[Sigia-l] Automated User Testing

[Jared M. Spool]

At 10:15 PM 11/15/2005, Listera wrote:
> > Look at it. Google Analytics just analyzes log files...
>
>You mean like this:
>
>Funnel Visualization
><snip>
>
><http://www.google.com/analytics/feature_funnel.html>

The problem with standard analytics tools (Urchin/Google is certainly one 
of those) is that you have no way of controlling the intention of the 
users. You don't know why they are coming to the site, so you can't tell if 
a deviation from the path is something wrong or something that was supposed 
to happen. (Maybe the user should abandon your site because the content is 
wrong for them.)

Google's funnel feature is available in every major player. (Except it 
costs money in most of the others.) It's nothing particularly novel and, 
far too frequently, leads to poor inferences about what's actually 
happening on the site.

Other than that, it's great.

Jared


Jared M. Spool, Founding Principal, User Interface Engineering
4 Lookout Lane, Unit 4d, Middleton, MA 01949
978 777-9123   jspool at uie.com  http://www.uie.com
Blog: http://www.uie.com/brainsparks