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Understanding Virtual Users: Connecting Research to Practice

Understanding Virtual Users: Connecting Research to Practice. Lynn Silipigni Connaway Consulting Research Scientist Clifton Snyder Software Engineer October 16, 2004. Transaction Log Analysis. Unobtrusive Takes advantage of technology Macroanalysis – aggregate use data and patterns

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Understanding Virtual Users: Connecting Research to Practice

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  1. Understanding Virtual Users:Connecting Research to Practice Lynn Silipigni Connaway Consulting Research Scientist Clifton Snyder Software Engineer October 16, 2004

  2. Transaction Log Analysis • Unobtrusive • Takes advantage of technology • Macroanalysis – aggregate use data and patterns • Microanalysis – individual search patterns • Incorporate with other data collection methodologies • Identify the behaviors of users of online retrieval systems • Provide data to develop systems and services based on user behavior • Online public access systems • Web logs • Electronic journals • Electronic books

  3. What Can Be Learned from Transaction Log Analysis • What is being accessed • Subject areas • Types of content • Publishers of content • Number of accesses • Items • Screens/pages • Patterns of access • When accessed • Length of use/activity • Movements within the site and the text • System and interface design

  4. Limitations of Transaction Log Analysis • Do not know • Who are the users • Usually cannot associate user demographics with usage patterns • Where they get access to the resources • How they use resources • Why they use resources • Massive amounts of data to manipulate • When systems change, data collected may change • Types of possible analyses dependent upon data collected and stored

  5. netLibrary Site Activity • Unique Users • Tues., 2/26/02 = 3,796 • Wed., 2/26/03 = 8,789 • Thurs., 2/26/04 = 14,350 • Total Sessions • Tues., 2/26/02 = Not Available • Wed., 2/26/03 = 10,874 • Thurs., 2/26/04 = 15,478

  6. Time Per Session (Minutes)

  7. netLibrary Login Times

  8. Books Viewed Per Account

  9. Unique Pages Viewed Per Book

  10. Unique Pages Viewed Per Session

  11. 2/26/2002 Search Types 27,817 Total Searches

  12. 2/26/2003 Search Types 37,136 Total Searches

  13. 2/26/2004 Search Types 43,189 Total Searches

  14. 2/26/2004 Search Types (No Blanks) 29,558 Total Searches

  15. Search Type Comparison

  16. Data Interpretation • Increase • Number of users • Number of sessions • Little difference • Duration of sessions • Books viewed per account • Pages viewed per book • Pages viewed per session • Peak usage times correlate with time most libraries are open and available • Majority of searches are keyword searches

  17. Search Types, Terms, and Items Viewed • Title • Subject • Keyword (default) • Author • Full Text • Top Viewed Items

  18. Comparison : Top 10 searches

  19. Current Research • Identify the whys and hows of information-seeking behavior • College and university users • Online survey • Focus group interviews • Structured field observations • Structured interviews • Library and information science professionals • Individual interviews and focus group interviews • National Advisory Council • Local Advisory Council • Online Survey • OCLC Members Council • OCLC Board of Trustees

  20. Questions and Discussion connawal@oclc.org

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