Web Metrics at the U'S' Geological Survey

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• Web Metrics at the U.S. Geological Survey

Web Metrics Panel Discussion Web Manager
University Fall Workshop September 19, 2006 Kit
Fuller Web Metrics Project Lead Geospatial
Information Office
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USGS overview

• Natural science agency in Department of Interior
• Science for a changing world
• Mission The USGS serves the Nation by providing
  reliable scientific information to describe and
  understand the Earth minimize loss of life and
  property from natural disasters manage water,
  biological, energy, and mineral resources and
  enhance and protect our quality of life.
• gt400 USGS locations
• 4 science disciplines
• Geospatial Information Office
• Information management and customer service

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USGS overview

• USGS science programs
• Biological Informatics Program
• Coastal and Marine Geology Program
• Contaminant Biology Program
• Cooperative Research Units - Biology
• Cooperative Topographic Mapping Program
• Cooperative Water Program
• Earth Surface Dynamics
• Earthquake Hazards
• Energy Resources Program
• Enterprise Information
• Fisheries Aquatic and Endangered Resources
  Program
• Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program
• National Geomagnetism Program
• Global Seismic Networks
• Ground Water Resources Program
• Hydrologic Networks and Analysis
• Hydrologic Research and Development
• International Programs

• USGS science programs
• Invasive Species Program
• Land Remote Sensing Program
• Landslide Hazards Program
• Mineral Resources Program
• National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program
• National Streamflow Information Program
• National Water Quality Assessment Program
• Priority Ecosystems Science
• Science Impact
• State Water Resources Research Institute Program
• Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program
  
• Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems
  Program
• Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
• Volcano Hazards Program
• Wildlife and Terrestrial Resources Program

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USGS Enterprise Web

• USGS Web presence is diverse and rich
• 460 major Web sites
• 112 million pages viewed monthly by public
• Most-visited sites represent a range of science
  topics
• USGS homepage
• Earthquake hazards program
• Publications Warehouse
• National Water Information System
• Water Resources of the United States
• Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
• Cascades Volcano Observatory
• Coastal and Marine Geology
• PDC Mars Global Surveyor

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USGS Web Metrics

• Web Metrics Working Group
• Collecting analyzing data
• Reporting quarterly
• Intranet site for more info access to data
• Usability studies

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The data and tools we use

• American Customer Satisfaction Index
• Nielsen//NetRatings
• Web logs (processed using Analog)
• AccMonitor
• Web Inventory and Registration system
• FAQ system
• Akamai

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Value in the data

• USGS homepage
• ACSI satisfaction data led to usability study of
  navigation
• Usability study led to redesign
• Fewer areas on homepage
• Better labeling of navigation links
• Better multi-modal access to diverse content

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Value in the data

• USGS Maps, Products, and Publications page
• Current State
• access to more than 20 web sites
• 40 of our surveyed Web customers
• were looking for maps and other products,
• and they gave satisfaction scores 20 points
• lower than other scores
• Source ACSI
• About 25 of email and phone calls
• with the public deal with difficulty in acquiring
• maps
• Source USGS internal information

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Value in the data

• USGS Maps, Products, and Publications page
• Desired State
• Unified web presence with easy access
• to the range of USGS maps, products,
  publications
• A showcase for USGS science and information
• One of the most popular Government websites
• for viewing and acquiring maps and other natural
• science information and products
• A model for established, federal e-commerce
• practices

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Value in the data

• Search Improvement
• Current State
• Feedback from users has identified
• Search as a priority
• USGS Web logs show search terms
• ACSI highlights search as a priority
• ACSI data show that 40 of USGS Web
• visitors use search, and their satisfaction
• scores are lower than other scores

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Value in the data

• Search Improvement
• Project Steps
• Search Improvement Team
• Bake-off
• Selection and implementation
• Coordination with thesaurus and other USGS find
  applications

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Value and Effectiveness

• Value information that enables USGS to improve
  effectiveness of USGS Web sites
• Effectiveness successful customer visits
• One measure of success
• Increasing number of visitors (expanding
  audience)
• Few page views per visitor (effective navigation)
• High satisfaction scores (happy customers)
• Excellent 508 scores

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Challenges

• Establishing and implementing standards for
  collecting, managing, and using Web metrics data
  across our very distributed Web presence

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Thank you

• Kit Fuller
• Geospatial Information Office
• Denver, CO 80225
• kitfuller_at_usgs.gov
• 303-202-4637