Web Site Functionality Attention Directing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing e-commerce systems fail to effectively direct user attention to underutilized functionality on websites, despite monitoring user interactions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses monitored user interactions to identify underutilized website functionality and employs visual and audio cues, such as modified graphical user interface elements, banners, and email notifications, to draw user attention to these features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If user interaction monitoring is implemented to identify underutilized functionality, then user awareness of available features can be improved, but system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of user interaction patterns to identify underutilized functionality before actively directing user attention. By pre-processing interaction data and maintaining a database of usage patterns, the system prepares attention-directing cues in advance rather than analyzing interactions in real-time, thereby reducing computational complexity during user sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary attention-directing mechanism that sits between the user interaction monitoring system and the user interface. This intermediary layer processes raw interaction data, identifies patterns, and generates appropriate attention cues (such as visual highlights or notifications), thereby decoupling the complexity of analysis from the user-facing interface and managing system complexity.
2Productivity
If attention-directing cues are provided to highlight underutilized functionality, then user engagement with features can be improved, but information overload and user distraction may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies attention-directing cues locally and selectively only to specific underutilized functionality elements rather than broadly across the entire interface. By analyzing user interaction patterns to identify precisely which features are underutilized, the system targets attention cues only at those specific locations, avoiding general information overload and minimizing user distraction while maintaining engagement with relevant features.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a balanced approach by providing partial attention-directing action rather than continuous or excessive cues. The system monitors the frequency and intensity of attention cues to ensure they are sufficient to draw user attention to underutilized features but not so excessive as to create distraction or annoyance, optimizing the balance between engagement and user experience.
Data Source
AI summary
A system determines if functionality offered via a Web site is being underutilizing by a user, e.g., not being using at all or not being using with some desired degree of regularity. When it is determined that the functionality offered via the Web site is being underutilized by the user, the system provides an email to the user to direct the attention of the user to this functionality of the Web site.