Patent Publication Number: US-2004049417-A1

Title: Receiving and reporting page-specific user feedback concerning one or more particular web pages of a website

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is related to:  
     [0002] U.S. application Ser. No. 09/595,337, entitled Method for Incorporating User Reaction Measurement Software into Particular Web Pages of a Website, pending;  
     [0003] U.S. application Ser. No. 09/595,050, entitled System and Method for Reporting to a Website Owner User Reactions to Particular Pages of a Website, pending;  
     [0004] U.S. application Ser. No. 09/595,141, entitled System and Method for Measuring and Reporting User Reactions to Particular Web Pages of a website, pending; and  
     [0005] U.S. application Ser. No. 10/136,919, entitled Measuring a Page-Specific Subjective User Reaction Concerning Each of Multiple Web Pages of a Website, pending. 
    
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] This invention relates in general to communications and more particularly to receiving and reporting page-specific user feedback concerning one or more particular web pages of a website.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] Many website owners desire information concerning usage of their websites. For example, an Internet website owner might use a third party service to track the number of users that visit its website, the number of “clicks” these users collectively perform (using their mouse pointers) while visiting the website, and how long these users stay at the website. Using this objective information, the website owner may determine that its website is not attracting a sufficient number of users or has been ineffective at keeping the interest of users once they arrive. The website owner may respond accordingly to improve its websites and, possibly, the success of its associated business operations.  
       [0008] Previous techniques for obtaining information concerning usage of websites often do not provide website owners with information about how users subjectively react to their websites, making the information of minimal value. Prior techniques that do solicit user feedback do so with respect to transactions carried out using the website, but not with respect to the website itself. These techniques give website owners little if any information concerning feedback from users concerning particular pages of their websites. Moreover, website owners are given little if any information about how users experience their websites as the users navigate through them, moving from page to page according to the topography of the websites. Even techniques that request users to provide feedback concerning transactions may be relatively difficult to use, obtrusive, unstandardized, or otherwise deficient in some manner that causes them to be seldom used and therefore ineffective. The information reported to website owners may also be ineffective due to the format in which it is provided, for example, in reports that are difficult to interpret and do not allow useful comparisons to be made. These and other disadvantages make prior techniques inadequate for many website owners.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] Particular embodiments of the present invention may reduce or eliminate problems and disadvantages associated with previous techniques for receiving and reporting user feedback concerning one or more particular web pages of a website.  
       [0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for receiving page-specific user feedback concerning a particular web page of a website includes using a first icon viewable on the particular web page to solicit one or more page-specific subjective ratings concerning the particular web page as a whole from a user that has accessed the particular web page, using a second icon viewable on the particular web page to solicit one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page from the user, and using software associated with the first and second icons to receive one or more page-specific subjective ratings concerning the particular web page as a whole and one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page from the user for reporting to a website owner. The software requires the user to provide one or more page-specific subjective ratings concerning the particular web page as a whole to provide one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page. Association of the one or more required page-specific subjective ratings concerning the particular web page as a whole with the one or more page-specific open-ended comments makes the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page more meaningful to and useable by the website owner.  
       [0011] In another embodiment, a method for receiving page-specific user feedback concerning a particular web page of a website includes using a comment icon viewable on the particular web page to solicit one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page from a user that has accessed the particular web page and using software associated with the comment icon and executable in a computing environment of the user to receive the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page from the user and to obtain background data for reporting to a website owner along with the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page. The background data facilitates resolution of an issue reflected in the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page received from the user.  
       [0012] In another embodiment, a method for reporting to a website owner one or more appearances of a specified word in one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning one or more particular web pages of a website includes receiving one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning one or more particular web pages of a website from users that have accessed the particular web pages, identifying, in the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the one or more particular web pages of the website, each appearance of the specified word, and generating a report reflecting the identified appearances of the specified word in the one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the one or more particular web pages of the website.  
       [0013] Particular embodiments of the present invention may provide one or more technical advantages. In particular embodiments, user feedback concerning particular pages of a website or an electronic mail (e-mail) message may be measured using software for measuring such feedback that may be readily identifiable (by one or more associated icons), easy to use, and unobtrusive. In particular embodiments, for example, a user need not separately download any software and open a new window in a browser of the user. As a result, valuable information may be readily compiled (including feedback concerning particular pages and other data that may be correlated to such feedback) and the likelihood of users providing such information may be substantially high in comparison with previous techniques. Additionally, software for measuring user feedback may, in particular embodiments, be easily incorporated into existing pages of a website or an e-mail message, which may reduce costs and delays typically associated with rewriting software code for the pages. These and other advantages may contribute to such feedback measurement software (and associated icons) becoming a standard across the entire community of Internet users.  
       [0014] In particular embodiments, one or more comments, answers to explicit questions, and subjective ratings concerning a particular page of a website or an email message may be solicited from a user in any suitable combination. In particular embodiments, different questions may be associated with different web pages across a website including a number of web pages or an e-mail message including a number of pages. In particular embodiments, a user may be encouraged or even required to provide one or more subjective ratings concerning a particular page to provide one or more comments concerning the page. Such page-specific subjective ratings may make such comments more useful to a website owner or e-mail sender. In particular embodiments, background data reflecting one or more details of a computer system of a user, a web session of the user, or both may be obtained from the user in connection with the user providing one or more page-specific comments concerning a particular page. Such data may similarly make such comments more useful to a website owner or e-mail sender.  
       [0015] In particular embodiments, a user may provide one or more comments concerning a page of a website or an e-mail message using a comment window that is generated by a computer system remote from the user and subsequently communicated to a computer system of the user. This may allow a website owner to customize the comment window without modifying the page. In particular embodiments, a website owner or e-mail sender may customize a comment window in a number of ways, which may include specifying one or more explicit questions presented to users in the comment window or making any other suitable customizations. In particular embodiments, a website owner or e-mail sender may test a customized comment window before committing one or more customizations made by the website owner or e-mail sender.  
       [0016] Particular embodiments may enable a website owner or researcher acting on behalf of a website owner to conduct research related to one or more web pages of one or more websites. Particular embodiments may similarly enable law enforcement or regulatory personnel to conduct investigations concerning one or more owners of one or more websites. In particular embodiments, such research or investigations may be conducted without involving the owners of the websites and possibly without such owners even being made aware of such research or investigations.  
       [0017] Particular embodiments may provide reports to a website owner or e-mail sender that reflect a wealth of previously unavailable information concerning particular pages of a website or e-mail message and yet may be readily interpreted to allow useful comparisons among such pages. Moreover, particular embodiments may allows a website owner to access reports reflecting user feedback in much the same way a user might navigate from one page of a website to another page of the website according to the topography of the website. This may give the website owner additional valuable information providing a basis for decisions concerning the website. Particular embodiments may communicate to a particular e-mail address at particular times particular reports reflecting particular pages of a website or e-mail message. This may be useful, for example, where a website owner includes an organization that includes a number of different people having different responsibilities concerning a website. In particular embodiments, reports communicated to a website owner or e-mail sender may be filtered according to suitable filter criteria such that they reflect only particular user feedback, which may help the website owner or e-mail sender focus its attention to addressing particular feedback.  
       [0018] These and other advantages may make the system and method of the present invention well suited for used in modern Internet and other environments in which users access websites, receive e-mail, or both. Certain embodiments may provide all, some, or none of these technical advantages, and certain embodiments may provide one or more other technical advantages which may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0019] To provide a more complete understanding of the present invention and features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0020]FIG. 1 illustrates an example system for measuring and reporting user feedback to particular web pages of a website;  
     [0021]FIG. 2 illustrates an example web page incorporating a user feedback measurement tool;  
     [0022]FIG. 3 illustrates an example web page incorporating a general feedback measurement tool;  
     [0023]FIG. 4 illustrates another example general feedback measurement tool;  
     [0024]FIG. 5 illustrates an example web page incorporating a specific feedback measurement tool;  
     [0025]FIG. 6 illustrates an example combined general feedback measurement tool and specific feedback measurement tool;  
     [0026]FIG. 7 illustrates an example web page for registering a user;  
     [0027]FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate example site level reports;  
     [0028]FIG. 9 illustrates an example page level report;  
     [0029]FIG. 10 illustrates an example method of incorporating a user feedback measurement tool into particular web pages of a website;  
     [0030]FIG. 11 illustrates an example method of measuring a user&#39;s feedback to particular web pages of a website; and  
     [0031]FIG. 12 illustrates an example method of reporting on user feedback to particular web pages of a website.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS  
     [0032]FIG. 1 illustrates an example system  10  for measuring and reporting on user feedback concerning particular web pages associated with a website using one or more feedback measurement tools that are incorporated into and viewable on the pages. As described more fully below, in one embodiment, the feedback measurement tools are standardized across some or all of the web pages, are readily identifiable by users of the pages, and are intuitive, predictable, and easy for the users to use in providing feedback concerning the pages. As a result, these measurement tools provide a number of important technical advantages over previous techniques for measuring user input, which may merely measure and report website usage information or user feedback concerning transactions rather than user feedback on a page by page basis. Such systems are therefore incapable of providing meaningful feedback to website owners regarding the “topography” of their websites; that is, which of possibly numerous pages of a website have been rated particularly successful or unsuccessful in the eyes of users of the website as those users navigate through the pages of the website according their particular needs. The system and method of the present invention address these and other deficiencies.  
     [0033] Although the present invention is described primarily in connection with the measurement and reporting of user feedback concerning one or more particular pages of one or more websites, the present invention may be similarly applied in connection with polling, surveying, product development research, market research, usability testing, business-to-consumer (B2C) commercial transactions, business-to-business (B2B) commercial transactions, or any other suitable activity for which the measurement and reporting of user responses may be desirable. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the application of the present invention to such activities based on these figures, descriptions, and claims.  
     [0034] System  10  includes a website owner  12 , a web server  14 , one or more website users  16 , and a reporting server  18  coupled to one another using network  20 , which may be any suitable local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), a global communications network such as the Internet, or any other suitable network. Although owner  12 , server  14 , users  16 , and server  18  are described as coupled using a single network  20 , the present invention contemplates multiple networks  12  of the same type or different types to couple these components to one another, according to particular needs. Owner  12  and users  16  may each be autonomous computer systems or may receive appropriate input from one or more associated persons. Servers  14  and  18  may including software operating on one or more computer systems  22  and  24 , respectively, at one or more locations. Owner  12 , server  14 , and server  18  may operate on at least one shared computer system. The computer systems associated with owner  12 , user  16 , server  14 , and server  18  include input devices, output devices, processors, memories, and other components suitable for the features and operation described below.  
     [0035] Web server  14  hosts or otherwise supports at least one website  26  including one or more pages  28 . Although pages  28  are described primarily as web pages  28  associated with a typical website  26 , the present invention contemplates measuring and reporting user feedback concerning files, documents, or any other formatted information. Moreover, although a single website  26  for a single owner  12  is described in detail, server  14  may support one or more websites  26  for each of multiple owners  12 . In general, using an associated web browser or other software component, the user  16  provides a uniform resource locator (URL) or other electronic address to establish a connection to server  14  and access a particular page  28  associated with website  26 . Server  14  communicates the requested page  28  to user  16  using network  20 , user  16  receives page  28 , and the user  16  views or otherwise processes page  28  according to the user&#39;s particular needs. User  16  will typically provide one or more additional URLs during a single browser session to access additional pages  28  associated with website  26 , navigating through the topography of website  26  according to particular needs. Multiple users  16  may access a single page  28  substantially simultaneously. The present invention contemplates one or more website users  16  accessing one or more pages  28  of website  26  in any suitable manner during one or more browser sessions.  
     [0036] Each user  16  may have an opinion, assessment, feeling, or other subjective reaction to each page  28  communicated to the user  16 , either in its entirety or more specifically to the format, content, design, or another characteristic associated with page  28 . For example only and not by way of limitation, user  16  may consider a particular page  28  helpful, informative, understandable, humorous, or may otherwise have a positive or favorable reaction to page  28 , generally or with respect to one or more specific aspects of page  28 . Alternatively, for example and without limitation, user  16  may consider a particular page unhelpful, uninformative, confusing, boring, or may otherwise have a negative or unfavorable reaction to page  28 , generally or with respect to one or more specific aspects of page  28 . The strength of this subjective reaction, whether positive or negative, may vary from mild to very strong. Rather than having a positive or negative reaction, user  16  may have a neutral reaction to page  28 . Moreover, the subjective reaction of user  16  to page  28 , generally or as to specific aspects, may be different from the subjective reaction of user  16  to other pages  28  or to website  26  in its entirety. Feedback from a user  16  concerning a page  28  may reflect one or more reactions of user  16  to page  28  and may, where appropriate, include ratings, comments (which may include qualitative statements concerning page  28 ), answers to explicit questions (whether or not the subject of the question is related in some manner to page  28 ), or any other suitable general or specific user feedback concerning page  28 .  
     [0037] According to the present invention, feedback from users  16  concerning one or more particular pages  28  of website  26  are measured and compiled to allow system  10  to provide valuable information to owner  12  concerning the topography of website  26 ; that is, particular pages  28  and specific aspects of those particular pages  28  that have been successful or unsuccessful in the eyes of users  16  as users  16  navigate through pages  28  of the website  26 . In one embodiment, server  14  supports a user feedback measurement tool  30  that is incorporated into pages  28  and may be communicated to user  16  with page  28  in response to user  16  requesting page  28 .  
     [0038] As described below with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6, the tool  30  is preferably incorporated into page  28 , both as a viewable icon and as suitable software components, in a manner that does not conflict with the existing design or coding of page  28 . In a particular embodiment, tool  30  includes software code incorporated into the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), or other software code of page  28 . Tool  30  also includes one or more JAVASCRIPTS, or other suitable scripts, that may be stored in a dedicated or other suitable directory. In the particular embodiment, the software code incorporated into page  28  calls the script in response to the user  16  selecting an icon associated with tool  30  to provide feedback. Tool  30  may be incorporated into one or more pages  28  of website  26 , directly or indirectly such as through a call to a script within a dedicated directory, in any appropriate manner without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In response to user  16  accessing the associated page  28 , the incorporated software code and the directory containing the script are communicated with page  28  to user  16 . Unless otherwise specified or appropriate, a reference to tool  30  is meant to include reference to the viewable icon, the script and its directory, the call to the script incorporated into the code of page  28 , and any other components of tool  30 , singly or in any combination. In one embodiment, the tool  30  continues to execute on the computer system of user  16 , with associated page  28 , until user  16  provides feedback or closes the user&#39;s web browser.  
     [0039] As described more fully below with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6, tool  30  may include a general feedback measurement tool  32  for measuring general feedback from user  16  concerning the associated page  28 , for example only and not by way of limitation, according to a multi-level or another suitable subjective rating scale. Also as described more fully below with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6, instead of or in addition to general feedback measurement tool  32 , tool  30  may include a specific feedback measurement tool  34  for measuring feedback from user  16  concerning one or more selected aspects of page  28 , according to the same or a different subjective rating scale as for tool  32 . For example and without limitation, tool  34  may measure feedback from user  16  concerning the content, design, usability, or any other suitable aspect of page  28 , singly or in any combination. Feedback measured using tool  30 ,  32 , or  34  may include responses to one or more explicit questions posed to user  16  concerning page  28 , concerning one or more visual, audible, or other elements of page  28 , concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated, or concerning any other suitable subject. As described more fully below, tools  30 ,  32 , and  34  may allow a user  16  to provide comments or access additional information concerning the rating scale, tool  30 ,  32 , or  34 , website  26 , owner  12 , or any other appropriate aspect of system  10 . Feedback and related input received from users  16  may be stored temporarily on the computer system of user  16 , within tool  30 , or at another suitable location before being communicated to server  18  for storage within database  36 , which may include one or more data storage locations integral to or separate from computer system  24 .  
     [0040] In one embodiment, feedback measurement tool  30  includes registration module  38  for collecting appropriate demographic or any other suitable information associated with user  16 . Using such demographic information, feedback from user  16  concerning pages  28  may be categorized and analyzed to obtain further information that may be valuable to owner  12  or to others. Not only can demographic information be correlated to user feedback, but the linking between demographic information and user feedback may be used to determine additional information about the correlation between user feedback and other metrics. For example, system  10  or another system may collect website traffic data, along with demographic information requested from website visitors, such that the traffic data may be correlated with the demographic data. System  10  may collect user feedback data, along with demographic information requested from users  16 , such that the user feedback data may be correlated with the demographic data. Since in this example both the website traffic data and the user feedback data are correlated with demographic information, the traffic data and user feedback data may be correlated with one another to provide owner  12  or others with potentially valuable information. It may also be desirable to present the traffic data and user feedback data together in an integrated fashion, with or without the linking demographic information, using a single “dashboard” or other suitable visual display. Any set of two or more metrics may be correlated in an analogous manner, using a common link to demographic or other suitable compiled information, and presented together using a single visual display.  
     [0041] As described more fully below with reference to FIG. 7, the registration module  38  may be implemented using a registration page or pop-up window that is presented to a user  16  at least the first time the user  16  selects tool  30  to provide feedback concerning a page  28  of website  26 . The demographic information received from users  16  is communicated to server  18  for storage in database  40 , which may include one or more data storage locations integral to or separate from database  36  and computer system  24 . This demographic information may be accessible to users  16 , with appropriate password protection, to allow the users  16  to add to, delete, or modify some or all of their associated demographic information, as appropriate. Alternatively, users  16  might communicate appropriate modifications, using e-mail for example, to a person responsible for implementing such modifications. Although a particular registration procedure is described, user  16  may register in any appropriate manner, for example, by facsimile, regular mail, or telephone (possibly using an interactive voice response (IVR) system).  
     [0042] In general, website owner  12  is any entity responsible for at least one aspect associated with website  26 , for example only, financing, creation, editing, approval, review, implementation, administration, or any other suitable aspect associated with website  26 . Owner  12  interacts with servers  14  and  18  as appropriate to set up and administer one or more websites  26  hosted or otherwise supported on server  14 , including incorporating tool  30  into pages  28  and accessing any reporting information on feedback from users  16  concerning pages  28 . Before allowing owner  12  to incorporate tool  30  and the associated software components into pages  28 , server  18  may require that owner  12  provide appropriate identification, billing, and other information; may notify owner  12  that website  26  may be “crawled” to identify and gather data pertaining to pages  28 ; may provide owner  12  with a license agreement or other information concerning services being provided to owner  12 ; and may communicate any other appropriate information with owner  12 . Server  18  may store some or all of the registration and setup information described above in one or more appropriate storage locations (not explicitly shown) according to particular needs. Server  18  may also assign owner  12  an identifier and password for use in accessing reports concerning one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 , as described more fully below. Although server  18  is described as handling the registration of owner  12 , owner  12  may register in any appropriate manner, such as by facsimile, by regular mail, or by telephone (possibly using an interactive voice response (IVR) system).  
     [0043] After appropriate information has been communicated between owner  12  and server  18  and, if desirable, verified in some appropriate manner, owner  12  may use a wizard or other software component to download or otherwise communicate one or more pages  28  (or preferably copies of pages  28 ) of the website  26  from server  14  to the computer system of owner  12 . Pages  28  may be communicated to owner  12  using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or in any other suitable manner, singly or as a group. Owner  12  may specify, for each page  28 , the type of viewable icon the owner  12  wants to appear on page  28 , the color of the icon, or any other suitable characteristic of the icon. In one embodiment, characteristics of the icon may include one or more explicit questions concerning page  28 , concerning one or more visual, audible, or other elements of page  28 , or concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated. Where appropriate, the characteristics of the icon may include any explicit question, whether or not the subject of the question is related in some manner to page  28 .  
     [0044] To specify an icon and its characteristics, as an example only and not by way of limitation, owner  12  might click on the desired icon, which might be one of multiple standard icons, and manipulate its characteristics using pull down menus. Owner  12  might then click on, drag and drop, or otherwise incorporate the desired icon into the local version of the page  28 . The incorporation might instead occur automatically in response to owner  12  specifying characteristics of the icon. The wizard may create a dedicated or other suitable directory containing the script of tool  30  and, in addition, paste or otherwise incorporate a call to the script in the software code of the page  28 . Owner  12  may use the wizard or another software component to upload or otherwise communicate each modified page  28  (incorporating the tool  30 ) back to the server  14 , singly or as a group, to replace corresponding previous page  28  (not incorporating tool  30 ) within website  26 . The process through which owner  12  may incorporate tool  30  in one or more pages  28  provides an important technical advantage of the present invention. In one embodiment, incorporation of tool  30  in pages  28  frees users  16  from needing to download separate software (separate from accessing page  28 ) or open a separate window to provide user feedback using tool  30 , providing another important technical advantage.  
     [0045] Alternatively, server  18  might communicate tool  30  directly to server  14  for automatic incorporation into pages  28 . Less desirably, server  18  might communicate to owner  12  a file containing the software code to be incorporated into the code of pages  28  and also containing the directory with the script to be called when user  16  selects tool  30  to provide feedback. Owner  12  may download from server  14  or otherwise obtain a local version of each page  28 , manually edit each of the pages  28  by pasting in the appropriate software components, and then upload or otherwise communicate modified pages  28  (incorporating tool  30 ) back to server  14 , singly or as a group, to replace previous pages  28  (not incorporating tool  30 ) within website  26 . As another alternative, the tool  30  might be incorporated into page  28  as page  28  is constructed, such as with an entirely new website  26  or when new content is added to an existing website  26 .  
     [0046] Although a number of possible alternatives are described in detail, tool  30  may be incorporated into pages  28  of website  26  in any suitable manner without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. Moreover, although a web page  28  is primarily described, the present invention contemplates tool  30  being incorporated into or otherwise associated with an e-mail message, advertisement, Graphics Interface Format (GIF) file, or other suitable collection of information communicated to user  16 , whether or not considered a web page  28 . Any such collection of information incorporating tool  30  may be considered a page  28 , where appropriate. For example, tool  30  may be incorporated into an HTML or other e-mail message (which may include one or more attachments) communicated to user  16  and soliciting feedback from user  16  concerning the content, delivery, or other aspect of the e-mail. Upon receiving the e-mail message, user  16  might open the e-mail message, click on or otherwise select the icon to provide solicited feedback, and thereby cause user feedback information to be communicated to server  18  for collection and reporting. Incorporating tool  30  into e-mail messages may be particularly useful in connection with bulk e-mail messages. Previously, feedback from users  16  concerning such messages has been measured according to “click through” (or “conversion”) rates or response rates. However, such techniques do not provide diagnostic data reflecting whether the messages, offers in the messages, or other aspects of the messages are good or bad in the eyes of users  16  or why such aspects of the messages are good or bad. In particular embodiments, an e-mail message may include an icon (near the bottom of the message or elsewhere) associated with tool  30  that solicits user feedback (which may include ratings, answers to explicit questions, comments, or other suitable user feedback) concerning the message. Soliciting user feedback concerning bulk e-mail in this manner may provide a higher rate of response and more useful information than previous techniques.  
     [0047] As still another possible alternative within the scope of the present invention, tool  30  may be embedded or otherwise incorporated into the user&#39;s web browser rather than pages  28  to provide substantially equivalent functionality. In one embodiment, user  16  may download tool  30 , either as part of accessing a page  28  or directly, and perform any appropriate subsequent operations to incorporate tool  30  into the web browser. Tool  30  may be installed each time user  16  accesses a page  28  or may be installed the first time user  16  accesses a page  18  and remain installed until user  16  desires to uninstall the tool  30 . If the tool  30  is incorporated into the web browser rather than page  28 , the viewable icon associated with tool  30  may appear in the “masthead” area of the browser window, may appear so as to obscure some or all of page  28  within the browser window, or may appear in any other suitable location and in any other suitable manner, according to particular needs.  
     [0048] As described more fully below, a user  16  may be allowed to provide one or more page-specific comments regarding a page  28 . For example, in response to user  16  selecting an icon associated with tool  30 , a comment window may appear allowing user  16  to provide one or more page-specific comments. Such a window may, in addition or as an alternative, appear automatically independent of input from user  16 . In addition or as an alternative to allowing user  16  to provide one or more comments, user  16  may be allowed to provide one or more answers to explicit questions regarding page  28 . For example, a comment window that may appear in response to user  16  selecting an icon associated with tool  30  may include one or more explicit questions regarding page  28 . Tool  30  may generate the comment window, receive comments, answers to questions, or both from user  16 , and communicate the received feedback to reporting server  18 . In certain embodiments, as described more fully below, user  16  may be encouraged, or even required, to provide a page-specific rating to provide comments or answers to explicit questions regarding page  28 . The comments or answers may be correlated with and evaluated in view of the associated ratings to provide deeper and more usable information regarding page  28 .  
     [0049] In addition or as an alternative to tool  30  generating a comment window locally at a computer associated with user  16 , tool  30  may automatically request a comment window from a remote server separate from a web server  14  hosting a website  26 , such as reporting server  18 . The remote server may be operated by an entity separate from an owner  12  of page  28 . In response to the request, the remote server may generate the requested comment window and communicate it to tool  30 , which may then present the comment window to user  16 . A server remote from tool  30  generating the comment window may provide one or more advantages. For example, owner  12  may access a secure area of the remote server to customize the comment window, for all pages  28  or for particular pages  28 , without modifying pages  28  or a browser of user  16 . Owner  12  may customize the comment window in any suitable manner. For example, owner  12  may specify text in the comment window soliciting comments or answers to explicit questions in the comment window, one or more colors in the comment window, or any other suitable aspect of the comment window. After owner  12  has customized the comment window, owner  12  may be allowed to test the comment window. For example, owner  12  may indicate a desire to test the comment window and, in response, page  28  may be communicated to owner  12 . Owner  12  may then test the comment window, for example, by selecting an icon associated with tool  30  to cause the comment window to appear. As a result, owner  12  may be able to substantially immediately determine how customizations of the comment window will appear to users  16 . After testing the comment window, owner  12  may commit the customizations or make changes to the customizations and retest the comment window as appropriate.  
     [0050] In particular embodiments, tool  30  may be incorporated into a computer system of a user  16  such that tool  30  need not be incorporated into a page  28  for user  16  to provide feedback concerning page  28 . For example, tool  30  may be incorporated into a web browser or other software component of a computer system of user  16 , and user  16  may access page  28  and provide feedback concerning page  28  without tool  30  being incorporated into page  28  (and thus without modifications being made to page  28 ). For example, a website owner  12  or a competitive or other researcher acting on behalf of a website owner  12  may instruct one or more users  16  to access one or more particular pages  28  of one or more particular websites  26  of one or more particular owners  12  and provide feedback concerning pages  28 . By tool  30  being incorporated into computer systems of users  16 , tool  30  need not be incorporated into pages  28  for users  16  to provide such feedback. This may be particularly useful, for example, where an owner  12  wishes to collect feedback concerning a website  26  of a competitor without the competitor being involved in the competitive research or even being made aware that such feedback is being collected. An owner  12  may also collect feedback concerning a website  26  of owner  12  to test new website designs or for any other suitable purpose. As another example, this may also be useful where law enforcement or regulatory personnel wish to investigate an owner  12  of a website  26  for violations of one or more laws or regulations, for example, false or misleading advertising or product descriptions. As yet another example, this may be useful where an owner  12  wishes to ascertain whether users  16  consider one or more marks being used by a competitor on a page  28  to be confusingly similar to one or more trademarks of owner  12 .  
     [0051] As described above, tool  30  may automatically request a comment window from a remote server separate from a web server  14  hosting a website  26 , receive the requested comment window from the remote server, and present the received comment window to a user  16 . Where tool  30  is incorporated into a computer system of user  16  for research or other purposes as described above, tool  30  may thus automatically request comment windows from a remote server for user  16  to provide feedback concerning accessed pages  28 . A server remote from tool  30  generating the comment window may provide one or more advantages. Where a user  16  is accessing pages  28  at the direction of an owner  12  or a researcher acting on behalf of owner  12 , for example, the owner  12  or researcher may access a secure area of the remote server to customize comment windows for providing feedback concerning pages  28  without modifying pages  28  (which may be impractical where the feedback concerning a website  26  must be collected without an owner  12  of website  26  being involved in the research or even being made aware that such feedback is being collected) or a computer system of user  16 . The comment window may be customized in any suitable manner. For example, owner  12  or the researcher acting on behalf of owner  12  may specify text in the comment window soliciting comments or answers to explicit questions in the comment window, one or more colors in the comment window, or any other suitable aspect of the comment window. After owner  12  or the researcher has customized the comment window, owner  12  or the researcher may be allowed to test the comment window. For example, owner  12  or the researcher may indicate a desire to test the comment window and, in response, page  28  may be communicated to owner  12  or the researcher. Owner  12  or the researcher may then test the comment window, for example, by selecting an icon associated with tool  30  to cause the comment window to appear. As a result, owner  12  or the researcher may be able to substantially immediately determine how customizations of the comment window will appear to users  16 . After testing the comment window, owner  12  or the researcher may commit the customizations or make changes to the customizations and retest the comment window as appropriate.  
     [0052] Periodically or in response to receiving feedback information from a user  16  concerning one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 , collection module  42  of server  18  may perform a “crawl” to identify the pages  28  that are associated with website  26  (and possibly other websites  26 ) and incorporate tool  30 . Based on this information, the collection module  42  may generate a map or other suitable report concerning the topography of website  26  and store the map in a database  44 , which may include one or more storage locations integral to or separate from database  36 , database  40 , and server  18 . In one embodiment, the pages  28  are parsed to identify their titles, URLs, and other suitable information for use in generating the map. Reporting module  46  uses the map to generate reports concerning the pages  28  of website  26 , which might be linked to one another according to the topography of website  26  as described more fully below with reference to FIG. 9. Owner  12  may subsequently modify one or more pages  28  of website  26  according to the subjective ratings or other feedback received from users  16  (and possibly their demographic profiles), as reflected in the reports, to improve the pages  28  or better tailor the pages  28  for particular categories of users  16 .  
     [0053] In some cases, owner  12  may be an organization and different persons within the organization might be responsible for different sets of one or more pages  28  of website  26 . This may be an especially likely scenario when the owner  12  is a large company and website  26  includes a large number of pages  28 . In one embodiment, when owner  12  is registering with server  18 , owner  12  is requested to provide the email address or other contact information for each such person, to identify pages  28  for which the person is responsible, and specify contact criteria. The information may be stored in a storage location (not explicitly shown) at or otherwise accessible to server  18 . The contact criteria may apply to all the pages  28  for which the person is responsible or for one or more selected pages  28 . For example, the contact criteria might specify that if a page  28  receives five negative ratings within a specified time period, the person associated with that page  28  will be automatically informed using the stored e-mail address. Moreover, if a user  16  provides comments using the icon associated with a page  28 , the comments may be automatically communicated to the person associated with that page, as the comments are received or periodically as a group. The present invention contemplates any suitable threshold or other contact criteria, according to particular needs.  
     [0054] In the operation of system  10 , owner  12  interacts with servers  14  and  18  as appropriate to register the owner  12  and download or otherwise incorporate tool  30  into one or more pages  28  of website  26 . The user  16  accesses a particular page  28  incorporating tool  30  during a browser session and uses tool  30  to provide general or specific feedback concerning page  28 . In one embodiment, if user  16  has not previously accessed any page  28  incorporating tool  30  during the browser session, tool  30  may determine an Internet Protocol (IP) or other electronic address for the computer system associated with user  16  and, when technically feasible, determine a hostname for the computer system. This preferably allows user feedback to be associated with a particular computer system coupled to network  20 . Tool  30  may attempt to store a cookie, token, or other appropriate message including a browser session identifier on the user&#39;s computer system, using the user&#39;s web browser or in any other manner. Each time user  16  accesses another page  28  incorporating tool  30  during the browser session, tool  30  may access this stored message and respond accordingly.  
     [0055] In response to user  16  providing general or specific feedback concerning page  28 , tool  30  may also attempt to store on the user&#39;s computer system a cookie, token, or other message that includes a feedback user identifier, which tool  30  may access as appropriate during the remainder of the browser session. The tool  30  may store the feedback user identifier on the user&#39;s computer system, possibly along with the time and date at which user  16  provided the feedback. After user  16  provides feedback concerning page  28 , tool  30  may cause a previously viewable icon associated with tool  30  to become unviewable on page  28  for the remainder of the browser session (if user  16  returns to page  28 ), for as long as user  16  remains on page  28 , for a specified time period, or otherwise. As a result, user  16  may be allowed to provide feedback concerning page  28  only once, for example, during a browser session or a specified time period, which may make the reported results more meaningful.  
     [0056] For example, if tool  30  causes the icon to become unviewable on a first page for which user  16  provided feedback, user  16  accesses a second page  28 , and user  16  later returns to first page  28  during the same browser session, then tool  30  may recognize this based on the stored message including the feedback user identifier and prevent the icon from appearing on first page  28  for this and any other subsequent accesses of first page  28  during the browser session. Alternatively, tool  30  might allow the associated icon to remain viewable and might receive subsequent feedback from user  16  concerning first page  28 , but might simply ignore such subsequent feedback. Of course, tool  30  may simply receive from user  16  and process all the feedback concerning a particular page  28 , whether or not feedback is received from user  16  concerning page  28  during the same browser session or during a specified time period. In one embodiment, the cookies, tokens, or other messages that tool  30  stores on the user&#39;s computer system, including at least the browser session identifier and feedback user identifier, may expire when user  16  closes the user&#39;s web browser.  
     [0057] In one embodiment, user  16  is asked to provide demographic information the first time the user  16  provides feedback concerning a page  28  associated with a website  26  supported on server  14  and incorporating tool  30 . If user  16  provides the requested demographic information, tool  30  and server  14  communicate the information to the server  18  for storage in database  40 . Tool  30  may also assign a demographic user identifier and store it on the user&#39;s computer system in the form of a cookie, token, or other suitable message. In one embodiment, this allows reports to be generated that reflect the demographic information, correlating it to user feedback information, and gives owner  12  further valuable information regarding pages  28  of website  26 . The demographic user identifier is preferably the same as the feedback user identifier to allow the feedback information and demographic information to be readily associated with one another. As discussed above, demographic information linked to feedback information may be used correlate the feedback information with one or more other metrics that are similarly linked to demographic information.  
     [0058] If user  16  previously provided demographic information and accepted the associated cookie, token, or other message with the demographic user identifier, tool  30  determines this each time user  16  accesses another page  28  of website  26 , during the same or a different browser session. Ideally, user  16  is requested to and does provide the demographic information the first time user  16  accesses a page  28  that incorporates tool  30 . However, if user  16  elects not to provide some or all requested demographic information, tool  30  may again invite user  16  to provide demographic information in response to user  16  selecting tool  30  to provide subsequent feedback concerning the same or a different page  28 . Tool  30  might stop requesting the demographic information, at least for a specified period, after a specified number of refusals so as not to unduly alienate the user  16  or deter user  16  from providing feedback concerning pages  28  or from even accessing pages  28 .  
     [0059] User identifiers for user  16  may also be used for a variety of other suitable purposes. For example, according to a user identifier stored as a cookie, token, or other message on the user&#39;s computer system, tool  30  may cause a particular question to be presented to user  16  in response to user  16  providing feedback. As a more particular example, every tenth time the user  16  selects tool  30  to provide feedback concerning an associated page  28 , tool  30  might cause a question to appear inviting user  16  to indicate (in addition to providing feedback) whether user  16  is a customer of website  26  or its owner  12 . User  16  might be given an opportunity to provide comments in addition to answering “Yes” or “No.” Such questions could be presented in response to the user  16  actually providing feedback using tool  30 , instead of merely selecting tool  30 .  
     [0060] In response to user  16  providing general or specific feedback concerning a page  28 , tool  30  may store the feedback temporarily in memory on the computer system associated with user  16  before instructing the computer system to communicate the feedback to server  18 . Tool  30  may also collect the time and date at which user  16  provided the feedback. Tool  30 , using the user&#39;s computer system, may communicate user feedback information for page  28  to server  18  before or after user  16  leaves page  28 . In one embodiment, feedback information may include the title, URL, start time and date, feedback time and date, user feedback, and feedback user identifier, in any combination and without limitation. Feedback information may additionally include “web profile” information for the user  16 , such as the IP address, hostname, username, password, network connection, operating system, web browser, screen resolution, plug-ins, or any other appropriate aspects of the user&#39;s environment. A feedback user identifier may be used to track feedback from a particular user over time or for any other suitable purpose. Tool  30  may compute the time user  16  spent on page  28  before providing feedback or may leave this task for server  18  to perform.  
     [0061] Server  18  receives and accepts the feedback information. This may include determining the title, URL, feedback from user  16 , and feedback user identifier; computing the time user  16  spent on the page  28  before providing the feedback; and other appropriate operations. In one embodiment, server  18  attempts to match the received feedback user identifier with a stored demographic user identifier and, according to the match, associate the demographic information with the feedback information. The server  18  stores some or all of the feedback information, preferably in association with the demographic information, in database  36  for use in generating reports accessible to owner  12 . Server  18  may communicate a message to user  16 , through the user&#39;s web browser or otherwise, to inform user  16  that the feedback was successfully received. As multiple users  16  provide feedback concerning pages  28  as they navigate through website  26  according to its topography, a wealth of information concerning pages  28  may be assembled and later provided to owner  12  for use in improving particular pages  28  and thus website  26  as a whole. To access one or more reports reflecting this information, the owner  12  communicates report requests to server  18  and, in response, receives the requested reports.  
     [0062]FIG. 2 illustrates an example web page  28  incorporating user feedback measurement tool  30 . In one embodiment, as described above, tool  30  provides a mechanism for measuring feedback from users  16  concerning page  28  that is standardized across some or preferably all pages  28  of website  26 , is readily identifiable by users  16 , and is intuitive, predictable, and thus easy for users  16  to use in providing feedback concerning pages  28 . In a more particular embodiment, the tool  30  appears to users  16  as a language-independent icon  50 , viewable on page  28  within the user&#39;s browser window, that periodically or continuously spins, flips, switches, animates, or otherwise alternates between “(+)” and “(−)” symbols, “[+]” and “[−]” symbols, “+” and “-” symbols, or any other suitable variation of plus and minus symbols.  
     [0063] For example only and not by way of limitation, parentheses around the plus and minus symbols may meet (or nearly meet) above and below the plus and minus symbols to resemble a capital “0” or oval. Analogously, square brackets around the plus and minus symbols may meet (or nearly meet) above and below the plus and minus symbols to resemble a square. Furthermore, although variations of plus and minus symbols are primarily described, any suitable stationary or animated icon  50  may be used to represent the association of tool  30  with page  28 , and the opportunity to provide feedback, without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. Preferably, icon  50  is the same or substantially the same across all pages  28  of website  26  and, more preferably, pages  28  of other websites  26 . This may contribute to the icon  50  becoming a readily identifiable and well accepted standard throughout the community of all users  16  of websites  26 .  
     [0064] Typically, only a portion of page  28  will be viewable within browser window  52  at any one time as user  16  scrolls or otherwise navigates through page  28 . In one embodiment, icon  50  appears at or near a specified location relative to the border  54  of browser window  52  in the viewable portion of page  28 . Icon  50  may remain in substantially the same location relative to border  54  as user  16  scrolls or otherwise navigates through page  28 . Alternatively, icon  50  might be located in the masthead region  56  of the browser window and remain in masthead region  56  as the user  16  scrolls or otherwise navigates through page  28 . Causing icon  50  to remain in substantially the same location within browser window  52  may help encourage user  16  to provide feedback concerning page  28  using tool  30 , and make it easier for user  16  to do so. This feature may further contribute to icon  50  becoming readily identifiable and well accepted throughout the user community.  
     [0065] As illustrated in FIG. 3, in response to the user  16  rolling an associated mouse pointer over icon  50 , pointing to and clicking on icon  50  using the mouse pointer, touching icon  50  using an associated touch screen, or selecting icon  50  in another suitable manner, icon  50  may change into or be replaced with a multi-level subjective rating scale  60  that corresponds to general feedback measurement tool  32 . In a particular embodiment, rating scale  60  includes five levels ranging from very negative to very positive, each level having an associated language-independent or other appropriate symbol  62 . For example and without limitation, a “−−” symbol  62  might correspond to a very negative rating, a “−” symbol  62  might correspond to a somewhat negative rating, a “+−” symbol  62  might correspond to a neutral rating, a “+” symbol  62  may correspond to a somewhat positive rating, and a “++” symbol  62  may correspond to a very positive rating. Although a five level rating scale  60  is described above in connection with a particular embodiment, any appropriate multilevel or other subjective rating scale or scheme may be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention.  
     [0066] To record general feedback concerning page  28 , the user  16  clicks on, points to, or otherwise selects an appropriate symbol  62  reflective of the feedback. In response, tool  32  (or tool  30 ) may store the user feedback information and, at the appropriate time, cause the feedback information to be communicated to server  18  for storage in database  36 . In a particular embodiment, the user feedback information collected in response to user  16  providing general feedback concerning the page  28  may include, in any suitable combination and without limitation: (1) the title of page  28 ; (2) the URL for page  28 ; (3) the feedback user identifier; (4) the subjective rating (for example only, “++,” “+,” “+−,” “−,” or “−−”); (5) the time and date page  28  was accessed; (6) the time and date the subjective rating was received; (7) the web profile information for user  16 ; and (8) any other suitable information. According to the demographic user identifier, if one is available at server  18 , the demographic information for user  16  may be stored in association with the user feedback information in database  36 , as described more fully above.  
     [0067] Where appropriate, feedback concerning page  28  collected using tools  30  and  32  may include responses to one or more explicit questions posed to the user  16  concerning page  28 , concerning one or more visual, audible, or other elements of page  28 , or concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated. Questions may be presented instead of or in addition to rating scale  60 . As an example, a page  28  of a vehicle manufacturer&#39;s website  26  may include a picture of a particular make and model of vehicle. Questions posed to user  16  using tool  30  or  32 , in response to the user  16  selecting icon  50 , might include “How well do you like this picture?” or “Do you like the shape of the tail fin?” for example. The responses to the questions might be received using rating scale  60 , similar to collection of user feedback concerning page  28  described above, or might be received using a color or other suitable scale. For example, user  16  might select a green box, dot, or other visual element to provide a “Yes” response, might select a white box, dot, or other visual element to provide a “neutral” response, and might select a red box, dot, or other visual element to provide a “No” response. Each question may appear within a banner, bar, flag, or other visual element in response to user  16  selecting icon  50 , in response to user  16  providing feedback concerning page  28  using tool  30 ,  32 , or  34 , or otherwise. A particular color, shape, or other indicia associated with the element may always signify the same question, regardless of the page  28  on which it appears. For example only, a green element might always signify the question, “Do you consider the price of this item fair?” A particular question may be posed in response to the user  16  providing a particular subjective rating of the page  28  or a particular response to a previous question, the question presented being dependent upon the previous response. According to the present invention, one or more questions may be associated with any one or more pages  28  of website  26  according to the particular needs of owner  12 , providing an important technical advantage. In particular embodiments, different questions may be associated with different pages  28  of a website  26 . For example, an owner  16  of website  26  may specify one or more first questions regarding a first page  28  of website  26 , one or more second questions regarding a second page  28  of website  26 , one or more third questions regarding a third page  28  of website  26 , and so on.  
     [0068] Some or all of the stored information concerning page  28  may be provided to owner  12  in the form of one or more suitable reports to allow owner  12  to assess the success of the particular page  28  in the eyes of the user community. As described more fully above with reference to FIG. 1, icon  50  may cease to be viewable in browser window  52  after general feedback concerning page  28  has been received from user  16 . Although in one embodiment only tool  32  (not tool  34 ) may be viewable on page  28  in response to selection of tool  30 , the present invention contemplates tool  34  being visible on page  28  instead of or in addition to tool  32 .  
     [0069] In one embodiment, a question mark or other symbol  64  may be associated with rating scale  60  to allow user  16  to provide comments relating to page  28 , one or more specified aspects of page  28 , one or more items associated with page  28 , or any other appropriate comments. Symbol  64  might further allow user  16  to receive help or other information relating to tool  30 , tool  32 , tool  34 , or system  10 . For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a window  65  may appear with rating scale  60  in response to user  16  selecting symbol  64 . Alternatively, rating scale  60  incorporating window  65  might appear in response to user  16  initially selecting icon  50 , without requiring user  16  to first select symbol  64 . Furthermore, as described more fully below with reference to FIG. 6, a pop-up window containing rating scale  60  associated with tool  32 , one or more rating scales associated with tool  34 , and a field to receive the comments or help requests may be presented to the user  16  in response to user  16  selecting symbol  64 , selecting icon  50 , or otherwise.  
     [0070] As illustrated in FIG. 5, in response to the user  16  rolling an associated mouse pointer over icon  50 , pointing to and clicking on icon  50  using the mouse pointer, touching icon  50  using an associated touch screen, or selecting icon  50  in another appropriate manner, icon  50  may change into or otherwise be replaced with set  70  of one or more multi-level rating scales  72  corresponding to, specific feedback measurement tool  34 . Each of the rating scales  72  is used to measure the feedback of user  16  concerning a specified aspect of the particular page  28 , according to the same or a different multi-level rating scale as for tool  32 . For example only and not by way of limitation, tool  30  may have separate rating scales  72  for measuring the feedback from user  16  concerning the content, design, usability, or other suitable aspects of page  28 , singly or in any appropriate combination. As described above, feedback concerning page  28  may include responses to one or more explicit questions concerning page  28 , concerning one or more elements of page  28 , concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated, or concerning other subject matter possibly unrelated to page  28 .  
     [0071] In one embodiment, as for rating scale  60  of tool  32 , each rating scale  72  includes five levels ranging from very negative to very positive, each level having an associated language-independent or other suitable symbol  74 . For example only, a “−−” symbol  74  might correspond to a very negative rating, a “−” symbol  74  might correspond to a somewhat negative rating, a “+−” symbol  74  might correspond to a neutral rating, a “+” symbol  74  may correspond to a somewhat positive rating, and a “++” symbol  74  may correspond to a very positive rating. Although five level rating scales  72  are described, any suitable multi-level or other subjective rating scale or scheme may be employed without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. Each rating scale  72  of tool  34  may be substantially the same or may be differentiated from other rating scales  72  on one or more bases, for example, through the use of color, shading, shape, or other characteristic. Preferably, rating scales  72  are substantially similar to or otherwise consistent with rating scale  60  to maintain predictability, consistency, and acceptance within the user community.  
     [0072] To record specific feedback concerning page  28 , the user  16  clicks on, points to, or otherwise selects an appropriate symbol  74  reflective of the feedback. In response, tool  34  (or tool  30 ) may store corresponding user feedback information and cause the user feedback information to be communicated to server  18  for storage in database  36 . In a particular embodiment, the feedback information collected in response to user  16  providing specific feedback concerning page  28  may include, in any combination and without limitation: (1) the title of page  28 ; (2) the URL for page  28 ; (3) the feedback user identifier; (4) the subjective ratings (for example only, “++,” “+,” “+−,” “−,” or “−−”); (5) the time and date the page  28  was accessed; (6) the time and date the subjective ratings were received; (7) web profile information for user  16 ; and (8) any other appropriate information. According to the demographic user identifier, if one is available at server  18 , the demographic information for user  16  may be stored in association with the user feedback information in database  36 , as described above. Tool  34  may require multiple ratings to be provided, one for each rating scale  72 , before such information is stored.  
     [0073] One or more rating scales  72  may appear substantially simultaneously, in a suitable sequence, or in any other relative manner. For example, a succeeding rating scale  72  might appear only in response to a user  16  providing specific user feedback using a preceding rating scale  72 . Whether the succeeding rating scale  72  appears at all might depend on the nature of the specific feedback provided using the preceding rating scale  72 . One or more child rating scales  72  may be nested with respect to a parent rating scale  72  on which child rating scales  72  depend within a hierarchy. One or more rating scales  72  may appear instead of or in addition to rating scale  60  and may appear before, substantially simultaneous with, or after rating scale  60 . For example, one or more rating scales  72  might appear only in response to user  16  providing general feedback using rating scale  60 , or the rating scale  60  might appear only in response to user  16  providing specific feedback using one or more rating scales  72 . Other suitable alternatives may be envisioned and the present invention is intended to encompass all such alternatives. In a particular embodiment, the rating scales  72  may rotate in their respective positions each time they appear to reduce or eliminate any response bias that might otherwise manifest itself as a result of the arrangement of rating scales  72 .  
     [0074] Some or all of the stored information concerning page  28  may be provided to owner  12  in the form of one or more suitable reports to allow owner  12  to assess the success of the particular page  28  in the eyes of the user community. As described more fully above with reference to FIG. 1, icon  50  may cease to be viewable in browser window  52  after specific feedback concerning page  28  has been received from user  16 . Although in one embodiment only tool  34  (not tool  32 ) is visible on the page  28  in response to selection of tool  30 , the present invention contemplates tool  32  being visible on page  28  instead of or in addition to tool  34 .  
     [0075] In one embodiment, as described above, a question mark or other symbol  64  may be associated with the set  70  of rating scales  72  to allow the user  16  to provide comments relating to the page  28 , one or more specified aspects of page  28 , one or more items associated with page  28 , or other appropriate comments. Symbol  64  might further allow user  16  to receive help or other information relating to tool  30 , tool  32 , tool  34 , or system  10 . For example, a window similar to the window  65  of FIG. 4 may appear with rating scales  72  in response to user  16  selecting symbol  64 . Alternatively, rating scales  72  incorporating such a window might appear in response to user  16  initially selecting icon  50 , without requiring user  16  to first select symbol  64 . Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a pop-up window  78  containing rating scale  60  associated with tool  32 , one or more rating scales  72  associated with tool  34 , and a field  79  to receive comments or help requests might be presented to user  16  in response to user  16  selecting symbol  64 , selecting icon  50 , or otherwise. The present invention contemplates any technique for receiving comments or other textual input from user  16  in association with a particular page  28 .  
     [0076] Comments from users  16  regarding a page  28  may be of greater use to an owner  12  when ratings of the page  28  are provided by users  16  in connection with the comments. Such ratings may allow owner  16  to more readily prioritize, categorize, or otherwise manipulate such comments from users  16 . In particular embodiments, a user  16  may be encouraged or even required to provide one or more ratings of a page  28  when user  16  provides one or more comments regarding page  28 . A required rating may include a rating reflecting a general reaction of user  16  to page  28 , a rating reflecting a reaction of user  16  to a specified aspect (such as, for example, content, design, or usability) of page  28 , or any other suitable rating. User  16  may be required to provide one or more ratings of page  28  in any suitable manner. For example, when user  16  attempts to submit a comment regarding page  28 , one or more rating scales may be presented to user  16  soliciting one or more ratings of page  28  from user  16  in connection with the comment. If user  16  does not provide one or more solicited ratings, user  16  may be prevented from submitting the comment.  
     [0077] Comments from users  16  regarding a page  28  may also be of greater use to an owner  12  when background data is obtained from users  16  in connection with the comments. Such data may include data reflecting hardware, software, or other details concerning a computer system of a user  16 . For example only and not by way of limitation, certain background data may reflect the operating system of the computer system, the screen resolution of the computer-system, a browser of the computer system, or any other aspects of the computer system. In addition or as an alternative, background data may include data reflecting time spent by a user  16  on a page  28 , a referring page  28  (which may include a page  28  that user  16  accessed immediately before accessing a current page  28 ), or other details concerning a web session of a user  16 . In addition or as an alternative, background data may include data reflecting a user identifier that may identify user  16 , the computer system of user  16 , or both and may be used to track feedback of user  16  over time. Where a comment is used to communicate one or more technical problems user  16  is experiencing with page  28 , background data obtained from user  16  in connection with the comment may facilitate identification of the problem by an owner  12  and possibly one or more solutions to the problem. Although a particular use of background data is described, the present invention contemplates background data being used in any suitable manner for any suitable purpose.  
     [0078] Background data from users  16  may be obtained in any suitable manner. In particular embodiments, such data may be obtained automatically from a computer system of user  16 . For example, tool  30  may obtain background data from one or more components of the computer system when user  16  accesses a page  28 . In addition or as an alternative to obtaining background data automatically from a computer system of user  16 , background data may be directly solicited from user  16 . As an example, window  78  may ask user  16  one or more questions regarding appropriate background data and request user  16  to provide answers to the questions in field  79  along with one or more comments, select from a number of possible answers to the questions in one or more pull-down menus, select from a number of boxes that each correspond to a possible answer to one or more of the questions, or provide answers to the questions in any other suitable manner.  
     [0079]FIG. 7 illustrates an example registration page  80  that may be sent to user  16  in response to user  16  providing general or specific feedback concerning at least one page  28  of a website  26 . Alternatively, user  16  may select a hypertext or other link within or associated with icon  50 , rating scale  60 , ratings scales  72 , or window  78 . The registration page  80  includes one or more suitable input fields  82  for receiving demographic information from user  16 , which is then used to create a user profile for user  16  that is stored in database  40 . In one embodiment, demographic information collected from user  16  may include, for example only and not by way of limitation, in any suitable combination: (1) a name; (2) an e-mail or other electronic address; (3) a residence, business, or other physical address; (4) a password; (5) a gender; (6) an age or age range; (7) a job title, position, profession, industry, or other employment information; (8) an employment status (for example, full-time, part-time, student, or retired); (9) number of persons in household; (10) a housing status (for example, homeowner or renter); (11) a highest level of education; (12) personal or household income or income range; (13) information concerning one or more activities of user  16 , such as computer usage patterns and preferences; and (14) any other appropriate demographic information.  
     [0080] In one embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, after server  18  receives demographic information sufficient to establish a user profile for user  16 , server  14  assigns a demographic user identifier to the user  16  and associates this demographic user identifier with the corresponding user profile in database  36 . The demographic user identifier is stored on the user&#39;s computer system (in the form of a cookie, token, or other message) in response to the user  16  providing requested demographic information. In response to user  16  subsequently selecting tool  30  to provide feedback, tool  30  recognizes user  16  according to the stored demographic user identifier and may convey a suitable message to indicate this recognition. For example, the tool  30  may replace the icon  50  with a personalized message (such as “Thanks, [name]”) in response to user  16  providing general or specific feedback concerning a particular page  28 . This message may be transient, disappearing after a specified time period, or may remain viewable in browser window  52  while the user  16  remains on the page  28 . The demographic user identifier preferably matches the feedback user identifier for the user  16 , which allows feedback information and demographic information to be readily associated with one another at server  18 . As described above, demographic information linked to feedback information may also facilitate the correlation of feedback information to other suitable metrics that are linked to demographic information.  
     [0081] As discussed above, website  26  may have a “topography” according to pages  28  of website  26  and the relationships between the pages  28 . In one embodiment, system  10  provides owner  12  with the ability to access and readily navigate through reports, which provide rating information for pages  28  of website  26 , in a similar manner as user  16  accesses pages  28  while navigating through website  26  according to the topography of website  26 . Furthermore, the reports allow owner  12  to readily focus on pages  28  that are of most interest. For example only, and not by way of limitation, owner  12  may be particularly interested in accessing feedback information for any pages  28  that generated a significant percentage of very negative feedback, whether the feedback is general or specific. As another example, owner  12  may be particularly interested in reviewing feedback information for any pages  28  that generated a significant percentage of very positive feedback from users  16  having specified demographic characteristics. The information is communicated to owner  12  from server  14 , upon request, in the form of one or more suitable reports. Upon obtaining this information, which was unavailable using previous techniques, owner  12  may respond to improve website  26  and, quite possibly, the success of an associated business or other enterprise.  
     [0082]FIGS. 8 through 9 illustrate example reports  100  for one or more pages  28  of website  26 . Reports  100  are intended to provide the owner  12  with a readily understandable view of feedback concerning a particular page  28 , a set of particular pages  28 , or website  26  as a whole (considering all pages  28 ). As described above, feedback concerning page  28  may include responses to one or more explicit questions about page  28 , one or more elements of page  28 , one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated, or any other suitable subject. Reports  100  may reflect only feedback collected during a specified time period or might reflect all feedback collected since tool  30  was incorporated into the particular page  28  or pages  28  that reports  100  concern. As an example, reports  100  for successive time periods might allow owner  12  to identify trends in the feedback information and to respond appropriately. Reports  100  may reflect only feedback collected from users  16  having a specified user profile or one or more specified demographic characteristics, or may reflect all feedback collected for the particular page  28  or pages  28  of interest. The present invention contemplates one or more reports  100  to provide the owner  12  with any information collected using tools  30 ,  32 , or  34 , in a format appropriate for owner  12 .  
     [0083] In one embodiment, owner  12  may request that one or more particular reports including particular data be communicated to one or more particular e-mail addresses or other suitable locations at particular times. This may provide one or more advantages where owner  12  includes an organization including a number of different people having different responsibilities within the organization. For example, a person within the organization may be responsible for one or more pages  28  of a website  26  of owner  12 . Owner  12  may request that a report including data reflecting user feedback concerning the pages  28  for which the person is responsible be communicated to an e-mail address of the person every at specified time intervals (e.g., three hours), after receiving feedback from a specified number of users  16  (e.g. one hundred), or according to other suitable contact criteria. In addition, owner  12  may request that such reports include data that reflects only negative ratings of pages  28 , comments containing one or more specified words, or any other subset of the data.  
     [0084] Reports  100  may be filtered according to any suitable filter criteria such that they include data reflecting particular user feedback. For example only and not by way of limitation, an owner  12  may request that one or more reports communicated to owner  12  include only data reflecting negative ratings. As another example, an owner  12  may request that one or more reports communicated to owner  12  include only data reflecting user feedback for the twenty pages  28  of a website  26  receiving the most negative feedback according to average ratings received from users regarding pages  28 . Although particular filter criteria are described, any suitable filter criteria may be used to filter reports  100 .  
     [0085] As shown in FIG. 8A for a website  26  as a whole, ratings table  102  may include a timeframe  104  during which the feedback of ratings table  102  was collected. A website overview  106  might include, in any combination and without limitation: (1) the number of ratings for all pages  28  of website  26  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (2) the number of one or more specified types of ratings for all pages  28 , such as the number of negative ratings (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (3) the number of unrated pages  28  among all pages  28  (where user  16  accessed page  28  incorporating tool  30  but did not provide a rating); (4) the number of positively rated pages  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects) among all the pages  28  (which might include, for example, both positive ratings and very positive ratings according to rating scale  60  or  72  described above); (5) the number of neutrally rated pages  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects) among all of the pages  28 ; (6) the number of negatively rated pages  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects) among all pages  28  (which may include, for example, both negative ratings and very negative ratings according to rating scale  60  or  72 ); (7) the number of ratings for the page  28  with the most ratings or most ratings of a specified type, such as the most negative ratings (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (8) the number of comments received in connection with all pages  28 ; (9) and any other suitable rating information concerning website  26 , considering all the pages  28 . In the alternative, the ratings table  102  might provide similar information concerning one or more particular pages  28 .  
     [0086] In one embodiment, a site detail  108  may provide any of the site level rating information described above in a more visually appealing and readily interpretable manner. The site detail  108  may provide a “sliding” or other appropriate scale  110  indicating, for a selected category of site level rating information, the percentages of ratings that are negative, neutral, and positive. For example, the site detail  108  may include a sliding scale  110  for a “usability” aspect of pages  28 . Sliding scale  110  might include a first portion  112   a  indicating the percentage of negative ratings as to usability, a second portion  112   b  indicating the percentage of neutral ratings as to usability, and a third portion  112   c  indicating the percentage of positive ratings as to usability. More or fewer portions  112  that reflect finer or coarser rating variations may be provided according to particular needs. Portions  112  may be differentiated from one another using color, shading, or other suitable indicia. For example only, first portion  112   a  may be red, second portion  112   b  may be black, and third portion  112   c  may be green. The present invention contemplates providing site level rating information to owner  12  in any suitable format.  
     [0087] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, report  100  reflects feedback information for website  26  using a chart  124  having a ray, arrow, bar, or other line  126  for each page  28  of website  26 . The lengths  128  of lines  126  along scale  130  represent the total number of ratings received for the corresponding pages  28 . Chart  124  may be substantially circular at least in part, as illustrated, with lines  126  that extend outward from its center  132 , or may have any other suitable shape. As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, chart  124  may include a “flat” version of chart  124  having a scale  130  in the direction of a first axis  134  and lines  126  extending in the direction of the first axis  134  from a second axis  136  that is perpendicular to the first axis  134 . Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other suitable schemes for representing the ratings associated with a particular page  28 , including color for example, may be used without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, when a mouse pointer is rolled across the tip of line  126  or line  126  is otherwise selected, the title of, the URL for, a link to, a report concerning, or other information relating to corresponding page  28  appears instead of, on top of, near, or otherwise in association with line  126 . If a report for page  28  is generated, the report may replace report  100 , similar to the manner in which a newly accessed page  28  may replace a previously accessed page  28  within a user&#39;s browser window.  
     [0088] In one embodiment, referring again to FIG. 8A, chart  124  may include a number of regions  138 , as an example, negative region  138 , neutral region  138 , and positive region  138 . The position of line  126  relative to regions  138  may reflect the average rating for associated page  28  (or other mathematical operation on ratings for associated page  28 ). For example only and without limitation, if the ratings on five level rating scale  60  are assigned values of “1” through “5” with “1” being for a very negative rating, the average value for page  28  might be “2.5” and the corresponding line  126  might be positioned near the border between negative and neutral regions  138 . Regions  138  may each have the same or no color, each region  138  may have a different color, or the colors of regions  138  may transition smoothly across regions  138 . Instead of or in addition to colored regions  138 , lines  126  may be colored according to their positions relative to regions  138 . For example only and without limitation, line  26  reflecting an average rating of “1.4” might be substantially red, a line  26  reflecting an average rating of “3.3” might be substantially black, and line  26  reflecting an average rating of “4.2” might be substantially green. Color may be used in any suitable manner to convey feedback information for one or more pages  28  of website  26 .  
     [0089] According to the above, if multiple pages  28  have the same average rating, their lines  126  will overlap on chart  124 . To avoid confusion in such cases, shorter lines  126  in such a group (having fewer ratings) may terminate in a white circle rather than a colored circle or may be differentiated in any other suitable manner from the longest line  126  in the group (having the most ratings) and from each other. Such a differentiator may also be desirable where lines  126  do not have the same average rating, and thus do not precisely overlap, but have ratings similar enough to make lines  126  difficult to distinguish from one another. In one embodiment, pages  28  having a substantially neutral average rating but bimodal distributions (according to any suitable formula) may be represented using lines  126  that terminate in a red circle rather than a black circle or are differentiated in another suitable manner from any other lines  126  that reflect substantially neutral average ratings. For any subjective rating described above, the present invention contemplates the rating being according to rating scale  60 , one or more rating scales  72 , or any other appropriate rating scale. Ratings for one scale, scale  60  for example, may be distinguished from ratings for another scale, scale  72  for example, using any suitable visual indicator in the same or a different chart  124 , according to particular needs.  
     [0090] As discussed, instead of or in addition to reflecting feedback information for one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 , chart  124  may reflect feedback information for website  26  as a whole using a single line  126  that takes into account all pages  28  of website  26 . For example, and not by way of limitation, chart  124  may include colored regions  138  as described above and a single line  126  having a length reflecting the number of ratings for all the pages  28  of website  26 , according to scale  130 , and having a position reflecting the average value of ratings for all pages  28  of website  26 . Such a line  126  for website  26  as a whole may be superimposed on chart  124  having lines  126  for particular pages  28  of website  26 , may be within a separate window of chart  124 , or may have any other suitable spatial relationship to chart  124  having lines  126  for particular pages  28  of website  26 . Furthermore, such lines  126  may be used to represent the average rating value for multiple websites  26  on the same chart  100 , for example, some or all websites  26  associated with a particular owner  12 . Websites  26  for which chart  100  reflects average rating values may be selected according to their owners  12 , the industries with which the websites  26  are associated, or other suitable selection criteria.  
     [0091] Benchmarks may be established and reflected in report  100 , along with the average rating values for one or more websites  26 , for purposes of comparison. For example, as discussed above, report  100  may reflect an overall rating for website  26  according to the average (or other mathematical operation) of ratings for pages  28  of website  26 . Overall ratings for other websites  26  that are associated with the same industry or otherwise comparable with the particular website  26  may be generated in an analogous manner. Comparing the overall rating for the particular website  26  with the overall ratings of other websites  26 , singly or as a group, may provide valuable information to owner  12 . Furthermore, overall ratings for multiple websites  26  may be evaluated in some manner to generate a website index value for each website  26  relative to other comparable websites  26 . In one embodiment, such a website index might be updated once a month or otherwise to allow owner  12  to readily track the overall performance of website  26  relative to its peers. An overall rating assigned to website  26  in the manner described above, according to subjective ratings for pages  28  of the website  26 , may provide owner  12  with more meaningful information about the effectiveness of website  26  than collecting subjective ratings that each concern only website  26  as a whole.  
     [0092] In one embodiment, report  100  may also include a chart  140 , integral to or separate from chart  124 , providing a percentage or other relative portion of pages  28  of website  26  that have been rated. For example, and without limitation, if chart  124  is substantially circular as illustrated in FIG. 8A, chart  140  may be located in a sector of chart  124  to allow the owner  12  to appreciate the information in charts  124  and  138  substantially simultaneously. The percentage of other relative portion of rated pages  28  may be indicated using a scale  142  or according to the amount  144  of the chart  140  that is colored, filled, or otherwise indicated as corresponding to that percentage or other relative portion. Providing site level rating information to the owner  12  in an integrated and readily understandable manner using report  100  is an important technical advantage of the present invention.  
     [0093]FIG. 9 illustrates an example report  150  for a particular page  28  of website  26 . Similar to report  100  for website  26  as a whole, report  100  for page  28  may include ratings table  152  having a timeframe  154  during which the feedback of ratings table  152  was collected. A page overview  156  may include, in any suitable combination and without limitation: (1) the number of ratings for page  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (2) the number of one or more specified types of ratings for page  28 , such as the number of negative ratings (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (3) the number of positive ratings for page  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects), which may include both positive ratings and very positive ratings according to rating scale  60  or  72 ; ( 4 ) the number of neutral ratings for the page  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects); (5) the number of negative ratings for page  28  (generally or as to one or more specific aspects), which may include both negative ratings and very negative ratings according to rating scale  60  or  72 ; (6) the number of comments received in connection with page  28 ; (7) and any other suitable rating information concerning page  28 .  
     [0094] In one embodiment, page detail  158  may provide any of the page level rating information described above in a more visually appealing and readily interpretable manner. The page detail  158  may provide a “sliding” or other appropriate scale  160  indicating, for a selected category of page level rating information, the percentages of ratings that are negative, neutral, and positive. For example, the page detail  158  may include a sliding scale  160  for the “usability” aspect of page  28 . Sliding scale  160  may include a first portion  162   a  indicating the percentage of negative ratings as to usability, a second portion  162   b  indicating the percentage of neutral ratings as to usability, and a third portion  162   c  indicating the percentage of positive ratings as to usability. More or fewer portions  162  that reflect finer or coarser rating variations may be provided according to particular needs. Portions  162  may be differentiated from one another using color, shading, or other suitable indicia. For example only, first portion  162   a  may be red, second portion  162   b  may be black, and third portion  162   c  may be green. The present invention contemplates providing page level rating information to the owner  12  in any appropriate format.  
     [0095] In one embodiment, report  150  reflects feedback information for page  28  using a chart  164  having a scale  166  in the direction of a first axis  168  and a set of bars, boxes, banners, or other lines  170  extending in the direction of first axis  168  from a second axis  172  that is perpendicular to the first axis  168 . The position of a line  170  along second axis  172  reflects the type of rating line  170  represents. The length of line  170  according to scale  166  reflects the number of ratings of that type for page  28 . The present invention contemplates chart  164  being “flat” as shown, being substantially circular similar to chart  124  shown in FIG. 8A, or having any other suitable configuration. In one embodiment, owner  12  may move from report  100  to any associated report  150  or to another report  100  for another website  26 , may move from any report  150  to associated report  100 , or may move in any other appropriate manner between reports  100  and  150  in assessing the feedback information for one or more websites  26  and their pages  28 .  
     [0096] One or more portions of a report  150  for a page  28  may include hypertext or other suitable links to comments from users  16  regarding page  28 . In particular embodiments, for example, a rating line  170  representing a particular rating received from one or more users  16  may include a link to one or more comments regarding page  28  received from users  16  in connection with the particular rating. An owner  12  may select the link, read one or more comments, and attempt to determine one or more reasons for the particular rating. In particular embodiments, as another example, report  150  may include an area in which received comments from users  16  regarding page  28  are tallied and grouped according to ratings received from users  16  in connection with the comments. Such an area may include one or more links to the comments. As described above, background data may be obtained from users  16  in connection with comments from users  16 . Such data may also be presented to owner  12  in any suitable manner. For example, when owner  12  accesses a comment from a user  16  regarding a page  28 , background data obtained from user  16  may be presented to owner  12  with the comment independent of owner  12  making a specific request for such data.  
     [0097] In particular embodiments, a report  150  may include one or more counts of one or more words, which may be specified by an owner  12 , appearing in one more comments from users  16  regarding page  28 . Report  150  may include one or more hypertext or other suitable links to one or more comments from users regarding page  28  in which the one or more words appear. In addition to a report  150  for particular page  28  including one or more word counts, a report for an entire website  26  may include one or more counts of one or more words, which may be specified by an owner  12 , appearing in one or more comments from users  16  regarding one or more pages  28  across website  26 . Monitoring the appearance of certain words in comments regarding a particular page  28  or in comments regarding one or more pages  28  across a website  26  in this manner may enable an owner  12  to more readily track, interpret, and respond where appropriate to feedback concerning one or more particular aspects of page  28  or website  26 .  
     [0098] A report  150  for a particular page  28  may provide hypertext or other suitable links to reports  150  for other pages  28  that may be linked to the particular page  28  according to the unique topography of website  26 . For example, if a first page  28  allows users  16  to access either a second page  28 , a third page  28 , or a fourth page  28 , report  150  for the first page  28  might similarly allow owner  12  to access at least the reports  150  for the second page  28 , for the third page  28 , and for the fourth page  28 . Report  150  for the first page  28  might further allow owner  12  to access the parent page  28  of the first page  28 ; that is, the page  28  at an adjacent higher level within a hierarchical topography of website  26  from which user  16  might navigate to the first page  28 . In one embodiment, reporting module  46  generates reports  150  “on the fly” in response to specific requests received from the owner  12  using network  20 . For example, reporting module  46  might access one or more databases  36 ,  40 , and  44  to generate report  150  in response to owner  12  clicking on, pointing to, or otherwise selecting a link to a second page  28  while viewing report  150  for a first page  28 . Reporting module  46 , through reports  150 , allows owner  12  to navigate through feedback information pertaining to the pages  28  of website  26  in much the same manner that users  16  navigate through the pages  28  of website  26  when accessing website  26  for their needs, according to the topography of website  26 , providing an important technical advantage.  
     [0099] Instead of or in addition to reports  100  and  150 , reports may be provided to owner  12  according to one or more points of view that relate to rating distribution, rating values, rating submission, rating demographics, or other suitable criteria for one or more pages  28 . For example, and not by way of limitation, such reports may include: (1) a report of the distribution of ratings (number of ratings for each rating value) for a page  28  overall, for page  28  for a specified demographic profile (such as all women), or for page  28  for a target demographic profile of owner  12  (such as all women over 65 years old that live in Chicago and own their residence); (2) a report ranking, for one or more demographics (such as age), the top one or more categories (such as 18-25 year old) for those demographics in terms of percentage of ratings provided, percentage of ratings provided of a specified type, or any other suitable rating information; (3) a report of the percentage occurrence of each rating value (or one or more selected rating values) for one or more demographics (such as age) or one or more demographic categories (such as 18-25 year old); (4) a report of the number or the percentage of ratings (or ratings of one or more specified types) versus the submission time and date (or time and date range); (5) a report of the distribution of ratings sorted according to the time spent on page  28  before rating submission; (6) a report of the top one or more IP addresses for users  16  submitting ratings for a time and date (or time and date range); and (7) any other suitable report reflecting feedback information, demographic information, and any other collected information, according to particular needs. Although such point of view reports are described as being separate from reports  100  and  150 , reports  100  and  150  may convey similar information. In one embodiment, for example, a particular point of view report might resemble report  150  illustrated in FIG. 9.  
     [0100]FIG. 10 illustrates an example method of incorporating tool  30  into one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 . The method begins at step  200 , where owner  12  communicates a download or other suitable request to server  18  (shown in FIGS. 10 through 12 as “system server  18 ” to distinguish it from server  14 , shown in FIGS. 10 through 12 as “website server  14 ”). At step  202 , server  18  prompts owner  12  to provide identification, billing, and any other suitable registration and setup information. At step  204 , owner  12  communicates the requested information to the server  18  (whether or not the server  18  is local to or distributed from owner  12 ). Server  18  may also notify owner  12  that website  26  may be crawled to identify and gather data pertaining to pages  28 , may provide owner  12  with a license agreement and other information concerning the services to be provided to owner  12 , or may communicate any other suitable information with owner  12 . At step  206 , server  18  may assign an owner identifier and password to owner  12  to allow the owner  12  to access reports  100 . Server  18  stores the registration and setup information for owner  12  in an appropriate storage location (not explicitly shown) at step  208  to complete registration and setup of owner  12 .  
     [0101] At step  210 , to incorporate tool  30  into one or more pages  28  of website  26 , owner  12  downloads or otherwise communicates pages  28  (or copies of pages  28 ) from server  14  to the owner&#39;s computer system, preferably using a suitable wizard or other software component designed to facilitate the incorporation process. At step  212 , owner  12  specifies, for each page  28 , the type (for example, spinning between “(+)” and “(−)”), color, or any other appropriate characteristic of the desired icon  50  for page  28 . For example and without limitation, the owner  12  may click on desired icon  50 , which might be one of multiple standard icons  50 , and modify one or more characteristics of icon  50  using suitable pull down menus. As described above, the characteristics of the icon might include one or more explicit questions concerning page  28 , concerning one or more visual, audible, or other elements of page  28 , or concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated. Desired icons  50  are incorporated into local versions of pages  28  at step  214 , singly or as a group. For example and not by way of limitation, owner  12  may click on, drag and drop, or otherwise incorporate desired icons  50  into the local version of pages  28 , singly or as a group. Alternatively, the incorporation might occur automatically in response to owner  12  simply specifying characteristics of icon  50 .  
     [0102] Owner  12 , through the wizard or in any other suitable manner, may create a separate directory containing a JAVASCRIPT or other script embodying tool  30  at step  216  and, at step  218 , may paste or otherwise incorporate a suitable call to the script into the software code of the local version of page  28 . After the tool  30  is incorporated into the local versions of pages  28 , owner  12  may use the wizard to upload or otherwise communicate modified pages  28  (now incorporating tool  30 ) to server  14  at step  220 , singly or as a group, to replace corresponding pages  28  (not incorporating tool  30 ) in website  26 . While an particular example embodiment is described in detail, tool  30  may be incorporated into one or more pages  28  of a website  26  in any suitable manner without departing from the intended scope of the present invention. For example, as an alternative, server  18  may communicate tool  30  and associated software components directly to server  14  for automatic incorporation into pages  28 , in response to a download request from owner  12 . After the pages  28  incorporating tool  30  are then uploaded to server  14 , the method ends. Tool  30  is communicated with page  28  to user  16  in response to user  16  accessing page  28  during a browser session.  
     [0103]FIG. 11 illustrates an example method of measuring feedback of user  16  to one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 . The method begins at step  300 , where user  16  establishes a connection to server  14  to access a particular page  28  of website  26  incorporating tool  30 . At step  302 , server  14  communicates page  28 , with incorporated tool  30 , to user  16  and, at step  304 , a separate directory containing the script associated with tool  30  is installed in some appropriate manner on the user&#39;s computer system. If page  28  is the first page  28  incorporating tool  30  that the user  16  has accessed during the browser session at step  306 , tool  30  attempts to determine at step  308  the IP or other electronic address for the user&#39;s computer system and, when technically feasible, the hostname for the user&#39;s computer system. At step  310 , the tool  30  attempts to store a cookie, token, or other appropriate message on the user&#39;s computer system, through the user&#39;s web browser or otherwise, containing the session identifier for the browser session. At step  312 , tool  30  may also store the time and date at which user  16  accessed the page  28 . At step  306 , if page  28  is not the first page  28  incorporating tool  30  that user  16  has accessed during the browser session, the method may proceed directly to step  312 . The present invention contemplates steps  304  through  312  occurring in any appropriate order, according to particular needs.  
     [0104] At step  314 , user  16  rolls an associated mouse pointer over icon  50 , points to and clicks on icon  50  using the mouse pointer, touches icon  50  using an associated touch screen, or otherwise selects tool  30  to provide feedback concerning the particular page  28 . As described more fully above, a multi-level subjective rating scale  60  associated with tool  32  may request user  16  to provide general feedback concerning page  28 , one or more multi-level subjective rating scales  72  associated with tool  34  may request the user  16  to provide specific feedback concerning page  28 , rating scale  60  and one or more rating scales  72  may appear in combination to request a combination of general and specific feedback concerning page  28 , or feedback concerning page  28  may be requested in any other suitable manner. In one embodiment, as described above, feedback concerning page  28  may include one or more responses to explicit questions posed to user  16  concerning page  28 , concerning one or more elements of page  28 , or concerning one or more items with which page  28  is logically associated. Such questions may be presented to user  16  instead of or in addition to a rating scale  60  or  72 . At step  316 , user  16  provides feedback using a suitable combination of tools  30 ,  32 , and  34 .  
     [0105] If tool  30  determines at step  318  that user  16  has not previously provided demographic information, based on the absence on the user&#39;s computer system of a cookie, token, or other message including a demographic user identifier, the tool  30  may prompt user  16  to provide sufficient demographic information using registration page  80  at step  320 . If user  16  provides requested demographic information at step  322 , tool  30  attempts to store a cookie, token, or other suitable message including a demographic user identifier on the user&#39;s computer system at step  324 . Tool  30  may communicate the demographic information and demographic user identifier to server  18  at step  326  for storage in database  40 . Alternatively, the tool  30  may wait to communicate the demographic information together with feedback information described below. At step  328 , tool  30  attempts to store a cookie, token, or other suitable message including a feedback user identifier on the user&#39;s computer system, preferably the same as the demographic user identifier described above. If tool  30  determines at step  318  that user  16  previously provided demographic information (in the same or in a previous browser session), based on there being a cookie, token, or other suitable message including a demographic user identifier stored on the user&#39;s computer system, the method may proceed directly to step  328 . Step  328  may occur before, during, or after steps  318  through  326 , as appropriate.  
     [0106] At step  330 , tool  30  temporarily stores feedback information on the computer system of user  16  and instructs the computer system to communicate the feedback information to server  18 . In one embodiment, the feedback information for page  28  may include, in any suitable combination and without limitation, the title, the URL, the start time and date, the feedback time and date, the feedback, the feedback user identifier, and web profile information. Tool  30  may continue to store the feedback user identifier for determining, in response to the user  16  subsequently accessing the particular page  28 , that user  16  has already accessed the particular page  28 . Tool  30  communicates feedback information, using the computer system of user  16 , to server  18  at step  332 . At step  334 , tool  30  may cause an icon  50  to become unviewable on the particular page  28  for the remainder of the browser session, until user  16  leaves the page  28  (being viewable again if user  16  returns to the page  28  during the browser session), or for any other suitable period.  
     [0107] At step  336 , server  18  manipulates and stores feedback information received from tool  30 . For example, server  18  may compute the time spent on the page  28  before user  16  provided the feedback. Server  18  stores any such computed feedback information, together with suitable feedback information received from tool  30 , in database  36 . If the received feedback information included a feedback user identifier, server  18  may attempt to match the feedback user identifier with a demographic user identifier stored in database  40 , to allow the server  18  to associate the demographic information for user  16  with the feedback information in database  36 . If user  16  has closed the web browser to terminate the browser session at step  338 , the cookies, tokens, or other messages stored on the user&#39;s computer system containing the session identifier and feedback user identifier may expire at step  340 , and the method ends. If user  16  instead accesses another page  28  that incorporates tool  30  during the browser session, the method returns to step  300 .  
     [0108]FIG. 12 illustrates an example method of reporting to owner  12  user feedback concerning one or more particular web pages  28  of a website  26 . The method begins at step  400 , where collection module  42  may perform a crawl or otherwise identify the pages  28  of website  26  incorporating tool  30 . At step  402 , collection module  42  may parse pages  28  to identify their titles, URLs, and any other appropriate information. At step  404 , the collection module  42  may generate a map or other report concerning the topography of website  26  and, at step  406 , store the map in the database  44 . At step  408 , owner  12  communicates a report request to server  18  and, at step  410 , the reporting module  46  prompts owner  12  to specify one or more criteria for use in generating the requested report  100 . Owner  12  provides the requested report criteria at step  412 .  
     [0109] The report criteria may include, for example and not by way of limitation: (1) whether a ratings table  102  or  152  is to be displayed; (2) the desired information that is to appear in the ratings table  102  or  152 ; (3) whether a chart  124  or  164  is to be displayed, instead of or in addition to ratings table  102  or  152 , respectively; (4) the type of chart  124  or  164  to be displayed (for example, chart  124  of FIG. 8A or chart  124  of FIG. 8B); (5) the desired information to appear in chart  124  or  164 ; (6) how the desired information is to be displayed in chart  124  or  164  (for example, specifying the use of color for regions  138  and lines  126 ); (7) whether chart  140  is to be displayed, instead of or in addition to ratings table  102  or chart  124 ; (8) a point of view for the report  100  or  150  (for example, specifying one or more demographic characteristics to which the report  100  or  150  is to be limited, one or more time periods to which report  100  or  150  is to be limited, or any other suitable points of view); and (9) any other suitable report criteria.  
     [0110] At step  414 , reporting module  24  accesses the map for website  26  stored in database  44 , feedback information for pages  28  stored in database  36 , and possibly demographic information for users  16  stored in database  40 . As described above, the demographic information relating to particular feedback information may be stored in association with the feedback information, in database  36  for example, when feedback information is received and processed. As a result, the reporting module  46  may not need to access database  40  to generate report  100  or  150 . At step  416 , reporting module  46  then generates the requested report  100  or  150 , concerning one or more particular pages  28  of website  26 , according to the specified report criteria. In one embodiment, reporting module  46  generates report  100  or  150  on the fly in response to the specific report request from owner  12 , without having previously stored report  100  or  150 . At step  418 , the reporting module  46  then communicates the requested report  100  or  150  to owner  12 .  
     [0111] If the owner  12  wishes to access another report  100  or  150  at step  420 , the method returns to step  412 , where the owner  12  provides new report criteria. In a particular embodiment, report  100  or  150  may provide hypertext or other appropriate links that, when selected, cause reporting module  46  to generate a new report  100  or  150  according to the selected link. The present invention contemplates owner  12  specifying new report criteria through selection of such a link, in the manner that owner  12  specified the original report criteria, or in any other appropriate manner. Preferably, owner  12  may navigate through at least reports  150  in substantially the same manner that users  16  might navigate through various pages  28  of website  26 , according to the topography of website  26 . As described above, this feature provides an important technical advantage of the present invention. Steps  412  through  420  may be repeated as many times as necessary or desirable to satisfy the needs of the owner  12 . If the owner  12  does not wish to access another report  100  or  150  at step  420 , the method ends.  
     [0112] Although the present invention has been described with several embodiments, a plethora of changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the invention encompass all such changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.