Abstract:
A web site response measurement tool is provided for collecting user reaction to a web site on a page-by-page basis and for providing online self-serve topographical linked reports displaying the collected data. Additional diagnostic information can be collected as well as user demographic information for assisting a web site owner in tailoring his/her web site to a specific audience.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to web site response measurement tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to tools for collecting and reporting user interaction with and response to a web site on a page-by-page basis. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     As computer networking technology continues to advance, many companies are scrambling to take advantage of intranets, extranets and the Internet to provide Web sites containing information about their business, to conduct transactions, and to build relationships. The Internet in particular has become an exciting new electronic marketplace that companies are exploring. A typical web site comprises a plurality of individual web pages linked together in a predetermined topography. Each web page provides specific categorical information. A user navigates through the web site by “clicking” on links embedded on the individual Web pages. The web sites typically provide information about the company and its products and/or services and/or are used to conduct transactions, or present advertisements. Web sites can be visited by employees, customers, investors, business partners, prospects and many others. 
     Employees can be looking for guidance and support information about the company. Customers may be making decisions about whether to do business with a company based on the image presented by the company&#39;s web site or actually conducting business via the Internet. Investors may be assessing the company&#39;s ability to create value based on its web site. Business partners and prospects may be searching for companies that are a good fit for them based on information presented in Internet web sites. 
     In order to improve the effectiveness of the web as a media, it would be helpful to collect and evaluate user reaction to web sites on a page by page basis. Thus, there is a need for a web site measurement tool for measuring user reaction to web sites through feedback provided by users. 
     Unique, idiosyncratic, unpredictable and individualized methods of requesting user feedback do not provide the kind of consistent and reliable data needed to properly evaluate a web site. Nor do they result in a consistent, high level of response. Users will typically not employ a response method that they must learn, that requires them to leave the page of interest, that takes an unpredictable length of time or that requests information they are not prepared to divulge. 
     Furthermore, inconsistent methods of obtaining user feedback prevent web site owners from comparing user reaction across web sites. Capturing feedback data on a web site level, rather than web page level, leads to confusion for users giving feedback as well as for web site owners interpreting the feedback data because definition and context of the data is ambiguous. Thus, there is a need for a web site response measurement tool that captures user reaction feedback data on a page-by-page basis, using a consistent, fast, convenient and predictable method to allow the feedback data to be compared across web pages and web sites throughout the world wide web. 
     To further increase the value of the user reaction, it is also desirable to associate user demographic information with a user&#39;s reaction feedback data. In this manner, a web site owner can tailor a web site to target a specific market segment by customer demographic. In order to encourage users to provide demographic information, a method for collecting the data that does not require the user to download special collection software or submit their information more than once must be designed. 
     Once user reaction feedback data is collected, it needs to be organized and reported in a format that is easy to understand and analyze. It is important that the data be presented to the web site owner in a fashion that emphasizes the site topography so that valuable page level data is not obscured. This requires unique navigational tools. 
     As described above, there is a need for a web site measurement tool that collects user reaction data on a page-by-page basis. Preferably, user demographic data is collected and reported with the user reaction data. The collected data must be reported in an easy-to-understand and analyze format on a page-by-page basis that emphasizes the web site&#39;s topography. Unique online self-serve navigational system linking user feedback to specific site pages and topography would facilitate the owner&#39;s interpretation and understanding of the user feedback data. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These needs and others are satisfied by the web site response measurement tool of the present invention. A web site response measurement tool according to the present invention comprises a user reaction feedback mechanism, means for consistently collecting user response data, means for organizing user response data on a page-by-page basis and means for reporting the user response data on a page-by-page basis and at an aggregate level through a unique online self-serve navigation system linking user feedback to site topography. The present invention also provides a means to collect demographic data for a user and associate it to that user. 
     The user reaction feedback mechanism is located on one or more web pages on a typical site. This allows a user to rate each page independently. The user reaction feedback mechanism provides a language-independent 5-point rating scale for rating each of the web pages. The user reaction feedback mechanism can further include a user diagnostic feedback mechanism that provides a series of questions designed to obtain user response on a plurality of aspects of each of the web pages. The questions can relate to the user&#39;s reaction to the content, design and usability of each web page. 
     Preferably, the user reaction feedback mechanism further comprises an icon placed in a specific viewable location on each web page relative to the web browser border. The icon is configured to remain in the viewable location relative to the browser border even as the user scrolls through the web page. The user feedback mechanism is easy-to-use, fact, predictable and consistent across pages and across sites to encourage usage. It may also be placed in the “masthead” area of a site and, thus, viewable from every page. 
     The web site response measurement tool can further include a user registration system for collecting user demographics information. The means for organizing the data associates the collected user demographics information with the user response data and the means for reporting associates the user demographics information with the user response data. 
     A self-serve online report is generated by the means for reporting. The report allows web site owners to navigate through their web site following the linked topography of the web site to view the user response data. The report provides a plurality of display pages for displaying the user response data on a page-by-page basis with each of the display pages comprising user response data for a corresponding web page along with links to each of the pages linked from this page. 
     The means for organizing the data further includes means for quantifying the user reaction data into a standardized measure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a computer network employing a web site measurement tool according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a screen capture of a computer screen displaying a web page including an icon representing the web site measurement tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a screen capture of a computer screen displaying a web page including the icon-based user reaction feedback mechanism of FIG. 2 showing a five-point rating scale; 
     FIG. 4 is a screen capture of a computer screen displaying a web page including an alternate user reaction feedback mechanism of FIG. 2 showing a series of three five-point rating scales; 
     FIG. 5 is a screen capture of a user demographic information entry screen according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a screen capture of a computer screen showing a topographical linked report according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In accordance with the present invention, a user response measurement tool is described that provides distinct advantages when compared to those of the prior art. The invention can best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawing figures. 
     Referring now to the Figures, a web site response measurement tool according to the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . The web site response measurement tool  10  is configured to operate on web pages in a computer network  12 , such as an intranet, extranet or the Internet. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a web site response measurement tool  10  according to the present invention operates to measure user reaction to an Internet web site on a page-by-page basis. In this embodiment, the computer network  12  comprises a user workstation  14 , a web site server  16 , a web site owner user workstation  18  and a data collection and reporting server  20  all connected via the Internet  22 . 
     The web site measurement tool  10  comprises a user reaction feedback mechanism  24 , a data collection program  26  and a system for reporting and navigating the collected data  28 . The user reaction feedback mechanism  24  resides on the web site server  16  until a user requests the page. At this point the user reaction feedback mechanism is downloaded onto the user workstation  14  and is embedded in the user&#39;s browser. The data collection program  26  and system for reporting the collected data  28  reside on the data collection and reporting server  20 . 
     The user reaction feedback mechanism  24  is incorporated into certain web pages  32  residing on the web site server  16 . For example, the user reaction feedback mechanism  24  comprises a client side script that is activated every time a web page  32  from the web site  30  is accessed. In the preferred embodiment, the user reaction feedback mechanism  24  comprises a Java®-script computer program configured to run on the user workstation  14  when a user accesses a web page  32 . 
     A user accesses a web page  32  residing on the web site server  16  from the user workstation  14  via the Internet  22  using an Internet browser  34 . Typically, only a portion of the web page  32  is viewable in the browser  34  window at a time. A user can scroll through the web page  32  changing the viewable portion. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the user reaction feedback mechanism  24  appears as an icon  36  in a predetermined location relative to the browser window border  38  on the viewable portion of the web page  32 . The icon  36  is configured to remain in the predetermined location as the user scrolls through the web page  32 . Alternatively, the icon  36  can be located in the masthead  35  area. 
     As the user moves the mouse pointer  40  over the icon  36 , the icon  36  changes into a five-point scale  41  and question mark  42 . The user can rate his/her reaction to the web page  32  by selecting a rating from the five point scale  41 . The rating is selected by moving the mouse pointer  40  over the desired rating and clicking the mouse button (not shown). Selecting the question mark  42  provides the user with detailed instruction on how to use the measurement tool  10 . 
     Upon selection of a rating by a user, the user reaction feedback mechanism  24  stores the following information in a data file  25  on the data collection and reporting server  20 : 
     page identification code; 
     Internet protocol address; 
     rating value (++, +, +/−, −, −−); 
     rating time and date; 
     time spent on page before rating it; 
     ID associated with the person rating the page (and desirably associated demographics); and 
     session ID. 
     In this manner, user reaction data to a web site  30  can be collected on a page-by-page basis providing definition and context to the data. 
     The user reaction feedback mechanism  24  can also include a user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46 . This icon  36  is similar but can be discriminated through color or other means from the single scale  41  measurement icon to maintain predictability and consistency from a user perspective. The user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46  is configured to present a series of three scales  47  to the user designed to obtain the user&#39;s reaction to various specific aspects of the web page  32  such as content, design and usability of the web page. 
     In this instance, the icon  36  is configured to open to reveal three scales  47  of 5 points each similar to the previous single scale  41 . The scales  47  are labeled “Content,” “Usability” and “Design.” The scales  47  are configured to rotate in position each time they are opened to eliminate response bias. 
     The user&#39;s responses to each of the questions presented by the user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46 , along with the information specified above, is also stored in the database  25  on the web site server  16 . 
     As with the user reaction feedback mechanism  24 , the user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46  collects user responses on a page-by-page basis. In this manner, the web site owner can use the data collected by the user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46  to identify specific aspects of a web page  32  that can be improved. 
     Additionally, a user registration system  48  can be included in the user reaction feedback mechanism  24  for collecting user demographic information. In a preferred embodiment, the user registration system  48  is implemented as a web page registration page  50 . As shown in FIG. 5, the web registration page  50  collects the following user information: 
     Nickname: 
     Email address (optional); 
     Password; 
     Gender; 
     Age (in ranges 10 or less, 11-17, 18-24, etc.); 
     Industry of user; 
     Employment (full-time, part-time, student, retired, etc.). 
     Additionally, the registration page  50  can collect the following information: 
     Size of household (1, 2, 3, 4, 4+); 
     Highest level of education; 
     Household income range; 
     Country of residence. 
     The registration page  50  includes entry fields  52  into which the user is prompted to enter the above demographic information. This demographic information can be used by the web site owner to tailor their page revisions to appeal to a certain segment of users. 
     User demographic information is stored in an independent database  27 . Each user is assigned a unique ID, preferably stored as a cookie on the user&#39;s workstation  14 , which is associated with their demographic profile. On subsequent use of the icon  36  by a registered user, the icon  36  may confirm that it recognizes the user by displaying their nickname and the word “thanks.” 
     The web site response measurement tool  10  of the present invention is configured to allow a web site owner to request reports showing user reaction to his/her web site  30  on a page-by-page basis. The web site owner requests a report by logging into the data collection and reporting server  20  via the Internet  22  from the web site owner&#39;s user workstation  18 . 
     When attempting to download the rating software onto a web site, the web site owner is prompted by the data collection and reporting server  20  to enter the following information: First Name, Last Name, Title, Company, Address, Email Address, Phone Number, Industry, and web site address. The data collection and reporting server  20  also sends a notification that the web site owner&#39;s web site  30  will be crawled and a copy of a License Agreement regarding the providing of a report to the web site owner. 
     Upon receiving the requested information from the web site owner, the data collection and reporting server  20  verifies the user ID and password by Email via the Internet  22 . The data collection and reporting server  20  conducts a web crawl to identify all of the web pages associated with this web site  30 . This crawl is repeated at a predetermined frequency, and may also be triggered by receiving data about a web page  32 . This information and site map are collected and organized by the data collection program  26  and stored in a data base  44  on the data collection and reporting workstation  20 . 
     All user reaction and demographic data and client registration data is stored in the databases  25 ,  27  and  44 . Submittal of this information is via an SSL secure server. All reports are generated on the fly from the databases  25 ,  27  and  44  by the data reporting system  28  on the data collection and reporting server  20 . The web site owner can access the data collection and reporting server  20  to view the graphical report  54  by using their user ID and password assigned. 
     There are three possible ways to navigate to user response data for a specific page: 1) via a scan report categorizing average page ratings by color, value of the rating and number of ratings on a single graph; 2) by a list of pages; and 3) from the web page. FIG. 6 illustrates a preferred scan report. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the data collection and reporting server  20  is configured to provide an initial summary report including the user reaction data on a five-point scale on a page-by-page basis for free. The web site server  20  is also configured to offer more detailed diagnostic reports including information collected by the user diagnostic feedback mechanism  46  and user demographic information collected by the user registration system  48  for a fee. Payment can be accepted by prepaid accounts, credit card submissions, telefaxed invoice or other means. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited except as may be necessary in view of the appended claims.