Best Practices for Conducting UX Research Competitive Analysis

Philip Burgess
Aug 12
3 min read

Updated: Aug 16

By Philip Burgess - UX Research Leader

In the world of product design, knowing your users is critical—but knowing your competition is equally important. A UX Research Competitive Analysis allows you to evaluate how competing products approach user experience, identify market gaps, and uncover opportunities for differentiation. Done right, it’s a strategic asset that helps your team build smarter, user-centered products.

Below are best practices to ensure your competitive analysis delivers maximum value.

1. Define Your Objectives First

Before diving into competitor sites and apps, get crystal clear on why you’re doing the analysis. Common goals include:

Identifying usability strengths and weaknesses in competing products.
Spotting features that could inspire (or caution) your team.
Understanding market expectations for a specific audience.

Pro Tip: Without clear objectives, you risk producing a laundry list of competitor features instead of actionable insights.

2. Select the Right Competitors

Include a mix of:

Direct Competitors – Target the same audience and solve the same core problem.
Indirect Competitors – Serve a similar audience but solve adjacent problems.
Aspirational Competitors – Not in your space, but known for exceptional UX.

This blend ensures you’re not only benchmarking against industry norms but also learning from standout experiences.

3. Evaluate the Full User Journey

Competitive analysis shouldn’t stop at the homepage. Walk through end-to-end scenarios like a real user:

Onboarding and account creation.
Navigating core features.
Completing key tasks.
Accessing help or support.

Document the flow, friction points, and emotional moments you experience along the way.

4. Use Consistent Evaluation Criteria

Develop a scoring rubric to compare competitors fairly. Criteria might include:

Usability: Ease of navigation, error handling, clarity of calls-to-action.
Accessibility: Compliance with WCAG guidelines, keyboard navigation, color contrast.
Visual Design: Brand consistency, readability, aesthetics.
Content Strategy: Tone of voice, clarity, helpfulness.
Performance: Speed, responsiveness, and cross-device experience.

Having consistent metrics allows for an apples-to-apples comparison.

5. Combine Heuristic Reviews with Real User Feedback

Your expert evaluation is valuable, but it’s even stronger when combined with actual user perspectives.

Conduct usability tests with target users on competitor products.
Observe where users struggle and where they feel delighted.
Compare these findings with your heuristic review to validate insights.

6. Document with Screenshots and Annotations

Screenshots are your storytelling allies. Use them to:

Highlight UX strengths and weaknesses visually.
Show side-by-side comparisons of specific features.
Annotate with callouts explaining why an element works—or doesn’t.

This turns your analysis into a visual reference tool your team can revisit later.

7. Translate Findings into Actionable Opportunities

The most valuable part of a competitive analysis is not what competitors do—it’s what you’ll do differently.

Identify gaps in the market experience.
Highlight areas where you can improve on competitor UX.
Suggest strategic experiments to test new ideas inspired by the research.

8. Keep It Current

Competitive landscapes evolve quickly. Schedule quarterly or bi-annual reviews to keep insights relevant. Even small changes—like new features or redesigned flows—can shift the competitive UX advantage.

Final Thought: A well-executed UX Research Competitive Analysis isn’t about copying what others are doing—it’s about learning from them to create a product that’s not only competitive but truly differentiated in the eyes of your users. When you combine structured evaluation, real user feedback, and a focus on actionable insights, you give your team the clarity to make bold, informed design decisions.