CUXC: a collaborative user experience curve for evaluating digital technologies over time

Abstract Evaluating long-term user experience (UX) presents methodological challenges, particularly when multiple technologies intersect with complex processes. Retrospective approaches are vulnerable to memory biases and often rely on individual recall. This paper introduces the Collaborative UX Curve (CUXC), a three-phase method designed to address these limitations by combining constructive and value-account recall with cue-dependent anchors, transactive memory, and collaborative cross-cueing. The method was evaluated in a palliative care setting, where three groups of practitioners applied the CUXC across two processes: pain management and psychological well-being. Participants identified technologies through collaborative discussion, plotted individual experiences over a 3-year timeline, and collaboratively reviewed outputs. Across groups, 14 technologies were identified, 92 experiences annotated, and 9 themes generated. The collaborative format enhanced recall, reduced memory biases, and enabled evaluation of multiple technologies within complex processes. The method was efficient, with three groups completing the process in 4.5 hours, producing rich and contextualized data.