The Psychology of Speed

(This excerpt is from Lean Websites, by Barbara Bermes. Available in bookstores worldwide and as an ebook.)

Website abandonment: Why do visitors leave? While factors like poor navigation contribute, slow loading speeds are a major culprit. This section explores the psychology behind our perception of website speed and its impact on user experience.

Key Points:

• Website speed perception is subjective and greatly affects user satisfaction. Positive experiences arise when performance surpasses expectations.
• David Maister's service law formula (Satisfaction = Perception – Expectation) applies to web performance. Meeting or exceeding user expectations enhances satisfaction.
• High abandonment rates signal dissatisfaction. Poor performance significantly increases abandonment, especially on e-commerce sites.
• Google's search algorithm considers page speed, giving faster sites a competitive edge.

Defining "Too Slow"

As psychologist Jeremy Dean notes, time feels longer when we're bored or waiting. In our fast-paced world of instant gratification (think Amazon's one-day delivery), patience is thin. Slow websites face immediate competition; a frustrated user is just a click away from a competitor. Perception of speed is highly individual and context-dependent; what's slow to one person might be acceptable to another. Chapter 3 will quantify "too slow" using data.

Maister's First Law of Service

David Maister's service law formula, Satisfaction = Perception – Expectation, provides a framework for understanding user experience regarding website speed. It prompts these key questions:

• Did the content fulfill the user's need?
• What was the user's perceived experience?
• What were the user's expectations?

Satisfaction

A loading bar unexpectedly accelerating from 5% to 95% creates a positive experience (perception exceeding expectation). Conversely, slower-than-expected loading leads to dissatisfaction. User satisfaction hinges on exceeding expectations.

Perception

Website speed perception is subjective. How fast a user perceives the site, not its actual speed, is crucial. Slowness evokes negative feelings (boredom, frustration), while speed is associated with positive outcomes (reduced frustration). Delivering content quickly, or managing delays with progress indicators, is vital.

The Houston airport anecdote perfectly illustrates this: extending the walk to baggage claim didn't change the actual wait time, but it improved the perceived wait time, reducing complaints.

Expectations

Managing user expectations is key. Disney excels at this, providing pessimistic wait time estimates to create positive surprises. For websites, this means keeping users informed of progress (progress bars, loading indicators) to maintain engagement during delays.

Note: Respect

Respect is paramount. Imagine waiting in line only to have the cashier close before you're served. That's a lack of respect. Respectful service significantly improves satisfaction.

Abandonment Rate: The Ultimate Feedback

Website abandonment mirrors real-world scenarios: long waits lead to giving up. High abandonment rates directly reflect user dissatisfaction. E-commerce sites are particularly vulnerable; slow loading carts drive customers to competitors.

Data underscores the importance of speed:

• Amazon estimates a 1-second slowdown costs $1.6 billion annually.
• Nearly 40% of shoppers abandon sites loading over 3 seconds (Gomez).
• 79% won't return after a negative experience (KissMetrics).
• A 1-second delay reduces page views by 11%, satisfaction by 16%, and conversions by 7% (Aberdeen Group).

Response Time

The following graph illustrates the relationship between response times and user experience:

Figure 1.1. Perceived performance in milliseconds, and how our brain reacts

• <100ms: Instant perception.
• 100-300ms: Slightly perceptible delay.
• <1000ms (1s): Noticeable delay.
• >1s: Mental context switch (user abandons original task).
• >10s: High abandonment rate.

Note: Mental Context Switch

A mental context switch signifies the user's loss of interest in the original goal.

While individual tolerance varies, the data suggests aiming for minimal delays. Ilya Grigorik's "1000ms time to glass" challenge highlights the need for swift content delivery.

Speed Matters: Google Takes Notice

Beyond user satisfaction and cost savings, speed impacts search rankings. Google's algorithm prioritizes page speed (as stated in a 2010 blog post), giving faster sites a search advantage. This is crucial in competitive markets.

Alexa rank, based on page views, indirectly correlates with speed. Research shows a link between high rankings and fast "Start Render Time" (the time the browser begins displaying content), although this only indicates the start of loading, not full interactivity.

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