Establishing Cross-Platform Usability Benchmarks

1. Problem & Context

DIRECTV Stream was undergoing a major user experience modernization effort across its TV platform. Leadership needed to understand how the service’s usability compared to key competitors and whether recent interface updates were improving the customer experience.

The team required an objective, third-party benchmark to:

• Identify relative strengths and weaknesses

• Establish baseline usability metrics

• Prioritize experience improvements

• Measure progress against competitors

I led a vendor-executed competitive benchmark to evaluate cross-platform usability, uncover friction points, and deliver executive-ready insights to guide roadmap decisions.

2. Research Objectives & Key Questions

• How does DIRECTV Stream’s usability compare to key competitors across core viewing tasks?

• Which tasks and flows drive the greatest friction for users? Why?

• Have recent interface updates improved usability performance?

• What experience gaps represent opportunities for differentiation?

3. Method & Rationale

We conducted a moderated competitive usability benchmark to capture both behavioral performance and attitudinal perception across services.

Moderated sessions allowed deeper probing into observed friction, while standardized usability metrics enabled objective cross-platform comparison. Partnering with an external research vendor ensured methodological rigor and neutral benchmarking.

4. Execution & Logistics

• Participants completed standardized content discovery and playback tasks across four streaming services

• Applied consistent task flows to enable direct cross-service comparison

• Measured task success, time-on-task, Single Ease Question (SEQ), System Usability Scale (SUS), satisfaction, and NPS

• Captured moderated think-aloud feedback and observational notes

• Managed external vendor across recruitment, moderation, analysis, and reporting

• Aligned study design and reporting with internal stakeholder priorities

5. Synthesis Process

I synthesized vendor-delivered quantitative metrics, task-level performance data, and moderated session insights into an executive readout highlighting competitive positioning, priority friction points, and experience opportunities.

Findings were translated into prioritized recommendations to inform product planning and design investment decisions.

Competitive Task Flow Comparison