The question almost never comes up anymore: why optimize performance? It’s rarely asked because there’s an abundance of data proving that optimization has an impact on crucial metrics like conversion rate and engagement. We’ve published a number of ebooks, blog posts, and articles on the topic, and many tech publications and thought leaders have done the same.

So we know the why, but what about the what? It’s harder than you might assume to describe what it is that we’re chasing after when we optimize the web. Is it the fastest page load time possible? Is it a “great” experience (whatever that means)? Is it any experience that engages the user? There’s just no universal goal that the industry aligns on.

Undaunted, we sought to find that magic idea that encapsulates what we are attempting to achieve. Eventually, we hit upon a single word: enlightened. It calls to mind an advanced state – a complete understanding of the issues at hand. Fittingly, one dictionary definition of the term is “having or showing a good understanding of how people should be treated.” We think this is apt considering much of what we do is focused on the user, and how she perceives her experience, rather than on technical benchmarks. We want all online experiences to be enlightened.

To explore this concept of online enlightenment, we created an infographic with three “tenets” to follow in order to achieve it, plus foundational technologies needed to start the process. Let us know: what’s a good indicator of an enlightened experience, to you? (Click the image to view larger).

Want to see whether your app is enlightened already? Or how do you compare to others? Our Customer Experience Index (CEXi) incorporates all aspects of an enlightened experience into a single score. Click here to contact us and get your full report, including benchmarks and custom analysis.

Sources:

• Google Makes Strides in Tracking Cross-Device Conversions
• The Business Value of Web Performance
• Mobile Web Stress: The Impact of network speed on emotional engagement and brand perception [REPORT]

Want to see whether your app is enlightened already? Or how do you compare to others? Our Customer Experience Index (CEXi) incorporates all aspects of an enlightened experience into a single score. Click here to contact us and get your full report, including benchmarks and custom analysis.