1. Identify your target audience
Who is the target group? Who will eventually use your self-service portal? If you're familiar with designing digital solutions, it might sound too obvious. But it is one of the most important questions you need to ask to ensure that you develop something that will actually be used by your target group. Therefore, always start with target group research and create personas.
For example, municipal websites (and their My environment) must consider very different target groups, and it is wise to use uncomplicated language. Whereas a self-service portal for specialists can use more jargon.
2. Focus on the user, not the technology
A common mistake is making the technology the central concern, instead of the user. There are all kinds of links that can be made between systems, and they are all available in the portal. But does the user need all these possibilities?
Therefore, start by identifying what your self-service portal should be able to do. Do not make the system leading, always put the needs of the user first. Then use the technology to make this possible.
3. Make top tasks the priority
Mapped out your users’ wishes? Then distinguish between the top tasks (the most important and most used tasks) and other tasks. A successful method is to place top tasks on the main screen and the rest in less prominent positions.
Consider, for example, the difference between a user making an appointment or a personal data access request. The first is a top task, while the second is much less commonplace. Furthermore, it’s established best practice is to give action-oriented actions priority over documentation requests.
4. Demonstrate added value for existing customers
If it's easier to call, why would your customers use your customer portal? Therefore, explain clearly what the added value for existing customers is.
For example, focus on saving time. Are people calling to request an old invoice? Make it easy for them to view all old invoices in the customer portal. Are customers calling to make an appointment with their account manager? Let the customer pick a suitable moment online in their account manager’s agenda.
In the B2B client portal that iO built for My DHL Parcel , we achieved 50% time savings in creating a parcel shipment: where a customer previously needed 1 minute to book a shipment, in the new My DHL Parcel, they can do it in just 30 seconds!
By demonstrating the added value of the customer portal, you can create more efficiency savings for both your organisation and the customer.
5. Subtle design differences
Smooth transitions make pleasant user experiences. Consistent branding and shared themes with the main website make it easy for users to understand that they are in a different section of the same website.
A best practice is to use the same corporate branding, but to implement subtle differences compared to the main website. For example, a simplified layout, a different submenu, different position for the breadcrumbs, using a different font size and a different footer.
6. Use UX and UI best practices
People don't just visit a self-service portal. They go there with a certain task in mind. Therefore, your self-service portal should comply with UX and UI best practices. Just like with a regular website, you need fast loading web pages, responsive design, correct heading structure, a logical menu, and so on.
7. Functionality is more important than appearance
A self-service portal is a tool. Nice if it’s visually appealing, but this is certainly not a priority. It’s all about functionality. Therefore, focus primarily on satisfying the wishes, goals and tasks of your users and make design secondary. Flashy animations and transitions are better left out if they affect the speed, for example.
