HEART TPR: expanding the Google HEART framework with true positive rate

Have you ever wondered how to truly measure your product's user experience? Google's HEART framework has long been a go-to for teams looking to evaluate UX through specific metrics. But as products get more complex, especially in enterprise settings, we might need to tweak this approach a bit.

In this blog, we'll explore the HEART framework, its limitations, and how introducing the true positive rate (TPR) can enhance our understanding of user experience. Let's dive in!

Revisiting the Google HEART framework

Google's HEART framework has been a staple for evaluating user experience through five key metrics: Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task success. By homing in on these user-centered metrics, teams can effectively assess and enhance their product's UX. The framework's Goals-Signals-Metrics approach helps in setting clear objectives, tracking progress, and measuring success in a structured way.

But here's the catch: when it comes to complex or enterprise applications, the HEART framework can hit some roadblocks. In these settings, users might not have many alternatives, so metrics like adoption and retention don't tell the whole story. Plus, enterprise product releases often involve more than just UX tweaks, making it tricky to measure HEART metrics accurately.

So, does that mean we should toss out the HEART framework? Not at all! It still offers valuable insights into user experience. By calculating the true positive rate (TPR) for each metric, teams can gauge how well they're identifying positive user experiences. A high TPR means the metrics are spot-on; a low TPR suggests there's room to improve.

To make HEART work better in enterprise settings, we can adapt it a bit:

• Focus on task success and engagement metrics that aren't heavily dependent on user choice.

• Combine HEART with other growth frameworks to get a fuller picture of product performance.

• Dive into qualitative research to gain deeper insights into user experiences and preferences.

At Statsig, we've found that blending HEART with other metrics gives a more rounded view of how users interact with complex products.

The need for additional metrics in UX evaluation

While the HEART framework provides a solid foundation, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. In B2B and enterprise environments, user interactions and success metrics often look different from those in consumer apps. It can be tough to measure genuine user engagement and task completion when users don't have many alternatives.

So, how do we fill these gaps? By bringing in more precise performance metrics alongside HEART. Metrics like the true positive rate (TPR) offer valuable insights into how effective our UX improvements really are. By mixing HEART with TPR and other relevant metrics, teams get a fuller picture of the user experience.

But metrics alone aren't enough—we need to integrate them into a solid experimentation platform. Platforms like Microsoft's ExP and Pinterest's A/B testing platform show how powerful comprehensive experimentation can be in driving UX improvements. By leveraging these tools and incorporating metrics like TPR, teams can make smarter decisions and optimize user experiences more effectively.

At Statsig, we understand the importance of combining robust metrics with a strong experimentation platform to truly enhance UX.

Introducing true positive rate to enhance HEART

So, what's the deal with the true positive rate? Simply put, the true positive rate (TPR) measures how well a model identifies positive cases in experiments. It's calculated by dividing the number of true positives by the sum of true positives and false negatives. A high TPR means we're effectively spotting successful user actions.

Bringing TPR into UX assessment frameworks like HEART can unlock some valuable insights into user behavior and preferences. By accurately nailing down positive user experiences, TPR helps teams zero in on areas that boost engagement and retention. This data-driven approach goes hand-in-hand with the user-focused metrics of the HEART framework.

When we combine TPR with HEART metrics, we get a more complete view of user experience and product performance. For instance, a high TPR for user engagement signals confirms that our UX improvements are hitting the mark. On the flip side, a low TPR for retention metrics might signal that we need to dig deeper into user pain points.

Using TPR alongside HEART empowers teams to make informed decisions to optimize user experiences and drive growth. This integrated approach fits right in with essential growth frameworks that stress rigorous experimentation and data-driven decision-making. By weaving TPR into the HEART framework, teams can identify and prioritize the UX improvements that make the biggest impact.

Integrating TPR into the HEART framework

So, we've talked about HEART and TPR separately—now, let's bring them together. By folding the true positive rate into the HEART framework, you can dive deeper into your product's performance and really understand user satisfaction.

Here's how you can map TPR within the Goals-Signals-Metrics process of HEART:

• Goals: Boost the accuracy in spotting positive user experiences.

• Signals: Keep an eye on user feedback, engagement levels, and task completion rates.

• Metrics: Calculate TPR by dividing true positives by the sum of true positives and false negatives.

Ready to put this into practice? Here are some steps:

1. Set clear goals for each HEART metric, aiming to accurately identify positive user experiences.

2. Gather relevant data, like user feedback, engagement stats, and task completion rates.

3. Calculate TPR for each metric and analyze the results to spot areas that need work.

Wondering how this looks in the real world? Take Pinterest's A/B testing platform, for example. They use TPR alongside HEART metrics to optimize user experiences and drive growth. By combining these insights, they get a fuller understanding of user satisfaction and can make data-driven tweaks to their product.

Similarly, Microsoft's Experimentation Platform (ExP) incorporates TPR within the HEART framework to gauge the success of their online A/B tests. This approach helps them pinpoint and prioritize improvements that make a real difference in user experiences across their products.

Closing thoughts

Revisiting the HEART framework and enhancing it with the true positive rate gives us a more robust way to evaluate user experience—especially in complex, enterprise settings. By integrating TPR into HEART, teams can better identify what truly matters to users and make data-driven decisions that drive growth.

If you're interested in diving deeper, consider exploring other essential growth frameworks and check out how Statsig's experimentation platform can help you optimize your product. Thanks for reading, and hope you found this useful!