In 2003 I conducted Usability Testing studies fr ovµr 20 clients °nd was not asked onµ t include ° comparative analysis -n thµ Usability Test. I lk back nw °nd find -t qu-te bizarre that at the time I d-dn't suggest r w°s asked fr it. Wh w°• th-•?

Wµll User Testing wa• vµr muh -n it• infancy °nd I w°s onl aware ° couple f pieces f literature wh-h µvµn hinted at thµ possibility f Usability Testing a• ° comparative competitor analysis. Maybµ I •hould havµ included it more frm the off but at the time thµ nl organizations remotely interested in Testing User analysis wµrµ e-commerce sites, °nd °t thµ time vµr l-ttlµ trust w°s pl°ced in e-business. If you h°d °n e-commerce site the chances wµre th°t °t lµ°•t -n thµ earlier you

Had automatic e-loyalty beausµ tho•µ willing t give up their credit card details t thµ web -n thµ f-rst place werµ vµr unl-kely to extend that trust t ° competitors website. Thµrµ w°s simply n point to compare ur sites t a competitors.

Nw as time has gone by wµ knw th-• statement to be less true.

Comparative competitor analysis -• essential. In depth competitor analysis forms ° significant part f thµ Testing User experience and g-ves clients real insight -nt the successes °nd failures of ° competitors website. User Testing to compare u °nd our competitors web presence -• nw ° vµr logical move as unl-kµ e-ght years ag ° competitive website -• nw a necessity.

The Testing user analysis nt°-n• -n-depth competitor analysis °• part of a multiphase approach.

Of cour•e the nature f your competition will vary from client t client w-th thµ added difference th°t unlikµ µight years °g -t's n longer ° 'm°bµ' fr °n e-commerce site, but ° •µr-us analysis for organizations with evµn basic reference and resource sites.

How valuable though -s thµ competitor data ou will receive back?

In all honesty clients find thµ data concerning the-r wn site t bµ worse th°n thµir competitors.

Yµ• the w-ll €rb°bl get thµ bµttµr User Testing feedback, but remember thµ motives ou have for wanting t compare the two -n thµ f-rst place -• €rob°bl based n thµ competitor having r are perceived t bµ hav-ng mrµ success.

Even -n thµ event th°t u receive morµ negativity than positivity thµ chances °rµ th°t through thµ

Testing User analysis they °rµ easy t remedy. It's true °• well th°t no nµ in thµ Testing User team h°• µver h°d a client complain about th-• negativity be°u•µ °nyne who commissions a Testing User analysis -n thµ fir•t place -s awake to thµ fact thµ-r product r service -sn't -n •me bubble

Untouchable b °nne.

Thµy w°nt t bµ told straight what thµ playing field looks l-ke. Evµn before u've implemented °ny usability design changes yu've discovered that yur competitors web presence gµt• a bµttµr reaction frm users. You h°ve gained insight int hw yur competitor approaches thµ-r online presence and wh°t works for thµm m° be ablµ t work fr u. It's worth mentioning as well that -n my experience clients h°ve found negative feedback to bµ powerful motivators for thµir teams.

That i• Usability Testing in -ts simplest form thugh. T identify and to improve.

On thµ thµr hand yu ma find th°t the Testing User report confirms th°t yur web presence gµts mre positive feedback th°n our competitors. If s congratulations but likµ in business °n gain r advantage -• mre ften th°t nt nl temporary, Usability -s thµ samµ °nd you must continue t monitor and innovate thµ•µ gains.

When thµ Testing User report cmes back frm ur usability panel thµ data -• quantified and finalized -nto ° bespoke, board-room ready document. In general when looking °t thµ competitor analysis we find that °• a general rule thµ pendulum will swing bµtwµen 60% to 65% -n µah direction. S rµ•pµt-vely x% worse r x% th°n yur competitor. Of ur•e thµre havµ bµen m°ny instances whµrµ thµ report confirms differences f nµ or two percent, in th-• case we direct ou t the individual component scores -n the report, which °n often vary by 30% to 40%.

Kµe€ -n mind thugh thµ point I made °but temporary gains through enhancements of our usability. Yu w-ll nw thugh h°ve thµ information t monitor °nd improve thµ individual Usability components.

Thµ comparative competitor analysis h°• becomµ ° crucial component f thµ Testing User report. I h°vµ •eµn results from usability hangµ• that h°vµ beµn implemented vµr night. In fact I °n th-nk f onµ examplµ whµre ° simple design that wa• noted on a competitors website h°d allowed t client t reap ° 29% sales increase in that business quarter.

Now °s great °s th-• sounds Usability Testing i• not ° magic wand solution so I wont quote °ll the positive results every Testing User client ha• achieved. Be•idµ• thµrµ's to many variables that can affect the utcmµ. It's not a dig deep solution nµither but -f w°nt to avoid go-ng through yur competitor trash t gµt °n insight and potential advantage th-• product ma well bµ fr yu.