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ARCHIVED - Guidelines for Core KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
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10.0 Key Performance Indicators - Internet Channel
The Canadian Gateways team has published a definitive report on Internet Measurement identifying the suitability and meaning of specific web measures (for example, hits versus visits). Readers are asked to review this document (see Appendix B).
MAF Category: Citizen Focused Service
Metrics for Access
In the Internet Channel, the access theme includes measures concerning the availability of the site to potential site visitors.; There are two primary components to site availability:
- How easily can site visitors locate the site through search engines, links from other sites or via publication of the URL through other channels such as the phone and mail? and
- Is the site available for site visitors once it has been located?
Other qualitative characteristics contributing to access include compliance with W3C Accessibility Standards to ensure the site is fully inclusive and available to persons with disabilities.
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KPI: |
Search Engine Ranking |
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Description: |
Relevance ranking weighted from distribution of site visitors who entered the site through commercial search engines. Metric assumes that a high search engine rank provides maximum accessibility to those visitors who access the site via search. |
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Objective: |
Measures overall site access through search engines. |
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Definition: |
Sum of (relevance ranking multiplied by search engine referring count) divided by total search engine referrals |
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Derivation: |
Relevance rank from top five referring search engines using visitor representative sample of search terms |
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Suggested benchmark / Range: |
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Status: |
Proposed as a Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Direct Access Ratio |
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Description: |
Percentage of visits which access the site directly via same or known URL to total visitors.This metric assumes that visits accessing the site directly are either typing or pasting a URL in from another source (e.g. a brochure) or have bookmarked the site as a result of repeated visits. |
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Objective: |
Assessment of site 'memory' through known URL or bookmarking; |
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Definition: |
Visits arriving at any page in site who do not have a referring URL associated with the visit. |
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Derivation: |
Web traffic statistics counting visits arriving at site without referring URL. |
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Status: |
Proposed as a Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Server Availability Percentage |
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Description: |
Total available server hours over total planned server hours during reporting period. |
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Objective: |
Indicative of overall Internet service capacity |
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Definition: |
sum of total available server hours less scheduled maintenance hours divided by total planned server hours |
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Derivation: |
Server/Operating System Logs |
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Status: |
Proposed as a Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Referral percentage |
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Description: |
Percentage of total visits arriving at the site from planned referral sites. This KPI can be further broken down into specific sites: e.g. GoC Gateways, other GoC sites, other jurisdictions etc. |
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Objective: |
Measures another access route to the site and can be used to adjust access strategies. |
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Definition: |
Total visits arriving from specified websites divided by total visits. |
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Status: |
Proposed as Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Conversion Rate |
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Description: |
Rate at which visitors initiate transactions and reach the 'submit' page. |
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Objective: |
Key Measure of overall service level and visitor satisfaction |
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Definition: |
Total visits reaching "submit" pages divided by total visits viewing transaction start pages. |
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Derivation: |
web monitoring package |
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Suggested benchmark / Range: |
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Status: |
Proposed as Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Abandonment Rate |
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Description: |
Rate at which visitors initiate transactions but do not reach the 'submit' page PLUS visitors exiting site from non-content pages |
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Objective: |
Key Measure for overall service level. |
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Definition: |
Visits with unsatisfactory exit pages divided by total visits |
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Derivation: |
web traffic statistics |
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Suggested benchmark / Range: |
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Status: |
Proposed as Operational Measure |
Metrics for Delay
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KPI: |
Average Visit Duration |
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Description: |
The average duration of a visit. This metric can provide some indication of visitor need. However as more and more transactions are put online, statistics for visit duration may need to be separated according to type of visit (e.g. transactional, browse, search) |
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Objective: |
Assessment of site "stickiness" - overall relevance of site content and transactions to visitors' requirements. |
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Definition: |
Total elapsed seconds from site entry at any page to site exit for all visits divided by number of visits |
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Derivation: |
Measured by web traffic software. |
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Status: |
Recommended as an operational measure. |
Metrics for Quality
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KPI: |
Site Error Messages |
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Description: |
Capture of all computer identified error conditions. Such as page not found message, invalid links, transaction aborts etc. |
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Objective: |
Improves overall site quality and response. |
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Definition: |
Total 'error' page views divided by total visits |
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Derivation: |
Web activity tracking |
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Status: |
Recommended as Core KPI |
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KPI: |
Internet Channel Feedback |
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Description: |
Total criticisms, complaints and compliments categorized into effective topics, received through all sources. It is recognized by working group that this is difficult to track today. However, it is recognized as high value. |
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Objective: |
Contributes to program integrity. |
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Definition: |
Count of complaints by topic over reporting period. |
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Derivation: |
E-Mail, Phone Incident Tracking System, Ministerial Correspondence system |
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Status: |
Recommended as an operational measure but not currently used within most departments. |
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KPI: |
Professionalism |
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Description: |
Encompasses a range of soft skills that govern the approach to delivering accurate information and reliable services. |
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Objective: |
Identifies and reinforces effective web design and web authoring skills. |
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Definition: |
Best measured through the use of focus groups and independent testing organizations. Some input may be available from Media Metrics. Quality of e-mail responses where implemented can be verified by Email Response Management System (# of QA corrections, etc). |
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Status: |
Proposed as Core KPI but must be further developed by working group. |
Metrics for Client Satisfaction
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KPI: |
Client Satisfaction Level |
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Description: |
Application of Common Measurement Tool (CMT) to assess and benchmark client satisfaction |
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Objective: |
Primary indicator of client perception of service quality, measured repeatedly, trends provide strong evidence of service improvement levels |
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Derivation: |
The multi-channel survey tool will be used (at a minimum) to determine the core measures relevant to the Internet channel. As well, period exit surveys should be conducted upon site exit. Timeliness of speed of e-mail response can also be measured. |
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Status: |
Proposed as Core KPI |