Hunting the Unicorn
summary
Argues that classic metrics like page load time and time to first paint fail to predict user experience and shows tools and evidence instead: WebPageTest and SpeedCurve plus RUM and synthetic checks. Demonstrates case numbers — Pinterest +15% signups, BBC loses ~10% users per extra second, Financial Times +30% engagement at 1.5s — and finds start render best for overall content while hero rendering times and custom metrics best for critical elements. Recommends synthetic+RUM, track 90th percentiles, and build site‑specific measures.
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chapters (4)
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