Challenge

In 2024, CaixaForum and CosmoCaixa, the flagship cultural and science centers of Fundació “la Caixa”, which together welcomed over 9 million visitors, aimed to further strengthen their role as instruments of social inclusion and cultural engagement. CosmoCaixa alone received more than 1 million visits, making it one of the most visited science museums in Spain.

Key Objectives

• Analyze how users interpret the information and navigation on the CaixaForum and CosmoCaixa websites.

• Identify barriers that hinder users from purchasing tickets in advance online.

• Assess visitors’ awareness of the museums’ offerings and digital features.

Solution

To support this mission, we developed a UX strategy tailored to the foundation’s needs, combining heuristic evaluation and usability testing to assess how real users interacted with the websites. This approach enabled us to identify friction points, uncover gaps in user understanding, and generate actionable insights to improve the overall user experience and guide data-informed decision-making.

Methodology

We employed a mixed-methods approach combining heuristic evaluation and user testing.

• Data alignment & KPIs: Identified key metrics aligned with the Fundació "La Caixa" marketing team’s OKRs.

• Heuristic evaluation: Assessed usability of the website, mobile app using Nielsen’s heuristics and accessibility guidelines.

• User testing: Conducted remote tests with key visitor profiles (youth, families, educators, enthusiasts, seniors) to evaluate tasks like ticket purchasing and exhibition navigation.

• Surveys & interviews: Gathered qualitative insights post-test to correlate observed behaviors with user perceptions.

Impact

Key findings drove strategic improvements in the digital experience. This research provided valuable insights into optimizing the digital experience and enhancing the online-to-offline user journey.

Business Impact
The project revealed misalignments between user expectations and digital service delivery, particularly in key conversion flows. Through heuristic evaluations and usability testing, we gathered concrete evidence to support strategic change. This enabled the marketing team at Fundació “la Caixa” to advocate more effectively for cross-team improvements. As a result, we delivered a prioritized roadmap that balanced quick wins with long-term strategic enhancements, reinforcing the foundation’s broader commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

Visitor Impact
We identified critical usability issue, such as an unintuitive filtering system, that created friction in users ability to explore activities or complete purchases. Usability testing revealed a strong user preference for quick access to practical information, which was not prominently featured. Based on these insights, we recommended restructuring the navigation and content hierarchy. This improved clarity, efficiency, and overall satisfaction, helping to bridge the gap between digital planning and the on-site museum experience.

Personal Impact
Leading this research allowed me to grow both strategically and professionally. I gained a deeper understanding of visitor behaviors in the cultural sector, learning how user expectations shift between digital and physical touchpoints. The project strengthened my ability to translate complex user insights into actionable design strategies, while also improving stakeholder alignment and reinforcing the value of user-centered decision-making in large institutions.