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#UXPA2015
Lyle Kantrovich
@Lkantrov
June 24, 2015
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS:
Strategic UX Spy Games
#UXPA2015
The UX of Wrenches
Consider the UX of a wrench.
What would usability testing find?
Heuristic evaluation?
Contextual Inquiry?
Focus groups?
Surveys?
#UXPA2015
The UX of Wrenches
Consider re-designing a wrench.
What would you change?
#UXPA2015
The Wrench Competition
Consider analyzing the competition of your wrench.
• Combination wrenches
• Torque wrenches
• Impact wrenches
• Strap wrenches
• Pliers
• Vise grips
• Nut drivers
#UXPA2015
The UX of Wrenches
Consider re-designing a wrench. What would you change?
• Materials
• Size
• Range of use
• Adjustability
• Precision
• Comfort
• Ergonomics
• Speed
• Strength
• Durability
• Cleanability
• Rust resistance
• Visual appeal
• Leverage
Competitive Analysis quickly deepens our
understanding of a problem space and the
range of design options.
#UXPA2015
NO OTHER UX METHOD
DELIVERS MORE VARIED
DESIGN IDEAS FASTER
UX Competitive Analysis expands our thinking.
#UXPA2015
Scenario: Health Insurance
“Find a Doctor” = Top task / feature for web users
Usability Test Results Design by Committee Complicated UI
Request: “Make it better.”
#UXPA2015
835 Health Insurers in the U.S.
#UXPA2015
Why start from scratch?
#UXPA2015
Comparison of design details: search filters
#UXPA2015
Task / Screen Flow Comparison
Site A: The Massive Search Form Approach
Site B: Fast Results with Filters
#UXPA2015
UX Competitive Analysis Approach – Find a Doctor
• Review other design approaches in “the wild”
• Look for patterns
– Flows
– Form patterns
– Result patterns
• Feature comparisons (e.g., “accepting new patients”)
• Discuss patterns within team & decide on options to explore
• Mock up prototypes of alternatives
• Decide on options to usability test
• Test & refine
• Launch new design
Final design was unique from,
but inspired by “best of breed”
#UXPA2015
UX COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
TURNS COMPETITORS’
DESIGNS INTO PROTOTYPES
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
#UXPA2015
UX Innovation comes from ideas
• Competitors = easy source of ideas
– Shift team’s effort from generating ideas to evaluating ideas
– CA can super-charge your ideas – leapfrog & hybrid
– Find good fixes to easier problems faster…focus on harder problems
that need novel solutions
• Understand user expectations
– Mental models
– Labels / terminology
– Inform research plans
Design innovation comes from design ideas.
#UXPA2015
Usability testing: more than just watching users use your design
Both involve skill and technique
UX Competitive Analysis:
More than just “checking out
the competition”
#UXPA2015
Competitive Analysis is…
The comparison of other offerings in the
marketplace as a source of ideas and insights.
UX Competitive Analysis can provide input to…
• Strategy
• Product roadmaps
• Research
• Content strategy
• Technology
• Metrics
• Design
• Information architecture
• Branding
• Pricing
• Positioning
• Messaging
#UXPA2015
How to do a UX competitive analysis
1. Decide on scope of comparison
2. Identify competitors / comparators
3. Research & Review
4. Report Key Insights
#UXPA2015
• Niche feature only
(e.g. Search, Live Chat)
• Product or service
(e.g. Online Invoicing application)
• “Enterprise” experience / solutions
1. Decide on scope of
comparison
#UXPA2015
1. Scope of Comparison
• Based on a specific organization or team’s need
• Strategic
– Should we build our own or integrate with existing solutions?
– Should we improve our core offering or add new supporting products?
– Are new start-up offerings a threat to our market share?
• Tactical
– How could we improve feature X to reduce customer confusion and
support calls?
– What are new ways for presenting product information in responsive
designs on small screens?
• UX Competitive Analysis needs to be focused to get value –
like any other UX method
#UXPA2015
• Limit to 3-6
• More breadth = Less depth
• Get stakeholder input & approval
2. Identify competitors &
comparators
#UXPA2015
2. Identify competitors & comparators
• Direct competitors are working with similar users & challenges
• No competitors or “fastest tortoise”
– What products set user expectations?
– What companies / products do you
aspire to be more like?
– What companies are working on
similar issues in another context?
• Avoid the Google / Amazon / Apple pitfall (GAAP)
• Get stakeholder input if you want them to value your output
• Market maturity impacts comparator options
– Industry maturity
– UX maturity in industry
#UXPA2015
• Competitor UX Overview
• Site / App Organization & Navigation
• Content / Functionality
• Branding & Design
3. Research & review
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review: profile = design context
Comparator Profile: Goldman Sachs
Headquarters New York, NY
Site URL http://www.goldmansachs.com
# of Employees 32,400
Sector / Industry
Financial Services
Investment Banking
Currency, Commodity & Futures Trading
Fixed-Income Trading
Notes #68 in Fortune 500
#103 in FT Global 500
Focus: Thought Leadership
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review: branding & visual design
Colors:
• White
• Blue
• Black
• Gray
Photos:
• Many photos
• Often feature people
• Experts
Notes:
• “Boxy”
• Lots of gradients
• Strong font usage
• Confusing secondary
navigation within
sections
• Inconsistent link colors
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review: Content & Information Architecture
Goldman Sachs Site IA:
4 Main Sections:
• Who We Are
• What We Do
• Our Thinking
• Citizenship
Additional Sections / Features
• Careers
• Investor Relations
• Media Relations
• Worldwide
• Lots of videos
• Search
Focus: Thought Leadership
Impacted: Visual Design, Content Strategy, IA, Content Style Guide
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review
Site A: The Massive Search Form Approach
Site B: Fast Results with Filters
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review
Matrices: great for high-level comparisons
Corporate site comparison within an industry – focus on content / features
Timing: Strategy development, pre-redesign
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review
Matrices: great for high-level comparisons
Corporate on-site search feature comparison
#UXPA2015
3. Research & review
• Combine UX methods with Competitive Analysis
– Comparative Usability Testing
– Comparative Expert Reviews
– Surveys
– Task Analysis
– Journey Mapping
• Data Sources
– Online reviews
– Product history (e.g. Wayback Machine)
– Annual reports
– Hoovers.com
– Sales & Marketing materials
– Patent applications
– Press releases
#UXPA2015
• Deliverables communicate value
• Keep it relevant
• Sometimes there is no “eureka!”
4. Report key insights
#UXPA2015
‘Isn’t it a shame that with
the tremendous amount of
work you have done you
haven’t been able to get any
results?’
- Walter S. Mallory
#UXPA2015
‘Results! Why, man,
I have gotten a lot of results!
I know several thousand
things that won’t work.’
- Thomas Edison
#UXPA2015
4. Reporting insights: Structure
• If few, highly related comparisons…
– Presentation with “profile” of each competitor
– Demographics (size, location, etc.)
– Screenshots
– Opportunities & threats
– Recent changes / developments
• If aspirational comparisons…
– Look for UX themes, values, opportunities
• If feature or low-level design specific comparisons…
– Identify design patterns to test or implement
– Source is less important than the idea
#UXPA2015
4. Reporting insights: Patterns
Multi-National Enterprise Approaches to Globalization/Localization
Globalized Model Users select a language to view content. All company products are accessible through one site. Used by companies with global business but no global location presence (e.g. online retailers)
Localized Model Users select a country before viewing content. Content is tailored for local markets; products are accessed via local sites. Used by companies with key regional market differences or marketing needs (e.g. trend-based or youth retailers).
Hybrid Model Users select a language to view global content and a country to visit local sites and content. Content that applies to all businesses lives at global level (e.g. About Us). Used by companies with both global and regional products or marketing needs.
#UXPA2015
4. Reporting Insights
• Avoid Scorecards
– Insights = ideas, not numbers
– Scorecard numbers punish or reward
– Focus on generating discussion about design, not validating or
disproving existing thinking
– Even market leaders can improve – find the opportunities
• Be a UX leader
– Competitor hiring UX talent?
– Competitor following your company’s lead?
– Start-up hammering on your product’s weaknesses?
#UXPA2015
A few words of caution
• Respect patents and copyrights
– You want inspiration, not infringement
– Ignoring competition doesn’t prevent infringement – be informed
• Be prepared to deal with egos
– Not Invented Here Syndrome
– Gold Star Seekers
– Good ideas can come from bad products/companies
#UXPA2015
Unique Value of Competitive Analysis to UX
• Different focus than testing & expert reviews
– More generative than evaluative
• When new to an industry/product, a great way to learn a lot
quickly
– Industry
– Jargon
– Positioning of many companies / products
– Users / customers
#UXPA2015
Competitive Analysis: Another Great Tool for UXers
Consider your next re-design opportunity.
Questions?