USER BEHAVIOR METRICSIdentifying Patterns and Improving Experiences Across Services

Angie Thorpe | Digital User Experience Librarian | Indiana University Kokomo | atthorpe@iuk.edu

Observations• Uncover users’ needs

→ Influence behaviors

• Identify purpose of resource:• Starting point vs. destination• Informational vs. evaluative

• Different goals, different metrics

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/coolinsights/19483059400/

Action plan

5. Implement a disciplined quality program.

4. Integrate measurement tools.

3. Monitor a select number of key metrics.▪ Key Performance Indicators

2. Connect your objectives with your metrics.

1. Focus on internal.

Source: Moore, D. (2004). Five strategies for creating meaningful performance metrics. Retrieved from http://www.aboutcustomerservice.info/index.php?pg=articles-meaningful-performance-metrics

Select metrics

Website• Source• Entrance page• Page depth• Time of visit• Technology• Exit page

E-Resources• Page depth• Time of visit• Technology• Session duration• Search queries

Key metrics & objectives

Metrics

• Source

• Entrance page

• Page depth

• Time of visit

• Technology

• Session duration

• Search queries

• Exit page

Objectives

• Information literacy• Establish undergrad program• Develop online learning plan

• Remodel library space

• Revise service model• Strategic human resources

planning• Plan for changes in

technology

Key metrics objectives ↦Metrics Objectives

• Information literacy• Establish undergrad program• Develop online learning plan

• Remodel library space

• Revise service model• Strategic human resources

planning• Plan for changes in

technology

• Source

• Entrance page

• Page depth

• Time of visit

• Technology

• Session duration

• Search queries

• Exit page

Applying key metrics to strategic goals

Metrics Objectives

• Information literacy• Establish undergrad program• Develop online learning plan

• Remodel library space

• Revise service model• Strategic human resources

planning• Plan for changes in

technology

• Source

• Entrance page

• Page depth

• Time of visit

• Technology

• Session duration

• Search queries

• Exit page

SPACES

Image credit: https://pixabay.com/en/library-quiet-education-school-979896/

Website: Devices

desktop mobile tablet0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

86.0%

9.8%4.2%

79.5%

17.9%

2.6%

2014 2015

EDS: Devices

desktop mobile tablet0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% 97.4%

2.3% 0.2%

86.0%

9.8%4.2%

79.5%

17.9%

2.6%

2013 2014 2015

Website: Browser

Chrome Internet Explorer

Firefox Safari Edge Other*0%

20%

40%

60%

31.1% 28.5%23.2%

15.6%

0.0% 1.6%

46.4%

22.6%

15.6%12.3%

2.0%1.0%

2014 2015

*Includes but is not limited to: Amazon Silk, Android Browser, IE with Chrome Frame, Maxthon, Opera, and Safari (in-app)

EDS: Browser

Chrome Internet Explorer

Firefox Safari Other*0%

20%

40%

60%

23.7%

41.8%

20.1%

13.9%

0.5%

34.0% 32.5%

18.8%14.1%

0.6%

50.6%

22.3%

12.2% 11.4%

3.5%

2013 2014 2015

*Includes but is not limited to: Amazon Silk, Android Browser, IE with Chrome Frame, Maxthon, Opera, and Safari (in-app)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME

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Website use: Day of week

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

11.7%

19.2% 19.8%

21.5%

13.6%

7.8%6.4%

8.0%

18.0%

20.4% 20.4%

18.1%

9.7%

5.5%

2014 2015

Website use: Time of day

12:00

AM

2:00 A

M

4:00 A

M

6:00 A

M

8:00 A

M

10:00

AM

12:00

PM

2:00 P

M

4:00 P

M

6:00 P

M

8:00 P

M

10:00

PM

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

2014 2015

EDS use: Day of week

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

10.9%

16.0%

20.3% 20.3%

17.1%

8.4%

6.9%

11.7%

19.2% 19.8%

21.5%

13.6%

7.8%6.4%

10.4%

16.7%

19.4%

21.1%

15.4%

10.9%

6.1%

2013 2014 2015

EDS use: Time of day

12:00

AM

2:00 A

M

4:00 A

M

6:00 A

M

8:00 A

M

10:00

AM

12:00

PM

2:00 P

M

4:00 P

M

6:00 P

M

8:00 P

M

10:00

PM

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

2014 2015

BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH

Image credit: https://flic.kr/p/dHoDFr

Website: Starting points

(direc

t)

Google

LibGuid

es

iuk.ed

uBing

Others*

Yahoo

!

one.i

u.edu

iu.ed

u

indian

a.edu

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%

2014 2015*Includes but is not limited to: discovery service, library catalog, link resolver, Facebook, Yellow Pages, and e-resource platforms

Website: Landing pages• Nearly 95% visits start on 3 pages:

• Homepage (90.8%)• Library Hours and Service Desks (2.8%)• Library Support Services (1.0%)

• Library homepage is 2nd most popular landing page on university website• #1 = University homepage

• People are searching for us, too:• “library”• “interlibrary loan”• “hours”

Website: Page depth

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

46.9%

22.5%

11.5%7.3%

3.6% 2.2% 1.2% 1.1%

73.9%

12.7%

5.8%2.5% 1.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

2014 2015

EDS: Page depth

2 6 3 5 7 9 4 8 18 12 10 13 200.0%

0.2%

0.4%

0.6%

0.8%

1.0%

1.2%

1.4%

1.6%

2014 2015

Website: Exits• Around 94% visitors leave library website from only 7

pages:• Homepage (82.3%)• Library Hours & Service Desks (3.6%)• Library Faculty & Staff (2.9%)• Library Resource Tutorials (1.7%)• Library Instruction Guides and Handouts (1.5%)• Ask A Librarian (1.1%)• Library Support Services (1.0%)

• 1 in 5 of these visitors did not begin on library web page

MERGING EXPERIENCES

Image credit: "Mosaicr seagull" by The original uploader was J2thawiki at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mosaicr_seagull.jpg#/media/File:Mosaicr_seagull.jpg

Behavior patterns Advocacy↦• Space

• Collections• Computers• Service desk(s)

• Service Model• Does usage library hours? (Or vice versa?)↦• Communication channels

• Technology• WiFi• Browser compatibility• Mobile devices at circulation (?)

Q&A

Further readingArendt, J., & Wagner, C. (2010). Beyond description: Converting web site usage statistics into concrete site

improvement ideas. Journal of Web Librarianship, 4(1), 37-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19322900903547414

Clifton, B. (2010). Advanced web metrics with Google analytics, 2nd ed. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley.

Cohen, R., & Thorpe, A. (2015). Discovering user behavior: Applying usage statistics to shape frontline services. Serials Librarian, 69(1), 29-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2015.1040194

Fagan, J. C. (2014). The suitability of web analytics key performance indicators in the academic library environment. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(1), 25-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.06.005

Janyk, R. (2014). Augmenting discovery data and analytics to enhance library services. Insights, 27(3), 262-268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1629/2048-7754.166

Marek, K. (2011). Using web analytics in the library. Library Technology Reports, 47(5), 5-54. http://dx.doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/ltr.47n5

Turner, S. J. (2010). Website statistics 2.0: Using Google Analytics to measure library website effectiveness. Technical Services Quarterly, 27(3), 261-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07317131003765910