Users want Quality of Outcome (QoO)

In a recent study, we evaluated the performance of home networks using a new network quality metric called Quality of Outcome (QoO). Unlike traditional methods that emphasise speed or bandwidth, QoO focuses on what really matters to users – their actual experience with applications like video conferencing, gaming, and streaming. By gathering feedback from participants, we gained some fascinating insights into how users perceive their network quality.

Why I believe in Quality of Outcome (QoO)

For a long time, network performance has been evaluated using technical metrics that, while important, don’t always make sense to the average person. There is a gap between what users experience and what the numbers show. That’s why QoO excites me – it bridges that gap by giving people a clearer understanding of their network’s behaviour, capturing what matters to them.

In our study, QoO took into account latency distributions and packet loss measured on the WiFi and Access links separately. We then calculated QoO scores for each of the users connected devices and for each of the application categories – Gaming, Streaming and Video Conferencing.  We wanted to see whether users would find this approach more relatable than the standard speed tests, and the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.

What users told us about QoO

1. It’s easy to understand
   One of the most gratifying pieces of feedback was how intuitive participants found the QoO framework. QoO has been designed to be user-friendly, focusing on actual outcomes – like whether your video call will drop or if your game will lag. 

2. QoO reflects their real-life experiences
   Users report that the QoO metrics align well with their lived experiences. When network performance dropped – say, during a video conference call or a gaming session – the QoO score dropped too, reflecting that dip in quality. It was really validating to hear participants say that the scores matched both their frustrations and their satisfaction with their network connection.

3. It builds trust
   Trust is a key part of the relationship between users and their internet providers, and one surprising insight from our research was just how much QoO contributed to that trust. Traditionally, users run speed tests when they experience issues, but fewer than 10% of our participants said they found those tests very helpful (55% say somewhat helpful or better). With QoO, users reported feeling that the metrics were more transparent and trustworthy. It’s clear that when people feel they are being given honest, relevant, and independently verified information, their confidence in the service improves dramatically.

I realise these may sound like exaggerated claims, so I’ve included the questionnaire responses below. Take a look for yourself!

Looking ahead: The future of QoO

The feedback we’ve received makes it clear  that QoO  has real potential to change how people understand network quality. By focusing on app-specific outcomes, QoO gives users the information they need to understand their internet quality. A new and better network quality metric opens the door to new offerings that can deliver improved application performance. Moving forward, I’m excited about the possibility of refining and expanding this framework, making it an even more powerful tool for both users and service providers.

In the end, what I took away from this study is that users don’t want to be bombarded with technical jargon or abstract numbers.They want insights presented in a way that is meaningful to them. Based on this user feedback, I think it’s safe to say QoO is a good candidate for providing this information, and I’m proud to be part of this step toward a more quality-centred approach to network performance.