UI Log Analysis for Common Path Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
User interfaces (UIs) are challenging to design effectively due to the variability in user interactions, making it impractical to test all possible sequences of UI inputs, and existing methods fail to capture common user behavior, leading to potential bugs and inefficiencies in UI operation.
Innovation Solution
A method that analyzes UI log records to identify common paths taken by users, generating testing scripts and potentially altering the UI dynamically based on user interaction data to improve usability and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all possible sequences of UI inputs are tested, then UI reliability is improved, but the time and resources required for testing increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by testing only the most frequently occurring user interaction paths rather than all possible sequences. The system analyzes UI log records to identify common paths and generates test scripts only for these prevalent patterns, significantly reducing testing time while maintaining adequate reliability coverage for typical user scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing UI log records, identifying common user paths, and generating test scripts without requiring manual intervention. The automated analysis of user behavior data enables the system to autonomously determine which test cases are most valuable, eliminating the need for exhaustive manual test planning and execution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If user interface variability is accommodated, then user adaptability is improved, but the complexity of capturing and analyzing user behavior increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for path identification from complex UI log records. By focusing on extracting sequence data representing user interaction paths rather than analyzing all details of user behavior, the system accommodates user variability while keeping the analysis complexity manageable through selective data extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-processing and organizing UI log records into structured path representations before analysis. This preliminary structuring of user interaction data simplifies subsequent analysis by transforming complex variable user behaviors into standardized path sequences that can be efficiently processed and compared.
Data Source
AI summary
Determining user behavior using user interface log records. A plurality of log files, generated by an application in response to user interface inputs from a corresponding plurality of users accessing a user interface of the application to accomplish a task, is accessed. Each log file includes a plurality of log records that identify user interface inputs of the corresponding user to user input controls of the user interface. Each respective log file of the plurality of log files is analyzed to identify a path of a plurality of different potential paths taken by the corresponding user from a start user input control to an end user input control to accomplish the task. Information is stored that identifies a common path from the start user input control to the end user input control based on the path taken by the corresponding user for each log file and a common path criterion.