One thing to keep in mind is that how tests are set up can have a significant impact in how the results are interpreted.
Let's say we have two shooters with exactly identical skills who will compete to provide us data points.
Scenario 1.
The two shooters will compete on a complicated stage with 10 paper targets requiring 2 shots each, 5 falling steel targets and one Texas Star. 3 mandatory reloads are required and the shooter must traverse a distance of 25 yards in the course of shooting the stage.
One will start from Condition 3 in the holster and the other will start from Condition 1.
After both shooters have sent about 35-45 rounds downrange and the scoring is over, we find they both shot identical splits and had identical hits. Our condition 1 shooter managed to shoot the stage in 25.3 seconds with 3 more seconds added for penalties for a total score of 28.3. Our condition 3 shooter was 0.5 seconds slower getting his gun into action initially but everything else was the same--resulting in a total score of 28.8.
So the difference is that the Condition 3 shooter took just a hair under 2% longer to complete the stage.
Scenario 2
The two shooters will draw and fire 3 shots on a single target 3 yards away.
After both shooters have performed, the Condition 1 shooter manages the feat in 2 seconds. The Condition 3 shooter is, once again, 0.5 seconds slower due to the extra manipulation required for a score of 2.5 seconds.
Now the difference is that the Condition 3 shooter took 25% longer to accomplish the required task.
Scenario 3
The two shooters will draw and fire a single shot on a single target 3 yards away.
Our Condition 1 shooter manages to accomplish this in 1.5 seconds, the Condition 3 shooter takes half a second longer--just as in the previous 2 tests.
Now the difference is that the Condition 3 shooter took 33% longer to complete the task.
Thoughts
Which of those three scenarios actually tells us the most about the difference in the two techniques? The one where the test results only include the time from the timer to the first shot on target, or the one where there are another 40 shots or so, movement and reloads after the first shot is fired?
When designing a test to determine the differences in two approaches, the goal should be to keep the test as simple as possible so ONLY the differences in the two approaches are being measured. Adding in a lot of other factors having nothing to do with the issue actually being explored dilutes the results and can make incorrect conclusions much more likely.
More to think about...
Scenario 4
At the timer, the shooter grabs a prone 150lb dummy that simulates an injured family member, and while dragging the dummy to cover, must draw and engage a single target at 10 yards with a single shot.
Scenario 5
The shooter must keep one arm raised above his head during the exercise to simulate shielding the head against downward blows from a contact weapon. At the timer, the shooter must draw and engage a single target at contact distance.
Determining the likely results of these last two scenarios are left as thought experiments for the reader.