Analytics

quantitative
research methods
remote
unmoderated

Analytics is a core quantitative tool that informs other UX research methods. Specifically UX or Experience Analytics. UX Analytics measures user activity with a focus on analyzing the user journey over marketing focused metrics.

Analytics is an important part of complete mixed methods research (quantitative + qualitative) and informed product strategies. Analytics helps provide insight into what your users are doing.

Useful metrics/features from analytics tools are: Goals, user flows, session length and frequency, goal conversions, page views, time on view, events (clicks/taps, video watches, scrolling, submissions), timings.

Benefits of UX Analytics for Research

Provides evidence around user behavior.
Numerical and measurable data for UX efforts and support for qualitative research.
Relatively passive after setup, gathers data 24/7.
Provides fast results. Depending on usage, you may be able to get insights from existing data, or setup, run, and complete tests within hours.
Effective for supporting qualitative research and when reporting research insights.

Metrics for UX Analytics

Form Analysis: Form completion, time to completion.
User Flow Analysis: Order of a user's journey through the application.
Event Analytics: User actions taken in the application, like scrolling, video watches, and feature use.
Goal success and drop-off rates.
Pogo-sticking: Quick back and forth behavior between views.

Frameworks for UX Analytics and Metrics

HEART: Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, Task Success
CX Index: Customer Experience Index
AARRR: Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue
RARRA: Retention, Activation, Referral, Revenue, Acquisition

Improving the User Experience through Practical Data Analytics by Mike Fritz, Paul D. Berger

Improving the User Experience through Practical Data Analytics shows you how to make UX design decisions based on data―not hunches. Authors Fritz and Berger help the UX professional recognize the enormous potential of user data that is collected as a natural by-product of routine UX research methods, including moderated usability tests, unmoderated usability tests, surveys, and contextual inquiries.
Researching UX: Analytics by Luke Hay

Good UX is based on evidence. Qualitative evidence, such as user testing and field research, can only get you so far. To get the full picture of how users are engaging with your website or app, you'll need to use quantitative evidence in the form of analytics.
How to choose the right UX metrics for your product - Kerry Rodden