Tools for Identifying Users Top Tasks

1
Tools for Identifying Users Top Tasks

• Tim Evans
• Social Security Administration
• Office of Electronic Services

2
Agenda

• Detailed Visitor Segmentation via ACSI
• Aggregating Segmentation Data
• But, Dont forget the Long Tail
• Other Data Sources and Tools
• Target Pages
• Continuous Measurement

3
Detailed Segmentation Data from ACSI Surveys--I

• Custom Question Which of the following best
  describes you?
• 10 choices (General Public, Beneficiary,
  Applicant, Employer, Student, Professional, etc.)
• Segments range from 24 (General Public) to 3
  (Student, Accountant)
• Too much detail, yet open-ended Other is
  13--fourth largest segment
• ACSI Overall Satisfaction scores for each segment

4
Detailed Segmentation Data from ACSI Surveys--II

• Custom Question What was the Main Reason for
  your Visit Today?
• 24 choices, ranging from specific (Replace SS
  Card/Change my Address or Apply for Benefits) to
  general (Research Social Security)
• Largest defined segment (11) Get info about the
  Social Security Disability program
• Most 5 or less
• ACSI Overall Satisfaction (54-100 range)
• Too much detail, yet open-ended Other is
  21--nearly 2x largest defined segment

5
Detailed Segmentation Data from ACSI Surveys--III

• Custom Question Did you find the Info you were
  looking for or successfully complete your on-line
  transaction?
• Yes 52 (Satisfaction 85)
• No 20 (37)
• Still Looking (when survey popped) 26 (62)
• Not Looking for anything specific 2 (81)

6
Aggregating Segmentation Data

• 24 (or even 10) segments is too many for Top-Task
  identification3-8 may be optimal
• Segment customers by aggregating related
  categories based on their intent
• First Cut for SSA
• Citizens
• Businesses/Employers
• Government

7
Top Tasks at SSA.gov Citizens

• General Information Gathering - Citizens not
  getting benefits, not trying to, new to Website,
  general updates (25-30)
• Applying for a Social Security Number or Card -
  Citizens applying for SSN, replacement card, new
  card (10-15)
• Applying for Benefits or Filing an Appeal -
  Citizens not currently getting benefits but
  actively trying to (14-17)
• Current Benefit Recipients Reporting Changes or
  Seeking Additional Information - Citizens
  reporting changes to their status want more
  information about their benefits (18-20)
• Future Planning - Citizens requesting earning
  statements online, using calculators or planning
  tools (20-25)

8
But, Dont Forget The Long Tail

• Long-known feature of statistical distributions
• The long tail may comprise the majority
• You may find the unexpected--and remember those
  large Other segments

9
Other Data Sources/Tools

• Baseline data for your future measurements
• Web log analysis popular entry/exit pages
  search terms
• Conversion click-track path analysis
• Nielsen//NetRatings demographics
• ACSI Search scoressearch engine log
  analysisMaxamine SEO analysis
• ACSI Navigation scoresMaxamine page depth
  analysis
• WebMaster e-mails accesses of your FAQs

10
Target Pages

• You think you know where you want users to go
• Measure if they go there how they get there
  what they do there, what they do next, where they
  bail out
• How do measurements differ from your baseline
  data?
• What do measurements tell you about what you
  thought you knew about your customers behavior?
• Now, youre getting data on which to base
  decisions
• How can you increase accesses of your target
  pages?
• Be open to unexpected results
• Are your target pages really the right ones after
  all?
• Are there popular pages you dont know about and
  should use to get users to your targets?

11
(No Transcript)
12
Continuous Measurement

• All this data should be leading you to decisions
  about helping your customers meet their Top Tasks
• So, you implement changes, then what?
• Measure Again Reasons for Visit, Primary
  Purpose, Did you FindDid they change?
• And again How did your web logs, ACSI scores,
  demographics, conversion rate, click-path tracks,
  change?
• And again Whats happened to accesses of your
  Target Pages?
• Finally, now you have more data, for more
  decisions about improvementBack to Top

13
Questions?

• Tim Evans, Social Security Administration
• tim.evans_at_ssa.gov
• [phone]
• http//www.socialsecurity.gov/