Benchmarking can be defined as comparative analysis with respect to competitor best practices and market standards. In the ROI UP Agency Digital Product Department, we use all the data extracted through this benchmarking to understand which environments users are most used to navigating in, and in which they feel most comfortable.
Characteristics of a Benchmarking project
The main aim of a benchmarking project, as we understand it here in the Digital Product Department at ROI UP Agency, is not to copy what it looks like others are doing better, but to build up awareness of the patterns which users are used to, and the expectations they already have. With this knowledge as the basis, it is possible to either adapt to the existing conventions or offer a differential value by deciding not to do this, though assuming the risk that this involves.
Why do Benchmarking with ROI UP Agency?
The conclusions we can extract from benchmarking do not necessarily coincide with the formal results of Heuristic Evaluation (they usually don’t), since market conventions are not based on academic knowledge. For this reason, the main benefit of carrying out a benchmarking project with our agency is that, thanks to our experience and knowledge, we are able to interpret the data and establish a balance between Heuristic Evaluation and benchmarking, which enables us to design and implement a correct usability strategy.
The decision about which metrics to use in each specific case is significant and requires a balance between the needs of the user and the objectives of the business.
