User-Centric Benchmarking for Mobile Applications
Benchmark testing, a cornerstone of software testing, is essential for optimizing mobile application performance. However, traditional approaches focused solely on technical metrics can miss the mark. To ensure a truly user-centric experience, we need to go beyond basic load times and delve into real user behavior.
In the previous blogs, we have discussed the steps to perform benchmark testing in general. This blog will explore why benchmark testing is necessary for a mobile application and how user-focused script development, advanced benchmark testing tools, and real user monitoring data can be combined to create a holistic approach to mobile application performance optimization.
Why Benchmark Testing is Crucial for Mobile Applications
In today’s fast-paced mobile world, a smooth and responsive application is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Benchmark testing is the key to achieving this. By simulating real-world usage scenarios and measuring performance metrics, we can identify areas for improvement before users encounter frustration.
Imagine a user trying to complete a purchase but experiencing a sluggish app. A study by Portent found that even a one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%. This stark statistic underscores the critical impact of performance on user engagement and, ultimately, business outcomes.
While mobile testing presents its own challenges due to its complicated nature, proactively identifying performance bottlenecks is essential. By optimizing your app for speed, reliability, and a seamless user experience, you can keep users engaged and coming back for more.
Benchmark Testing for Real User Experience
Traditional mobile application benchmark testing often focuses on technical metrics like speed and stability, which are important but incomplete. We need to go further to create a truly user-friendly experience.
User-centric benchmark testing looks beyond basic metrics and considers how users interact with the application at every step. This approach helps identify bottlenecks that hinder user experience, allowing us to optimize mobile applications for real user engagement and satisfaction.
Defining User Journeys and Benchmarks
In the ever-evolving landscape of mobile applications, success hinges on one crucial factor: user experience. But how do we truly understand the user’s journey and translate that understanding into actionable improvements? The answer lies in the powerful combination of user journeys and benchmark testing.
User Personas and Usage Patterns
The first step in this process is creating user personas. These detailed profiles represent different user archetypes who interact with your mobile application. When crafting these personas, consider demographics, goals, and technical savviness. For example, a persona might be a “Tech-Savvy Millennial Shopper” who prioritizes fast loading times, and a seamless checkout process would serve best on e-commerce platforms.
Once you have your personas, delve into their typical mobile application usage patterns. This involves mapping out the steps they take to achieve their goals within the application. Imagine a “Tech-Savvy Millennial Shopper” browsing new arrivals, filtering by category, adding items to their cart, and ultimately checking out. Each of these actions is a touchpoint in their user journey.
Mapping the Journey
By creating user journey maps, we visualize the key touchpoints users encounter during their interaction with the application. These maps act as a visual representation of the entire user journey, from the landing page to the desired outcome. In the context of user-centric benchmark testing, each touchpoint should be carefully examined to pinpoint its significance and potential impact on user experience.
For instance, consider the login screen for the “Tech-Savvy Millennial Shopper.” This touchpoint becomes critical if the login process is cumbersome or slow. Similarly, the product browsing experience demands attention. Is the search function efficient? Do filters allow for easy navigation? Every step along the way presents an opportunity to either delight or frustrate the user.
By mapping these critical touchpoints, we gain a deeper understanding of the user’s experience. This empowers us to identify potential pain points and areas where performance optimization can have the most significant impact.
Setting User-Centric Benchmarks
Now that we understand the user’s journey and its key touchpoints, it’s time to define user-centric performance benchmarks. Benchmarks are reference points used to measure the application’s performance at each touchpoint. By comparing our application’s performance against these benchmarks, we can identify areas for improvement.
However, traditional benchmark testing often focuses solely on technical metrics like page load times or server response times. While these are important, user-centric benchmarks go a step further. They take into account user expectations and industry best practices for each touchpoint.
For example, consider the touchpoint of “creating an account.” A traditional benchmark might focus on the time it takes to complete the registration form. However, a user-centric benchmark would also consider factors like the clarity of the registration process, the ease of navigation, and the overall user experience.
User Journeys and Benchmarks Synergy
The true power lies in the synergy between user journeys and benchmarks. User journeys provide the roadmap, pinpointing the critical touchpoints in a user’s experience. User-centric benchmarks, in turn, act as the measuring stick, allowing us to evaluate the performance at each touchpoint.
This combined approach empowers us to make data-driven decisions about application optimization. We can prioritize improvements based on their potential impact on the user’s journey. For instance, if we identify a bottleneck in the checkout process, we can focus on optimizing that specific area to enhance user satisfaction and increase conversions.
Continuous Journey towards User-centricity
Defining user journeys and user-centric benchmarks is a vital first step in optimizing your mobile application. However, it’s crucial to remember that this is an ongoing process. As user behavior and industry standards evolve, so should your user journeys and benchmark testing.
In this stage, the adoption of BDD can be employed, as it emphasizes building features based on user stories and acceptance criteria, ensuring a constant focus on user needs. By continuously revisiting and refining these elements, you remain laser-focused on user experience. This commitment to user-centricity is the recipe for creating a mobile application that not only attracts but also retains users in the long run.
Benchmark Testing with a User Focus
Script Development
Scripted tests are a cornerstone of benchmark testing. However, generic scripts that simply measure page load times don’t paint the full picture. To capture the user experience, we need to develop scripts that mirror real user behavior during their journeys within the application. This requires a deep understanding of user personas and their goals.
By creating scripts that simulate realistic user interactions, we can gain valuable insights into how our application performs under real-world conditions.
User Personas and Journey
The first step in user-centric benchmark testing is identifying key user personas representing different user segments. Each persona will have specific goals they wish to achieve on the application. We then map out detailed user journeys for each persona. These journeys capture the steps a user takes to complete a task, including login, search bar interactions, product browsing, and checkout.
It’s crucial to consider not just actions but also potential user emotions throughout the journey. For instance, a user searching for a specific product might experience frustration if the search bar is difficult to use or results are irrelevant.
Scripting User Actions
Once user journeys are defined, we translate them into automated test scripts. These scripts should simulate realistic user behavior during each touchpoint in the journey. This might involve:
- Filling out forms with typical user data
- Searching for products using keywords a user might naturally use
- Adding items to a shopping cart and navigating the checkout process
- Simulating interaction with dynamic content like sliders or carousels
By mimicking real user actions, scripts capture a more accurate picture of performance from a user’s perspective.
Tool Selection
Choosing the right tools for user-centric benchmark testing is crucial. While traditional benchmark testing tools focus on metrics like page load time and server response time, these don’t always translate directly to user experience. We need tools that offer more granular insights into the UX.
Traditional benchmark tools focus on speed (e.g., page load time) but miss UX. Modern tools offer user-centric metrics like FID (user interaction delay) and VCP (content rendering time). Studies show that a one-second speed improvement can increase conversions by 7%. These advanced tools provide the insights needed to optimize for user experience.
Additionally, some benchmark testing tools can record user interactions during scripted tests. These recordings provide valuable insights into user behavior that traditional metrics might miss. For example, a recording might reveal a user struggling to find a specific button or getting lost in a confusing navigation layout.
Finally, consider integrating Real User Monitoring (RUM) tools alongside scripted tests. RUM tools collect performance data directly from real users as they interact with the mobile application. This data provides a comprehensive view of mobile application performance from both controlled and real-world scenarios, allowing us to identify issues that scripted tests might miss and prioritize fixes based on their impact on actual users.
Conclusion
Benchmark testing is indispensable for ensuring the performance and reliability of mobile applications, though its strengths and limitations must be acknowledged. By defining user journeys and benchmarks and adopting a user-focused approach to testing, developers can optimize their applications to consistently deliver exceptional experiences. As mobile applications continue to evolve and user expectations rise, benchmark testing remains a cornerstone of successful application development.
