Gerald is the product manager for LaughItUp.com, a website for comedians. Earlier this year, many comments from site feedback complained about poor responsiveness. Working with the site marketing and development teams, Gerald created a plan where the site responsiveness metrics couldn't fall below a certain level. Which plan type is Gerald's plan?

Analysis of Correct Answer(s)

A performance budget is the correct term. This is a concept in web development where a team sets specific, quantifiable limits on metrics that affect site performance. The goal is to ensure that as new features are added or changes are made, the user experience does not degrade past a certain point.

• Gerald’s plan sets a rule that responsiveness metrics cannot fall below a specific level.
• This establishes a "budget" or a maximum limit for performance-related metrics (like load time, number of requests, or page weight) that the development team must stay within.
• It's a proactive strategy to maintain a high-quality user experience, directly matching the definition of a performance budget.

Analysis of Incorrect Options

• A speed threshold: While related, "threshold" often implies a single pass/fail point. A "budget" is a more comprehensive term for a continuous plan that governs multiple metrics and development cycles.
• A performance plan and A speed plan: These options are too generic. A performance budget is a specific type of performance plan, and the question describes the details that define it as such. "Speed" is also less encompassing than "responsiveness," which can include metrics beyond just page load time.