AI Skill Report Card
Auditing Design Benchmarks
YAML--- name: auditing-design-benchmarks description: Audits competitor websites using BENCHMARK-AUDIT framework to establish design standards and identify differentiation opportunities. Use when starting brand design projects or conducting competitive analysis. ---
Auditing Design Benchmarks
Quick Start14 / 15
COMPETITOR AUDIT SCORECARD
Company: [Name] | URL: [URL] | Date: [Date]
UX Quality: __/10 Visual Design: __/10 Performance: __/10
SEO: __/10 Content Strategy: __/10 TOTAL: __/50
Key Patterns Found:
- Navigation:
- CTA style:
- Layout grid:
Differentiation Gap:
- Missing feature users want:
- Underserved audience:
- Visual opportunity:
Recommendation▾
Add specific input/output examples showing the actual scorecard filled out with real numbers and specific findings
Workflow15 / 15
Phase 1: Setup
- Select 3 direct competitors + 1 industry leader
- Create scoring spreadsheet with 5 criteria (1-10 scale each)
- Set audit date for quarterly tracking
Phase 2: Scoring Matrix
- UX Quality: Navigation clarity, user flow logic, mobile responsiveness
- Visual Design: Typography hierarchy, color harmony, visual consistency
- Performance: Load speed, technical SEO, accessibility
- SEO: Meta optimization, content structure, local/technical SEO
- Content Strategy: Messaging clarity, value proposition, content depth
Phase 3: Pattern Mining
- Screenshot key pages (homepage, product, about, contact)
- Document shared interaction patterns (navigation styles, button treatments, form designs)
- Note top performer commonalities
Phase 4: Gap Analysis
- Identify what ALL competitors are missing
- Research user reviews/complaints about category leaders
- Flag visual/functional differentiation opportunities
Phase 5: Visual Vocabulary
- Extract color palettes (dominant + accent colors)
- Document typography trends (serif vs sans, weight preferences)
- Analyze imagery styles (photography vs illustration, mood/tone)
- Define "within-norm-but-distinctive" opportunities
Recommendation▾
Include template language for common audit findings (e.g., 'Navigation patterns: 3/4 competitors use hamburger menu on mobile')
Examples16 / 20
Example 1: SaaS Platform Audit Input: 3 project management competitors Output:
- Pattern: All use blue primary colors, left navigation, card-based layouts
- Gap: None offer visual project timeline view
- Opportunity: Warm accent color + timeline-first interface
Example 2: Restaurant Chain Audit Input: Fast-casual competitors in local market Output:
- Pattern: Hero food imagery, location finders, mobile-first ordering
- Gap: No allergen-first filtering, limited customization preview
- Opportunity: Health-focused color palette + ingredient transparency
Recommendation▾
Provide concrete benchmarks for what constitutes good scores in each category (e.g., 'UX Quality 8+ indicates best-in-class user flow')
Best Practices
- Score consistently: Use same person for all audits to maintain scoring standards
- Focus on user impact: Don't penalize different approaches if they work well
- Document context: Note target audience differences that explain design choices
- Track changes: Quarterly re-audits reveal industry evolution patterns
- Combine quantitative + qualitative: Scores plus written observations
- Test competitor experiences: Actually use their products/services, don't just browse
Common Pitfalls
- Scoring bias: Don't let personal aesthetic preferences skew UX/performance scores
- Analysis paralysis: Audit 3-4 competitors max; more creates overwhelm
- Feature obsession: Differentiation isn't always about adding features
- Trend chasing: Industry norms exist for reasons; understand before breaking them
- Static mindset: Set calendar reminders for quarterly re-audits
- Surface-level analysis: Go beyond homepage; audit full user journeys