methodatlas
Method guideUX Research

HEART Framework

A practical method guide: clarify prerequisites and materials, understand the complete process, and look up outputs, pitfalls, and stop criteria.

ComplexityMedium
Time120 min initial, dann laufend
Participants3-6
FormatWorkshop + async
MaturityEstablished
Plan HEART Framework
01

Prerequisite

What needs to be finished first

Complete firstBounded subject

The scope and purpose of HEART Framework are stated as a concrete question.

Without scope, HEART goals-signals-metrics map becomes arbitrary.
Complete firstAccess to relevant perspectives

Product objective and use context, Qualitative UX findings, Available behavioural and survey data and domain decision makers are available.

Without these perspectives, central claims in HEART goals-signals-metrics map remain unsupported.
02

Preparation

What needs to be ready before start

Materials

Product objective and use context, Qualitative UX findings, Available behavioural and survey data, shared workspace, source links, and decision log.

People / roles

Product · UX Research · Analytics · Design · Engineering/data owner

Pre-read

Collect Product objective and use context, Qualitative UX findings, Available behavioural and survey data in advance and mark open assumptions.

Time needed

60–90 minutes initially; quarterly review

Setup

Prepare a Goal-Signal-Metric chain for selected HEART categories visibly and calibrate assessment terms before starting.

03

Core question

The one question this method answers

Which UX goals matter, what behaviour or experience signals progress, and which metric measures it reliably?

04

Flow

Phases with goal, actions, output and pitfall

HEART is not a mandatory set of five metrics. Teams select relevant categories and move from Goal to Signal to Metric. The metric must represent the signal and support a product decision.

HEART goals-signals-metrics map

Fictional worked example

a Goal-Signal-Metric chain for selected HEART categories as a precise working structure with a fictional example.

HEART goals-signals-metrics map
UX goalHEART categoryGoalSignalMetricInterpretation and decision
Complete team reviewSelected UX objectiveTask SuccessTeams complete reviews without facilitator help.Outcome and decision are saved.Reviews with saved outcome ≤30 min / started reviews.Baseline 54%, target +10 pp; abandonment guardrail; test flow if flat.

  1. 1. HEART category

    Complete team review
    Task Success

  2. 2. Goal

    Complete team review
    Teams complete reviews without facilitator help.

  3. 3. Signal

    Complete team review
    Outcome and decision are saved.

  4. 4. Metric

    Complete team review
    Reviews with saved outcome ≤30 min / started reviews.

  5. 5. Interpretation and decision

    Complete team review
    Baseline 54%, target +10 pp; abandonment guardrail; test flow if flat.

The example demonstrates the domain logic of HEART Framework; worksheets remain blank.

Google Research: Measuring the User Experience on a Large Scale

  1. 1

    Select categories

    Select categories

    Goal

    Produce HEART focus so the core question “Which UX goals matter, what behaviour or experience signals progress, and which metric measures it reliably?” can be answered with stronger support.

    Inputs for this step

    • Product objective and use context
    • Qualitative UX findings
    • Available behavioural and survey data

    Actions

    • Select relevant HEART categories from the product objective and user problem.
    • Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in HEART focus.

    Output

    HEART focus

    HEART focus · source · uncertainty · next decision

    Quality check

    Is every selected category relevant to an upcoming product decision?

    Pitfall

    All five categories are selected for completeness despite lacking goals. Restore the missing basis, correct the claim, and repeat the step with visible rationale.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  2. 2

    Goals/signals

    Goals/signals

    Goal

    Produce goal-signal chains so the core question “Which UX goals matter, what behaviour or experience signals progress, and which metric measures it reliably?” can be answered with stronger support.

    Inputs for this step

    • HEART focus
    • Qualitative UX findings
    • Available behavioural and survey data

    Actions

    • State one user-centred goal and observable signals of progress or degradation per category.
    • Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in goal-signal chains.

    Output

    goal-signal chains

    goal-signal chains · source · uncertainty · next decision

    Quality check

    Does the signal describe behaviour or experience rather than already being a metric?

    Pitfall

    An easily available event is retrofitted as the UX goal. Restore the missing basis, correct the claim, and repeat the step with visible rationale.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  3. 3

    Define metrics

    Define metrics

    Goal

    Produce HEART metric contract so the core question “Which UX goals matter, what behaviour or experience signals progress, and which metric measures it reliably?” can be answered with stronger support.

    Inputs for this step

    • goal-signal chains
    • Qualitative UX findings
    • Available behavioural and survey data

    Actions

    • Operationalise the signal with formula, population, window, segment, and data source.
    • Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in HEART metric contract.

    Output

    HEART metric contract

    HEART metric contract · source · uncertainty · next decision

    Quality check

    Does the metric represent the signal with known data quality and bias?

    Pitfall

    An average hides missing responses or opposing user segments. Restore the missing basis, correct the claim, and repeat the step with visible rationale.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

  4. 4

    Review decisions

    Review decisions

    Goal

    Produce UX measurement plan so the core question “Which UX goals matter, what behaviour or experience signals progress, and which metric measures it reliably?” can be answered with stronger support.

    Inputs for this step

    • HEART metric contract
    • Qualitative UX findings
    • Available behavioural and survey data

    Actions

    • Set baseline, target direction, guardrails, and product decision, then review regularly.
    • Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in UX measurement plan.

    Output

    UX measurement plan

    UX measurement plan · source · uncertainty · next decision

    Quality check

    Is the decision triggered by a meaningful change clear?

    Pitfall

    Metrics are reported without agreed threshold, interpretation, or action. Restore the missing basis, correct the claim, and repeat the step with visible rationale.

    Timing: 10–20 minutes

05

Artifact

What comes out at the end

Sketch: what the artifact looks like

HEART Framework · UX-Metriken als GSMHappiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention und Task Success über Goals, Signals und Metrics operationalisieren
HEART FrameworkDas Visual zeigt die HEART-Dimensionen Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention und Task Success als GSM-Tabelle mit Dashboard und Review.UX über fünf Dimensionen messbar machenHEART übersetzt Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention und Task Success in Ziele, Signale und konkrete Metriken.ProduktbereichUX-Frage, Nutzergruppe undMessfenster festlegenHEART GSM-TabelleDimensionGoalSignalMetricHHappinessZufriedenheitCSAT-KommentarCSAT 4,3EEngagementNutzungstiefeaktive Sessions3,8/WocheAAdoptionneue NutzungFirst Use42 %RRetentionWiederkehrW4 Rückkehr56 %TTask SuccessAufgabe gelingtFehlerfrei91 %UX Dashboardnur wenige Metriken jeDimension laufend verfolgenReviewSignale interpretieren, Metrikennicht blind sammelnGoals, Signals, Metrics verbindenUX breit messen,nicht nur Conversionausgewählte Metrikenin Reviews nutzen
Form

Versioned HEART goals-signals-metrics map with date, sources, owners, and next review.

Versioning / ownership

Retain date, source, assumption state, and decision for every version of HEART goals-signals-metrics map.

Tool alternatives
  • HEART goals-signals-metrics map as board or document
  • Source and evidence register
  • Decision and action log

heart-framework-working-template.md

Plan HEART Framework around its domain steps and the concrete decision question.

HEART Framework: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Establish and review the practice Time: 60–90 minutes initially; quarterly review

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

  • Materials: Product objective and use context, Qualitative UX findings, Available behavioural and survey data, shared workspace, source links, and decision log.
  • Roles: Product · UX Research · Analytics · Design · Engineering/data owner
  • Advance information: Collect Product objective and use context, Qualitative UX findings, Available behavioural and survey data in advance and mark open assumptions.
  • Overall time needed: 60–90 minutes initially; quarterly review
  • Setup: Prepare a Goal-Signal-Metric chain for selected HEART categories visibly and calibrate assessment terms before starting.

Prepare for the work steps

Select categories: Select categories

  • Product objective and use context
  • Qualitative UX findings
  • Available behavioural and survey data

Goals/signals: Goals/signals

  • HEART focus
  • Qualitative UX findings
  • Available behavioural and survey data

Define metrics: Define metrics

  • goal-signal chains
  • Qualitative UX findings
  • Available behavioural and survey data

Review decisions: Review decisions

  • HEART metric contract
  • Qualitative UX findings
  • Available behavioural and survey data

HEART goals-signals-metrics map

UX goalHappiness/Engagement/Adoption/Retention/Task SuccessUser-centred objective, not a metricObservable behaviour or experienceFormula · population · window · sourceBaseline · target direction · guardrail · action
Complete team review
  • Complete team review: Selected UX objective

Enter only real input, sources, and decisions.

Google Research: Measuring the User Experience on a Large Scale

Select categories: Select categories

Expected artifact: HEART focus

HEART focus · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

  • Is every selected category relevant to an upcoming product decision?

Goals/signals: Goals/signals

Expected artifact: goal-signal chains

goal-signal chains · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

  • Does the signal describe behaviour or experience rather than already being a metric?

Define metrics: Define metrics

Expected artifact: HEART metric contract

HEART metric contract · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

  • Does the metric represent the signal with known data quality and bias?

Review decisions: Review decisions

Expected artifact: UX measurement plan

UX measurement plan · source · uncertainty · next decision

Entry:

...

  • Is the decision triggered by a meaningful change clear?

Open questions and next steps

...

Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/heart-framework/run-sheet

06

Example output

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example for orientation. Counts and timings describe this case and are not universal requirements.

heart-framework-beispiel.md

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example, Task Success: goal: teams complete reviews without facilitator help. Signal: teams reach an outcome and save decisions. Metric: share of started reviews with a saved outcome within 30 minutes. Happiness goal: confidence; signal: agreement with 'the outcome is traceable'; metric: mean score plus response rate. Guardrail: abandonment rate.

07

Pitfalls

Recognize symptoms and steer against them

Quick overview, the full text is in the matching phase in the flow

  1. Select categoriesAll five categories are selected for completeness despite lacking goals.View in phase
  2. Goals/signalsAn easily available event is retrofitted as the UX goal.View in phase
  3. Define metricsAn average hides missing responses or opposing user segments.View in phase
  4. Review decisionsMetrics are reported without agreed threshold, interpretation, or action.View in phase
08

Stop criteria

When to pause, resolve prerequisites, or choose another approach

HEART goals-signals-metrics map answers the core question with traceable evidence or explicitly marked uncertainty.
Owners, next actions, and review dates are named for open points.

Where to go next?

A paper-based illustration representing OKRs with its core stages and visible working result.
Product Strategy
OKRs

Translates the HEART metrics' baseline and target direction into key results.

Paper illustration of Counter Metrics with its method-specific working model.
Product Strategy
Counter Metrics

Adds guardrail metrics to the chosen HEART metric to catch side effects.

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