Programme Design
Part of Loyalty programme onboarding
Measuring whether new members understand how to participate
Check whether new loyalty members understand eligibility, progress and first reward use through tasks, events and support evidence.
Test whether new members can identify an eligible next action, predict when a benefit becomes usable, and complete the action without an avoidable surprise. Sign-ups, message opens and reward-page views show activity; none alone proves a member understood the rules.
Define the task before measuring it
Choose tasks that fit the actual offer. A new member might need to identify a qualifying purchase, find their current status, recognise a material restriction and locate help when an expected result is missing. A programme without points does not need a points-balance task.
Write the expected answer from the approved terms. If the terms, account screen and staff explanation disagree, resolve that inconsistency before interpreting a member’s answer as wrong.
Observe members and count events
Ask intended new members to use the sign-up and first-action journey. Have them explain, in their own words, what qualifies and when they could use a benefit. Observe relevant mobile, store and accessible routes where offered.
Define a small event sequence alongside that observation:
Event / What it can help show
- Measurable invitation shown to an eligible person
- Who had an opportunity to see the offer
- Enrolment started and account created
- Where joining may have stalled
- Next-step guidance viewed
- Whether that guidance was encountered
- Intended action attempted
- Whether the member took a relevant step
- Action completed, failed or prompted help
- What happened under the published rules
Record which events the actual systems capture. An anonymous invitation or in-store conversation may be missing from the data.
Name each rate’s denominator and period: completed first actions divided by all new members answers a different question from completions divided by members who attempted one. A short window can misclassify members whose normal next purchase is months away.
Ask about the rule
A question such as “Which purchases count towards your first reward?” is more specific than “Was this clear?” Ask about returns or unavailable rewards only when they matter to the offer. Record wrong answers and the information members relied on.
A correct multiple-choice answer does not prove that someone can act at checkout. A failed transaction may reflect a system error, stock problem or unclear rule. Compare the member’s explanation with transaction and support records before assigning a cause.
Correct vs Incorrect Understanding of Eligible Purchases
- Correct answer (based on approved terms)
- Identifies qualifying purchase as per programme rules
- Incorrect answer
- Relies on misinterpreted rule, staff explanation or account screen
Revise the confusing step
Group findings by the decision affected: joining, identifying eligible activity, reading progress or using the first reward. Revise the relevant wording or interaction, then observe the task again where practical. Keep the rule version and dates with the findings.
Use observations to investigate confusion and event counts to describe the measured path. Report data gaps and uncertainty. Onboarding comprehension does not, by itself, establish wider programme impact.
