Leveraging Analytics for Better Software Solutions
In the world of software development, instinct alone is not a reliable guide. While experience, personal preferences, and team discussions have their place, they can easily divert us from what truly matters: the users. At COMMpla, we believe that analytics are the foundation of any meaningful digital decision. Data is not just a supporting tool—it is the lens through which we understand behaviour, identify priorities, and validate assumptions.
When building or evolving an application or website, tracking data gives us clarity on where users are engaging, what features they value most, and which areas may need improvement. It highlights drop-off points, user flow bottlenecks, and underutilised components that may otherwise go unnoticed. These insights help us stay aligned with real usage patterns, preventing the all-too-common trap of building for ourselves rather than our audience.
At COMMpla, we primarily use Google Analytics as our core tracking platform. It offers robust and scalable insights, especially for public-facing websites and larger digital ecosystems. For projects that require full control over data privacy or where clients request on-premise tracking, we turn to Matomo, a powerful open-source alternative that puts data ownership in the hands of the organisation. Both platforms allow us to monitor anonymised interactions, generate behavioural heatmaps, measure conversions, and create custom dashboards tailored to product needs.
It’s important to note that tracking is only activated for users who provide consent via cookie banners, in line with GDPR and other data protection regulations. Even so, the anonymised, non-invasive nature of this tracking provides enough aggregated data to guide key decisions. These cookies do not profile users or store personal information. Instead, they give us a high-level overview of which areas of a product are working, and which are not.
Yet even the best data must be interpreted with care. Numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. That’s why at COMMpla we combine analytics with structured decision-making methodologies, such as Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique. This model enables our Product Managers and development teams to evaluate ideas and issues from multiple angles, ensuring a more balanced and holistic perspective.
The Six Hats approach consists of:
- White Hat – Focuses on facts, data, and information: what we know and what we need to know.
- Red Hat – Allows for emotional insight and gut feeling: what our instinct tells us.
- Black Hat – Brings caution and critical thinking: what might go wrong.
- Yellow Hat – Encourages optimism and positive thinking: the potential benefits.
- Green Hat – Sparks creative exploration and out-of-the-box thinking.
- Blue Hat – Manages the thinking process itself: guiding structure and next steps.
By actively applying this technique, we ensure our discussions around product development don’t get stuck in echo chambers nor are dominated by a single perspective. Instead, we foster a culture of exploration, critical analysis, and user-focused thinking.
Ultimately, leveraging analytics is not just about tracking clicks—it’s about listening to user behaviour and translating those insights into better software solutions. When combined with thoughtful analysis and collaborative frameworks, data becomes more than just numbers; it becomes direction. At COMMpla, this is how we stay on track, avoid assumptions, and deliver tools that truly serve their purpose.
Curious about how data could transform your digital product?