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Introduction
The comparisons shown in the detailed analyses above all focus on estimating the Best Online Experience based on usage parameters as seen from the outside -- just as an actual user would experience the WebSites.

Measurement Basis
The "Best Online Experience" metric is a combination of the maintenance quality of the WebSite versus the responsiveness (navigational access) of individual pages on the WebSite. All of the raw data for this chart, plus all of the 3D-SiteMaps for each site, are shown in the links above. Summary scores for these sites -- re-normalized here for ease of comparison -- is shown in the chart below.

Initial Observations
About three quarters of the sites score in the A or B range, i.e. in the upper half of either the navigation speed score or the relative maintenance score. It is comforting to see so many sites clustered in the upper right of the A range. But at the same time it is somewhat disconcerting to note the overall range.

The scores don't seem to be characterized by company size, by level of WebSite sophistication, or by any evident technical pattern. The differences appear to reflect each organization's care and attention to maximizing the users' experience.

Some Observations
What does all this mean? Studying the above chart carefully, here are some conclusions:

• Budget: Big bucks don't necessarily mean a super WebSite! Gateway and NYFIX are big operations, but their WebSites are both poorly maintained and slow to navigate.

• Technology: Industry savvy about WebSite tricks and techniques doesn't necessarily mean a highly usable WebSite. Note that Wells Fargo has a slow but current site, whereas Dell has a fast but relatively ancient site.

• Size: WebSite size isn't a good indicator of quality. Big WebSites may be more valuable but the don't have as high quality as smaller, happier, higher-scoring WebSites.

• Currency: The metric used emphasizes sites that are update regularly, based on the relative age of pages. This puts a premium on actively generated pages -- the file dates are always today -- but in most cases such sites do have more current data. Obviously, sites that have lots of very old pages are quite static, as if someone quit paying attention to them.

• Usability: Making usability assessments is a complex process. Usability is more than just speed, quality and currency of information, and ease of navigation. Ultimately, you have to consider EVERYTHING.

Next Steps?
How does YOUR WebSite stack up? If you would like to see a comparison like this of YOUR WebSite versus other companies -- perhaps versus your competition -- please let us know. Please use our Comparative Website Analysis Request Form to send us your suggestions.