What UX Strategy to follow when designing a SaaS product?

Introduction to the Three Components of UX Strategy

Ah, UX strategy. That concept everyone waves around like the magic wand for creating or improving a SaaS. On paper, it's magnificent: everyone's aligned, the customer is king, the experience is seamless. But in real life... let's just say things are often a bit more nuanced, right?

We come across many UX teams who are brilliant at execution: they whip up dazzling mockups, fluid prototypes, Design Systems worthy of a multinational. Hats off to them. But let's be frank, you know that perfect pixels aren't enough to save a product that's sailing without a clear course. You also need to master that notorious "strategic" part: understanding where the company wants (and needs) to go to stay viable (the Business objectives), keeping a curious eye on what the competition is up to, and crucially, translating the user feedback that Customer Success Managers hear every day.

So, before diving headfirst into Figma or code, let's take a little strategic time-out. We dust off the marketing plans (yes, even the slightly dated ones), the sales forecasts (more or less optimistic), the positioning studies... in short, we try to make sense of the information overload. The goal? To land on a vision, objectives, and a plan (that actually lasts longer than two weeks).

Alright, let's break down the 3 essential components of this famous UX Strategy, drawing inspiration from the work of the Norman Nielsen Group:

1. The Vision
2. Objectives and Indicators
3. The Plan

1. Product Vision

Before mobilizing teams and budgets for your SaaS, stop. Take a breath. And ask the slightly awkward question: what is our vision? Not the kind of ethereal vision proudly displayed on the website, but a (truly) clear direction that provides meaning and, ideally, a bit of drive. It's the compass. Without it, you risk the "a feature here, a feature there" syndrome, and the result often looks like a somewhat shaky patchwork.

This vision doesn't just fall out of the sky (unfortunately). It needs to be connected to your company's overall mission and strategy (even if those are sometimes... open to interpretation). It must consider your positioning (what you do better, or differently, than others), your values (the real ones, not just the ones on posters), and your DNA. In short, a minimum of coherence, please.

The Norman Nielsen Group suggests this vision can stem from two main sources: either you tackle a really painful problem for a lot of people, or you pamper the very specific needs of a niche. Whichever path you take, the goal remains the same: create a user experience that isn't just "usable," but delivers real added value. Something to justify your end users pulling out their credit cards (or continuing to do so).

Let's put this into practice

Imagine a SaaS that helps SMEs manage their accounting. The vision could be: "Make accounting so simple and transparent that even an overwhelmed entrepreneur can sleep soundly at night." This highlights the user benefit (simplicity, peace of mind) and the target audience.

What does this mean day-to-day? That every design or development decision must pass this test: "Does this *really* simplify our entrepreneur's life? Does it bring clarity?" If an idea, even technically appealing, complicates things, it's gently set aside (or reworked).

So, the vision isn't just a stylistic exercise for a corporate retreat. It's the strategic guardrail that keeps your product from going off in all directions. A clear, shared vision is the best way to align your teams and build a product that people not only use but also appreciate and recommend.

2. Objectives and Indicators

Alright, you have your heading (the vision). Great. Now, how do you know if you're moving forward, backward, or just spinning your wheels while burning through the budget? You need clear objectives and measurement indicators (the famous KPIs, but the *right* ones, not just those that look pretty in reports).

Why bother measuring?

Because "improving the user experience" means nothing on a balance sheet. You need to translate it into tangible objectives ("We want to reduce the time to do X by Y%") and concrete measures ("Our success rate on task Z is..."). It's the only way to know if your UX initiatives are bearing fruit, identify what's working (or not), and justify the resources allocated.

Business alignment: speaking the language of those who sign the checks

Warning, reality check: UX objectives can't just exist in a vacuum. They must be firmly anchored in your company's Business objectives. How do you generate revenue? What makes the leadership team tick (positively or negatively)? Which KPIs *really* matter? Understanding this is vital. When UX demonstrates its impact on retention, acquisition, or operational efficiency, it shifts from "we'll see if we have the budget to make it pretty" to a "strategic growth lever." And that changes everything.

How to do it?

The big strategic goals are often decided "upstairs." But it's up to the UX team (or its leader) to propose the right indicators to measure the achievement of these goals from a user experience perspective (think Churn Rate, NPS, completion rates...). The challenge: choosing metrics that make sense and are actionable.

Example of Objectives and KPIs

Let's go back to our example with the vision: "Simplify accounting for entrepreneurs' peace of mind." How do we measure that? Here are a few ideas, structured with a pinch of the HEART framework:

With clear objectives and measures, you stop navigating by sight. You steer. And you can finally have constructive conversations based on facts, not just opinions.

3. The Action Plan

Vision? Check. Measurable objectives? Check. Now, the moment it gets real: the action plan. How do we move from lofty strategic ideas to tangible achievements in the product? You need a roadmap. Otherwise, objectives remain pipe dreams and teams burn themselves out.

Initiatives and Milestones

Big annual goals are nice for the board, but they don't tell you what to do on Monday morning. You need to break it all down into smaller, more concrete initiatives with clear deadlines (often quarterly). These milestones help pace the work, track progress, and adjust course if you're heading for a wall.

The Art of Planning

Let's be lucid: a plan set in stone is a dead-on-arrival plan. The market shifts, competitors innovate, users discover new needs (or new bugs). So, you need to build in flexibility. But careful, flexibility doesn't mean "we'll just wing it"! Good organization is essential. Tools (Notion, Asana...) to track who does what and when. And above all, don't forget to integrate UX Research continuously. It's the best antidote against developing gorgeous features... that are perfectly useless. Talking to real people avoids many disappointments.

Example Quarterly Plan

Let's revisit our example.

Objective: Simplify transaction categorization (related to the efficiency objective). Plan for Q1:

This type of plan provides structure, clear steps, and integrates user feedback before coding for weeks. It's less glamorous than launching a "killer feature" out of nowhere, but it's often more effective.

Conclusion

There you have it, the three pillars: Vision (the why), Objectives & Indicators (the how-we-know-if-it's-working), Action Plan (the what and when). Mastering these three gives you the means to build a SaaS that makes sense, meets user expectations, and, incidentally, achieves its business goals.

Implementing a real UX strategy isn't just ticking a box "we do UX." It's an ongoing investment to build a solid product, reduce risks, and create a sustainable competitive advantage. Because today, a mediocre user experience just isn't forgivable anymore. The long-term success of your SaaS largely depends on it.