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Defining The Business Value Of Technology
February 7, 2000
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Startup's evaluation process lets testers compare client's site with rivals'
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ompanies redesigning or enhancing their Web sites have a new method for determining how well their time and effort will pay off. Startup Vividence Corp. this week will introduce a testing service that employs Internet users to assess and rate a site and report their findings to the site's owner.Vividence has a stable of 80,000 "testers" who can be tapped to evaluate a business site. The testers are sent a version of the site and a browser that they can use for a limited period. This approach lets Vividence select testers who match the demographics of the site's target audience. Company officials say the service evaluates a site's capabilities and, if desired, compares it with a competitor's site.
The service, which takes about two weeks, starts with experts working with a client to design a testing module. Vividence then assigns about 200 testers who match the target audience. It conducts the test, reports the results, and analyzes the findings to improve site performance.
"This is what lets you sleep well at night," says Dave Lamond, founder and VP of business development for Miadora Inc., an online jewelry store in San Mateo, Calif., that has used Vividence. "We did the test so we could have customer feedback driving our development process. We found we had a lot of weaknesses with our search capabilities. "
The testers, who receive a token payment, test the sites in their homes. This approach should produce better results, says Jonathan Bellack, VP of site development for NextPlanetOver. com, a San Francisco online store for science fiction, animation, toys, and other entertainment products. "We're working on a major redesign right now, based on the lessons that Vividence told us," he says.
The service starts at $20,000 per test, based on requirements. Vividence says customers include AltaVista, Compaq, and Drugstore.com.
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