ANLY482 AY2016-17 T2 Group7: Gap Analysis
Excessive System Logging of Search Queries
In our EDA, we discovered that there exists a problem of excessive system logging of search queries. We have found 2 examples of such occurrence:
| Time | Search Query Logged |
|---|---|
| 12:55:02PM | Re |
| 12:55:04PM | Resol |
| 12:55:06PM | Resoluti |
| 12:55:08PM | Resolution |
Example 1: Log data is logged every 2 second
| Key Press | Search Query Logged |
|---|---|
| 1st Key Press: T | T |
| 2nd Key Press: r | Tr |
| 3rd Key Press: u | Tru |
| 4th Key Press: m | Trum |
| 5th Key Press: p | Trump |
Example 2: Log Data is logged with every key press
In our analysis, these presents a problem to us in the form of how do we determine which is the actual search query that a User is searching for? As illustrated by the example by ‘User A’ below, in a single session logged by ‘User A’, there may be multiple search queries searched by users. In this case, we used 3 search queries as an example. The challenge to us is to sieve out which are the search queries (eg. Jack, Singapore) that User A is searching for when it is not the end of the session for him.
Eg. List of 3 Search Queries being logged with every key press by User A:
[ Start of Session for User A ]
Re
Regu
Regula
Regulati
Regulation
Ja
Jack
Si
Sing
Singap
Singapor
Singapore
[ End of Session for User A ]
We decided that this shortfall not only affects us as project analysts, but to other stakeholders as well.
Interim Gap Analysis by Stakeholders
The Actual Performance in this case would be if everything remains status quo, meaning the problem of multiple logging of search queries would persist.
The Desired Performance in this case would be if this problem does not exist and 1 line of logging is created for 1 full, actual search query.
| Stakeholders Involved/Impact of Performance | Actual Performance | Desired Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Our Team as Project Analysts | Presents a problem whereby we need to find out how to determine which line of search query logged is the actual, full search query by end-users so that we can begin the analysis from there | Every line of search query would be the actual, full search query by end-users so we need not clean the dataset even further, thereby reducing the amount of work we have to do and saves time which can be better spent in progressing the analysis |
| End-Users of Library’s e-Resources | Presents a problem whereby end-users may experience unnecessary lag in obtaining the results from their search queries | No lag when completing searches would mean a better overall user experience. Furthermore, such seamless experience would mean that the system do not stand in the way of the intensive research that students have to do in their course of study, but rather serving as an effective aid to them. |
| Library Team as Project Sponsors for this Practicum | Presents a problem whereby the project sponsors run a risk of the project analysts not being able to sieve out the line of search queries which are full, actual and useful to determine the accurate search queries that users are actually searching for | No such problem as whatever the search query is, it would be logged as exactly that. |
| Library Team in charge of ensuring that the EzProxy server serves the users in the best possible way | Wastage of resources and can potentially slow down the servers when multiple logs are triggered and recorded before searches are completed. This utilizes processing RAM of the server unnecessarily and takes up precious memory space when being recorded as a line of search query. | There would be no wastage of server’s processing RAM and memory space as 1 line of logging would be created for 1 full, actual search query entered by users. |
