Written by Laura Gibson, Co-founder at Earthmark
At Earthmark, we're committed to continuous improvement, and that includes refining our core offering: the scoring scale that helps our customers make informed decisions. It’s essential that this scale is simple, clear and easy to understand. So, we set out on a mission to test our assumptions and follow a data-driven approach to get to the best solution.
Assumptions: Let’s Challenge Them
Our original scoring scale, developed with industry experts and academics, was designed to simplify complex information. We used the ‘eco-efficiency’ approach which looks at how actions have positive or negative consequences. However, we had one major assumption: that most people would interpret the scale in the way we intended. We needed to answer two key questions: Were people understanding the scale correctly? And were the scores truly aligned to what mattered to them?
Why the Lean Approach?
To tackle these questions, we embraced the Lean Startup methodology, which focuses on validating assumptions through experiments and data-driven decisions. Rather than guessing at changes, we ran customer interviews and surveys to test our assumptions about the scoring scale.
The Experiments: Talking to Customers
We conducted customer interviews to better understand how they interpreted the scoring scale. A key part of this was a comprehension test, where we asked customers to explain the scale in their own words. We also distributed surveys to gather broader feedback and test new, more contextual labels, moving away from the academic terminology we had been using. These insights gave us a clearer picture of whether our assumptions were accurate.
What We Learned: Eye-Opening Insights
Our findings were eye-opening. While some customers understood the scale as intended, others had completely different interpretations. Specifically, numerical scores like “3 out of 5” were viewed inconsistently—some saw it as average, while others saw it as above “ok” but not quite “good.”
When surveying users we presented various options of the scoring scale including the original and some new variants, they preferred one of the new scoring scale labels because it refers to specific stages a company can be at which makes it easier to differentiate between each scoring scale. They also referenced that because the labels are stages in a brands journey it might encourage businesses to do more to increase their score. Comments included things such as
“I like the concept of option 2 more (In reference to the new scale), as it feels easier to relate to and uses straightforward language that's less open to misinterpretation.”
The Update: A More Intuitive Scoring System
At Earthmark, our goal is to arm consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions with the environment top of mind whilst encouraging businesses to realise the potential in taking positive climate action. Therefore, we wanted to ensure the wording on our scoring scale was constructive and encouraging.
We looked at other leading scoring providers to understand how they have simplified their approach, finding common themes across different use cases. For example, Trustpilot for trust, Tripadvisor for popularity and Glassdoor for employer reputation. Simplicity was a common theme. For Earthmark, there is also a balance to be struck with not oversimplifying a topic as complex as climate.
Pairing our research with our customer and user feedback, we decided to make key adjustments: simplifying the language, providing clearer examples, and making the scale more intuitive overall. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, can easily and consistently understand the scores.
Conclusion: Customer-Centric Innovation
By listening to our customers and testing assumptions, we’ve refined our scoring scale.. Ultimately, it’s not just about improving a product—it’s about developing an approach that can be genuinely helpful and contribute to the shift to a more sustainable economy. At Earthmark, we’re proud to use real insights to guide our roadmap.
Let’s Talk!
We’re always excited to chat with users, brands, and potential partners to learn more about their needs. If you’d like to share your thoughts or explore how we can work together, book a time with us today—we’d love to hear from you!
