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Question 1

Methods to study user behaviour

Answer 1

Transaction-log analysis

This method involves analyzing records of user activities from a live system, such as what users clicked on or searched for.
example :By analyzing the transaction logs in a online book store , they find that most users search for books by author name rather than by book title. so the store understand the books will be searched more by authors name by dont know why users prefer this method ?
(e.g., it could be because the titles are hard to remember).

+Pro :Often millions of transactions from live information systems
-con: Only data from one system (and access is a problem!)

-con :No information on why people did something

-con :Problem of representativeness

example :A software company wants to test a new app feature. They bring in 20 users to a lab and observe them using the app. Through eye-tracking, they notice that users are not noticing the new feature because it’s placed in an unexpected part of the screen. This feedback can help the company redesign the app interface.
Limitation: Since only 20 users were tested, the results might not apply to all users of the app.

-con:Usually small-scale (10-100 participants)
+Pro :in-depth studies of user behaviour (e.g., eye-tracking, screen recordings, think-aloud)

-con: Problem of representativeness

• Questionnaires + sometimes tasks
• Researchers can ask people anything
• Questions on knowledge, opinions, usage
• Can be designed as representative studies (representative of what?)

Question 2

The Survey Method

Answer 2

Problem of time restrictions: Keep the survey long enough to be useful but short enough so people finish it. 50 guestions are long and 5 are not get enough information to us

Survey Method –> using 1.standardized questionnaires(استفاده از پرسشنامه های استاندارد برای جمع آوری داده ها از افراد) to gather data from people.
2.Allow for getting results fast (when the questionnaire is ready)
3.Know what you want to know in advance:
4. Data collection: Telephone, personal, online questionnaire
5. Typical questions:
* Questions on knowledge about something
* Questions on opinions about something
* Questions on frequencies: How often do you do something?
* Sometimes problematic (“How many queries do you enter each month?”)
6.
#Problem of phrasing questions:
Make sure your questions are clear so everyone understands them the same way.

Ensure survey participants reflect the larger group you’re studying.
Example: Surveying only football players about school cafeteria food won’t reflect what all students think. You need a variety of students for accurate results.

Question 3

Representativeness

Answer 3

Basic assumption: If we take a sample that represents the population (i.e.,
all persons/items of interest), then we can make statements about the
population.(فرض اساسی: اگر نمونه ای را انتخاب کنیم که نشان دهنده جامعه باشد (به عنوان مثال،
همه افراد/اقلام مورد علاقه)، سپس می‌توانیم درباره جمعیت اظهارنظر کنیم.)( If choose a sample that –>reflects the entire population, –> make generalizations about the whole group based on that sample.)

Example: German population vs. German voter population

• Users of an information system vs. potential users of that information system(both of the groupe –>more accurate )

§ Samples –>to be representative according to certain criteria.

• Gender, education level, income, etc.

§ Many questionable survey results (بسیاری از نتایج نظرسنجی مشکوک)result from the sample not being
representative.
( Many survey results –>can be misleading or questionable–> if the sample does not accurately represent the larger population.

Question 4

three different surveys :

Answer 4

Search Engine Use
2012–>
Focus: How people use search engines.
Respondents: 2,253 people in the U.S.

Method: Telephone interviews.

Eurobarometer 2016–>

Focus: Use of online platforms, personal data usage, and search engine use.

Respondents: 27,969 people across 28 EU countries.
Method: Face-to-face interviews.

Public awareness…
2022–>
Focus: Understanding and opinions on paid search marketing (PSM) and search engine optimization (SEO).
Respondents: 2,012 people in Germany.
Method: Online survey, which included tasks for respondents to complete.