Using web server logs to improve site design

Abstract

Many web page designers may be unaware that web servers record transaction information each time they send a file to a browser. Others may know that a server log exists but they may see it only as a source of general statistical information such as site use distributed over time or counts of the number of times that each page was served. This paper describes how server logs can be used to give designers a much more detailed view of how users are accessing their site. Server logs can be used to monitor use patterns and employ them to improve the design and functionality of the web site. Web log data has been used to analyze and redesign a wide range of webbased material, including: online tutorials, databases, fact sheets, and reference material.