System and method for measuring and reporting user reactions to particular web pages of a website

• US 6,606,581 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpinionLab Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nickerson, Rand B., Treschl, Mark A., Kidd, Kathryn L., Crofoot, Matthew J., Samata, A. Gregory, Mason, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US09/595,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 702/62, 702/119, 702/123, 702/179, 702/182-188, 707/500, 709/202, 709/217, 709/224, 345/760, 345/326
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A system (10) for measuring a user reaction to a particular web page (28) of a website (26) includes a viewable icon (50) that solicits a subjective reaction to the particular page (28) from a user (16) that has accessed the particular page (28). The system (10) further includes software associated with the icon (50) that receives the subjective user reaction for reporting to a website owner (12). Software associated with the icon (50) may be incorporated into software of the particular page (28). Software associated with the icon (50) may include a call to a directory containing a script that receives the user reaction.

Claims

1. A system for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning each of a plurality of particular web pages of a website, the system comprising:

an icon viewable on each of the plurality of particular web pages of the website independent of input from a user subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page, the icon soliciting page-specific user feedback concerning a particular web page from the user independent of input from the user subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page, the icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the plurality of particular web pages; and

software associated with the icon and operable to receive the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page for reporting to a website owner, the page-specific user feedback comprising one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the particular web page as a whole and one or more associated page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page, the page-specific user feedback allowing the website owner to access page-specific subjective user ratings and associated page-specific open-ended comments across the plurality of particular web pages of the website to identify one or more particular web pages of the website for which the page-specific user feedback is notable relative to page-specific user feedback for other particular web pages of the website.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of each particular web page and the user need not download software separate from a particular web page to provide the page-specific user feedback.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the page-specific user feedback.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the icon comprises a multi-level rating scale for receiving a page-specific rating of the particular web page as a whole, the multi-level rating scale including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each rating comprises one of a plus sign and a minus sign.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the page-specific subjective ratings comprise at least one of:

a page-specific subjective rating of the particular web page as a whole; and

a specific page-specific subjective rating of at least one characteristic of the particular web page as a whole.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the characteristic of the particular web page as a whole comprises one of content, design, and usability.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the icon comprises a plurality of multi-level rating scales each associated with a particular characteristic of the particular web page as a whole, each of the rating scales including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each characteristic comprises one of content, design, and usability.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the page-specific user feedback comprises a response to an explicit question presented to the user.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the icon comprises one of a plus sign, a minus sign, and alternating plus and minus signs.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular web page is not viewable in its entirety within a browser window of the user, the icon remaining viewable in the browser window in response to the user scrolling to a previously unviewable portion of the particular web page.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon causes the icon to become unviewable in response to the page-specific user feedback and to remain unviewable while the user remains on the particular web page.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is operable to receive demographic information from the user, in response to the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page, for reporting to the website owner in association with the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the particular web page in response to a request from the website owner, the request specifying one or more characteristics of the icon.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer system operable to display the particular web page to the user.

18. A system for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning each of a plurality of particular web pages of a website, comprising:

a first viewable icon associated with each particular web page and operable to solicit one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the particular web page as a whole from each user that has accessed the particular web page, the first icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the particular web pages, the first icon comprising one or more multi-level rating scales each including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating;

a second viewable icon associated with each particular web page and operable to solicit one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page for association with one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the particular web page, the second icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the particular web pages; and

software associated with the first and second icons and incorporated into the software for each particular web page such that the user need not download software separate from a particular web page to provide one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the particular web page or one or more associated open-ended comments concerning the particular web page, the software associated with the first and second icons comprising a call to a directory containing a script operable to receive the user reactions, the software associated with the first and second icons operable to receive the page-specific user feedback for reporting to a website owner.

19. A method for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning each of a plurality of particular web pages of a website, the method comprising:

using an icon viewable on each of the plurality of particular web pages of the website independent of input from a user subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page to solicit page-specific user feedback concerning a particular web page from the user independent of input from the user subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page, the icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the plurality of particular web pages; and

using software associated with the icon to receive the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page for reporting to a website owner, the page-specific user feedback comprising one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the particular web page as a whole and one or more associated page-specific open-ended comments concerning the particular web page, the page-specific user feedback allowing the website owner to access page-specific subjective user ratings and associated page-specific open-ended comments across the plurality of particular web pages of the website to identify one or more particular web pages of the website for which the page-specific user feedback is notable relative to page-specific user feedback for other particular web pages of the website.

20. The method of claim 19, herein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of each particular web page and the user need not download software separate from a particular web page to provide the page-specific subjective user feedback.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

using the software associated with the icon to call to a directory containing a script; and

using the script to receive the page-specific user feedback.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the icon comprises a multi-level rating scale for receiving a page-specific rating of the particular web page as a whole, the multi-level rating scale including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each rating comprises one of a plus sign and a minus sign.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein each page-specific subjective rating comprises at least one of:

a general page-specific subjective rating of the particular web page as a whole; and

a specific page-specific subjective rating of at least one characteristic of the particular web page as a whole.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the characteristic of the particular web page as a whole comprises one of content, design, and usability.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the icon comprises a plurality of multi-level rating scales each associated with a particular characteristic of the particular web page as a whole, each of the rating scales including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein each characteristic comprises one of content, design, and usability.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the page-specific user feedback comprises a user response to an explicit question presented to the user.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the icon comprises one of a plus sign, a minus sign, and alternating plus and minus signs.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the particular web page is not viewable in its entirety within a browser window of a user; and

the method further comprises causing the icon to remain viewable within the browser window in response to the user scrolling to a previously unviewable portion of the particular web page.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

causing the icon to become unviewable in response to the page-specific user feedback; and

causing the icon to remain unviewable while the user remains on the particular web page.

33. The method of claim 19, further comprising using software associated with the icon to receive demographic information from a user, in response to the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page, for reporting to the website owner in association with the page-specific user feedback concerning the particular web page.

34. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a request from the website owner; and

incorporating software associated with the icon into software of the particular web page in response to the download request.

35. A system for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning an e-mail message that comprises one or more pages, the system comprising:

an icon viewable on at least one page of the e-mail message independent of input from a user subsequent to the user accessing the page of the e-mail message, the icon soliciting page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message from the user independent of input from the user subsequent to the user accessing the page of the e-mail message; and

software associated with the icon and operable to receive the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message for reporting to an entity associated with the e-mail message, the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message comprising one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the page of the e-mail message as a whole and one or more associated page-specific open-ended comments concerning the page of the e-mail message.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the page of the e-mail message and the user need not download software separate from the page of the e-mail message to provide the page-specific user feedback.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the page-specific user feedback.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the icon comprises a multi-level rating scale for receiving a page-specific rating of the particular web page as a whole, the multi-level rating scale including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein each rating comprises one of a plus sign and a minus sign.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the page-specific subjective ratings comprise at least one of:

a page-specific subjective rating of the page of the e-mail message as a whole; and

a specific page-specific subjective rating of at least one characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole comprises one of content, design, and usability.

43. The system of claim 35, wherein the icon comprises a plurality of multi-level rating scales each associated with a particular characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole, each of the rating scales including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each characteristic comprises one of content, design, and usability.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the page-specific user feedback comprises a response to an explicit question presented to the user.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the icon comprises one of a plus sign, a minus sign, and alternating plus and minus signs.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein the page of the e-mail message is not viewable in its entirety within a window of the user, the icon remaining viewable in the window in response to the user scrolling to a previously unviewable portion of the page of the e-mail message.

48. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon causes the icon to become unviewable in response to the page-specific user feedback and to remain unviewable while the user remains on the page of the e-mail message.

49. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon is operable to receive demographic information from the user, in response to the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message, for reporting to the entity associated with the e-mail message in association with the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message.

50. The system of claim 35, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the page of the e-mail message in response to a request from the entity associated with the e-mail message, the request specifying one or more characteristics of the icon.

51. The system of claim 35, further comprising a computer system operable to display the page of the e-mail message to the user.

60. The method of claim 50, wherein the characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole comprises one of content, design, and usability.

52. A system for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning an e-mail message that comprises one or more pages, comprising:

a first viewable icon associated with each page of the e-mail message and operable to solicit one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the page of the e-mail message as a whole from each user that has accessed the page of the e-mail message, the first icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the pages of the e-mail message, the first icon comprising one or more multi-level rating scales each including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating;

a second viewable icon associated with each page of the e-mail message and operable to solicit one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the page of the e-mail message for association with one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the page of the e-mail message, the second icon appearing identically and behaving consistently on each of the pages of the e-mail message; and

software associated with the first and second icons and incorporated into the software for each page of the e-mail message such that the user need not download software separate from a page of the e-mail message to provide one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the page of the e-mail message or one or more associated open-ended comments concerning the page of the e-mail message, the software associated with the first and second icons comprising a call to a directory containing a script operable to receive the user reactions, the software associated with the first and second icons operable to receive the page-specific user feedback for reporting to an entity associated with the e-mail message.

53. A method for measuring page-specific user feedback concerning an e-mail message that comprises one or more pages, the method comprising:

using an icon viewable on at least one page of the e-mail message independent of input from a user subsequent to the user accessing the page of the e-mail message to solicit page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message from the user independent of input from the user subsequent to the user accessing the page of the e-mail message; and

using software associated with the icon to receive the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message for reporting to an entity associated with the e-mail message, the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message comprising one or more page-specific subjective ratings of the page of the e-mail message as a whole and one or more associated page-specific open-ended comments concerning the page of the e-mail message.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the page of the e-mail message and the user need not download software separate from the page of the e-mail message to provide the page-specific user feedback.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the page-specific user feedback.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the icon comprises a multi-level rating scale for receiving a page-specific rating of the particular web page as a whole, the multi-level rating scale including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein each rating comprises one of a plus sign and a minus sign.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the page-specific subjective ratings comprise at least one of:

a page-specific subjective rating of the page of the e-mail message as a whole; and

a specific page-specific subjective rating of at least one characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole.

61. The method of claim 53, wherein the icon comprises a plurality of multi-level rating scales each associated with a particular characteristic of the page of the e-mail message as a whole, each of the rating scales including at least one positive rating, a neutral rating, and at least one negative rating.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein each characteristic comprises one of content, design, and usability.

63. The method of claim 53, wherein the page-specific user feedback comprises a response to an explicit question presented to the user.

64. The method of claim 53, wherein the icon comprises one of a plus sign, a minus sign, and alternating plus and minus signs.

65. The method of claim 53, wherein the page of the e-mail message is not viewable in its entirety within a window of the user, the icon remaining viewable in the window in response to the user scrolling to a previously unviewable portion of the page of the e-mail message.

66. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon causes the icon to become unviewable in response to the page-specific user feedback and to remain unviewable while the user remains on the page of the e-mail message.

67. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon is operable to receive demographic information from the user, in response to the page, specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message, for reporting to the entity associated with the e-mail message in association with the page-specific user feedback concerning the page of the e-mail message.

68. The method of claim 53, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the page of the e-mail message in response to a request from the entity associated with the e-mail message, the request specifying one or more characteristics of the icon.