went to my website.

It’s not there.

What are you doing today?'”

Ideation: From Insights to Solutions

With a clear understanding of user needs the team moved on to ideation a phase where brainstorming and creativity come to the forefront.

The team knew that their user portal needed a revamp to empower users to take control of their website’s health and they also recognized the potential of leveraging partner technology to address the issue of uptime monitoring.

However the team was careful not to jump straight into development.

The power of user feedback is crucial to ensure the solution is truly aligned with user needs.

This is where concept testing comes in a vital step that allows the team to put their ideas in front of users and get their valuable feedback.

Concept Testing: Bringing Ideas to Life and Getting User Feedback

Concept testing is like a reality check making sure the team is on the right track.

The team utilized low-fidelity mockups to present their ideas to users.

The beauty of this approach is that users can focus on the core concept without getting distracted by visual design.

The feedback from this round of testing was incredibly valuable.

It confirmed that the team’s vision for Site Monitoring was aligned with user expectations.

Armed with this confidence the team was ready to move to the next phase: building the product.

Building Site Monitoring: A Collaborative Effort

With the groundwork laid Kameron Fehrmann a senior product designer joined the team headfirst into bringing the Site Monitoring product to life.

This was a collaborative effort drawing on the strengths of the entire team including product managers developers and of course the UX researchers.

Building on Beta Feedback

The team released Site Monitoring in beta allowing a select group of users to get hands-on with the new feature and provide valuable feedback.

This was a crucial step in refining the product and addressing any user pain points.

The beta phase led to some significant improvements including the addition of a clear WP Engine status indicator a feature that allowed users to customize their monitoring experience by adding removing or pausing monitors.

The team also made the outage information more prominent making it easy for users to identify and address any issues quickly.

Design System: Streamlining the Design Process

One of the key factors in the design process was the use of a design system.

Think of it as a blueprint for creating consistent and cohesive user experiences.

By leveraging a library of pre-designed components the team was able to streamline the workflow and move faster making sure the product was both visually appealing and user-friendly.

Iteration Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

The beta phase wasn’t just about identifying bugs; it was about ongoing iteration and continuous improvement.

The team used a collaborative iterative process constantly gathering feedback from users developers and each other.

This involved frequent syncs open communication and a willingness to adapt and adjust as needed.

A Focus on User Experience and Actionability

The team prioritized a user-centric approach making sure the product was intuitive and actionable.

The focus was on providing users with the information they needed to quickly identify and address any issues.

This involved careful consideration of the alert channels and the messaging within those channels.

The team decided to start with email alerts as this was the preferred communication method for most users and they worked tirelessly to ensure that the email alerts were clear concise and actionable.

Technical Deep Dive: The Power of the Site Monitoring Agent

Behind the scenes the magic of Site Monitoring is powered by a powerful tool called the Site Monitoring Agent.

This agent acts as a bridge between WP Engine’s user portal and New Relic a leading provider of monitoring and alerting services.

The Site Monitoring Agent centralizes all the New Relic resources enabling seamless integration and efficient data exchange.

It’s responsible for tasks such as creating updating and deleting monitors and alerts.

It also plays a crucial role in reconciling errors and preventing accidental deletions.

Understanding the User Flow

To fully grasp the technical magic behind Site Monitoring let’s break down a typical user flow.

When a user signs up for the feature the system performs an entitlement check to ensure they have access to the Site Monitoring functionality.

Once access is granted users can create monitors through the user portal by simply clicking the “Add Monitor” button.

Behind the scenes the Site Monitoring Agent sends a request to New Relic’s Synthetics API to provision the monitor.

Users can also view historical data including average response times and access logs all through the user portal.

This data is retrieved through New Relic’s NerdGraph API with the Site Monitoring Agent acting as the intermediary.

A Framework for Continuous Improvement

Site Monitoring is just the first chapter in the story.

The team has ambitious plans for the future including adding Slack and SMS as additional alert channels expanding configuration options and further refining the user experience.

The team remains committed to the iterative approach that has been so successful continuously gathering user feedback collaborating closely and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with website monitoring.

The Future of Site Monitoring: Building a Better Web Together

Site Monitoring is more than just a product.

It’s a commitment to providing WP Engine users with the tools they need to create exceptional online experiences.

It’s a testament to the power of collaboration user-centric design and a relentless pursuit of improvement.

As the team looks ahead they’re excited to continue building on this foundation expanding the functionality of Site Monitoring and delivering even more value to users.

The future of website monitoring is bright and WP Engine is leading the way driven by a commitment to making the web a better more reliable place for everyone.

DE{CODE}: Site Monitoring: The Intersection of Product, UX Design & Research