Over the last few weeks we have been investigating speed at Apture. I’ve been most curious in the effects of speed when a user browses the web or interacts with applications. Today I wanted to focus on a few applications and sites I’ve noticed where speed makes me not only use the product more but really wonder how they did it.

1. Quora.com
Quora.com has the single fastest search engine I’ve ever seen. The way it recommends data in real time to me is astounding. I found myself typing random phrases into its system just to see it keep recommending topics. Let’s take a look at it.

Apture CEO Tristan Harris recently inquired on Quora’s site how they got the search engine so quick and accurate. Their response from Adam D’Angelo, Quora Founder “It’s a service written in C++ designed to be fast and designed for prefix matching. Normally autocomplete interfaces on websites are backed by database queries, or by search engines like Sphinx or Lucene that weren’t originally designed for prefix matching or designed for speed, which makes them slower. There’s a lot more that goes into the autocomplete results than just the query to our backend service though”

This type of speed and presentation makes the service feel so game like. It can not be understated how important it is.

2. MyTown (iPhone Application)
MyTown is an iPhone game with over 500,000 users. It is designed by ex-Blizzard employees and centers around Checking into venues ala foursquare or gowalla, but with a twist. You can buy the properties you often check into and get rewarded money and powerups as your level up and people check into your owned properties.

What made me fall in love with this app besides it being game like was the speed at which you could navigate the UI and quickly check into places. My friend Kirk recently completed the game over the last 3 days due to addictability, but without the speed at which he was able to navigate he wouldve given up.  With simple finger swipes you can navigate through properties, results for local business’ load quickly and the experience feels seamless.  The game has gotten so popular even TechCrunch covered it recently touting that Booyah’s game has received 31 million checkins to business’.  Amazing.

3.  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 recently topped $1 billion in sales equaling over 15 million copies.  Astounding.  What blows me away the most about this game from the fun combat, clever leveling system is the speed at which you can get into a game.  I dont just mean how fast from the title screen till when you are in the battlefield, but the speed at which the game boots up on my PlayStation 3.  I’ve never seen a game of this caliber with such speed from boot to playing.

Whats really impressed me is mind share wise I find myself when having a free 10 minutes convincing myself that I can get a game in because I know how fast the game boots and is ready for me.  This has lead me to put in over 40+ hours on this game since getting it in November.

Speed is imperative to consumer success.  Just ask Google.  In tests they conducted reducing the average search results by .400 ms caused a drop in searches of .6%.  You spread that number out of over time and it can matter. Speed changes how people think of your product.  Make sure you are quick.