Chris posted on the need for a new metric which could supplement traditional page-view metrics.
I’m going to add to the call-to-arms from the Enterprise point of view. The ability to understand not just what people click on, but the attention they give to elements of the new, rich media world is crucial. Detailed information that goes beyond “IP Address loaded page X” and various derivatives of this is crucial.
I touched on this in my earlier post about Syndication in the Enterprise, the model I proposed there includes an attention client and engine which collects the data independently of the RSS browser, but this could do SO much more.
Chris is correct when he says that there is a vast range of attention data, for example, YouTube videos, flash movies etc. etc. An open standard here for collecting and analysing this information would be a real boon to the emerging Attention arena.
Elias took up the conversation over here as well and raised an interesting point:
So before we come up with new measurement systems, lets spend more time determining why we are measuring. Simply saying we are better measuring what consumers are giving their attention to, is only part of the problem. We need to first determine what value we obtain from measuring that attention in the first place.
My push-back to both of them is simply this — I think we DO need a standard for aggregating attention data from all the different clients people use during a day, for the very simple reason that in Enterprises understanding what people are using and how they are using it is a crucial part of the delivery eco-system for information. It’s the feedback loop that lets you know you’re getting it right.
It may be useful for bloggers etc. as well, but I think the problem should be focussed on the Enterprise as this is where the “real” need is (I show my bias here, but I don’t believe I as a blogger need to know in great detail who looks at what, but as an Entprise of 160,000 people globally I do need to understand where and how my information is flowing).
What’s new in all this is not the concept — Advertisers have been doing this for years with demographics, TV ratings seasons, market surveys etc. etc., however what is now being proposed is a very finely tuned attention engine that understands (and helps others to understand) that most unique of individuals — you.
May 26th, 2007 at 11:14 am
The problem is that the software and internet industries (information sector is a better term) have expanded our notion of giving attention to something. Web-services, enterprise software, or just plain old “mass media” with an internet backbone - although they are all in need of the same thing (attention metrics), they are all so vastly different.
I think you saying enterprise matters is a good point, but then again the difference between desktop apps and web apps are more and more becoming blurry. The measurement system needs to be simple, and consistent - because then it becomes universally comparable
With a bit more thinking, we might be able to suggest a new solution offering in Project Cathedral
May 26th, 2007 at 11:40 am
For sure. This is why I think it needs a standard. Software is software, wether it’s on the net or not. For something to be universally comparable, and for software to communicate, there needs to be a standard to be based on.
From an Enterprise perspective, web Vs. desktop is actually irrelevant, it’s the information you consume. While we have some of this, it’s inherently incomplete (so we might know you read something on a blog, but not via e-mail etc.).
An open standard where applications can publish attention data would fill a real missing hole. A good attention engine could be an excellent example of a Poor - Rich application, poor in features, but rich in what it does well, which is reporting complex information clearly.
May 27th, 2007 at 11:17 am
I agree that Enterprises would greatly benefit from this sort of thing - but the marketplace does not make it friendly for startups to target the enterprise.
Most enterprises are wary of change. Even when they are open to it most require much more features to make the solution work in an enterprise environment. Even if you get past that barrier, however, you have to invest in sales and support teams to generate adoption. After all that, most enterprises don’t trust small startups and just wait for the big vendors to come with similar offerings.
All that being said, however, it is clear that consumer technologies are quickly being adopted by enterprises because those technologies are usually more end-user focused.
There was nothing worse than the old CRM and ERP systems that ended up causing a lot of headaches for end-users because they focused on enterprise objectives rather than making someone’s day better.
The attention stream data would be great to make though. I think it could be based on Attention.XML but it would need to encapsulate far more information than clickstreams.
May 27th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
[...] why start-ups should want to play with them…. Chris commented on my “Are you hearing me? Who needs a new metric post?” regarding my position that an Attention gathering standard (and more specifically an Attention [...]
May 27th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Chris,
I think the attention stream standard is a winner. Whether you can monetise a standard is a different question. Enterprises embrace standards because we are constantly screwed over by vendors who close their systems out. Interestingly most vendors are becoming increasingly more open at the moment.
I’ve taken this up here http://binaryplex.com/2007/05/27/what-start-ups-should-know-about-enterprises/ not really in direct response to this, but to expand my thoughts. That said, I think the key message is it’s all in the business case and benefit.
There is no doubt start-ups need a stronger business case than a Microsoft or IBM, but if that case is there (particularly if it’s a unique problem space) then I believe that Enterprises will pay for solutions. I would anyway
Maybe I’m just a unique Enterprise Architect.
Would like to talk more about developing this attention standard anyway as I think that it’s something I could see being adapted, especially if we can build security and usage rights into it somehow.
June 10th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
[...] key requirements, assumptions, and needs of what this magical metric is - will add value somewhere for [...]
July 8th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Hi
I can’t be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don’t have anything to say recently.
G’night