Visitor Task Analysis System for Web Site Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web site log analysis tools fail to provide insights into visitor tasks, as they primarily track common paths without relevance to the tasks the site was designed to support, lacking information on variations, entry, and exit points, which hinders site optimization and visitor goal facilitation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for analyzing defined visitor tasks by examining web site logs to determine task performance, identifying anomalies and trends, and generating recommendations for site modifications to improve task completion efficiency, using computer software with a graphical user-interface for task definition, analysis, and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current web site log analysis tools track common paths, then visitor navigation patterns can be identified, but the paths lack relevance to visitor tasks and provide no insight into task performance variations, entry and exit points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments visitor behavior analysis into task-specific pathways rather than generic navigation paths. It divides the analysis into entry points, task execution steps, and exit points, allowing precise measurement of task performance while maintaining relevant information about visitor goals and behaviors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces task definitions as an intermediary layer between raw log data and analysis results. These task definitions serve as a mediator that connects visitor navigation patterns to business objectives, enabling the system to identify task performance metrics, entry/exit points, and variations without losing task-related information.
2Productivity
If the web site structure is modified to better facilitate visitor tasks, then task completion efficiency improves, but the complexity of analyzing and implementing modifications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that automatically analyze task performance data and provide actionable insights for site modifications. The system continuously monitors task completion rates, identifies bottlenecks, and suggests structural changes, creating a closed-loop system that improves productivity while managing complexity through automated decision-support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of analysis from generic page views to task-specific metrics such as task completion rate, time to complete, entry points, and exit points. This parameter transformation enables focused optimization of task completion efficiency without requiring complex analysis of all possible navigation patterns.
3Loss of information
If detailed tracking of visitor behavior is implemented, then insights into task performance are obtained, but the cost of maintaining the web site and processing data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential task-related information from visitor behavior logs, focusing on entry points, task execution, and exit points. By taking out only the critical data elements needed for task performance analysis rather than processing all visitor interactions, the system reduces data processing costs while maintaining valuable insights into visitor behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of analysis of the performance of defined visitor tasks at a host's web site. Tasks are defined a sequence of web pages with which the host wishes the visitor to view or interact. The method allows a given task to be provided, compares the desired task to current visitor behavior to determine frequency, manner and completion of the task and analyzes the task-related information for anomalies and trends in the completion, or lack thereof, of the desired tasks.