Analytic Data

Analytics

This section of the documentation covers the gathering and usage of analytical data in the Wayfinder application.

The collection of analytics serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating our ability to collect data and present it in a meaningful way. Secondly, it provides insight into geographic areas where users often require services but face long travel distances due to service unavailability.

By analyzing user search histories and comparing them with their locations, Wayfinder can determine the distances users would need to travel to access desired services. This information is valuable in identifying offices that are closer to users but lack necessary services.

Data Collected

The Wayfinder application collects various levels of anonymous usage data to enhance the user experience and gain valuable insight into the services users are searching for. The Wayfinder application currently collects the following data:

Data Type	Description
Reports	Any time a user sends a report through the application.
Search History	Information is collected on the offices or services that users are searching for.
Setting Changes	How frequently a user changes the settings and which settings are altered.
New Users	The number of app installations is tracked to understand the user base.
Frequency of Use	Data is collected on how often and when the application is being used.

All of these analytics include the device's current location. However, it is important to note that we do not collect any personal data that could link the location to a user or device. Everything Wayfinder collects is fully anonymous.

Wayfinder respects user privacy and wants to remain transparent about the data we collect.

Collection Strategy

Within Wayfinder, the creation of analytics objects takes place at various points, which are then sent to the /api/analytics endpoint. The structure of the analytics object adheres to the schema depicted in Figure 1.

The values for each field are as follows:

Field	Description
latitude/longitude	Non-optional fields indicating the user's current location
search	Optional field that captures the name of the office or service of interest
function	Non-optional field specifying the type of analytics being performed
serviceType	Optional field representing the type of office or service (HealthBC, ICBC, etc.)
setting	Optional field for specific setting changes
date	Non-optional (automated) field populated with the timestamp when the analytics object was created.

type Analytic {
  latitude: number;
  longitude: number;
  usage: {
    search?: string;
    function: 'find service' | 'find location' | 'report';
    serviceType?: string;
    setting? : {
        value: string | boolean
        type: string
    }
  };
  date: Date;
}

[Figure 1. Analytic schema]

An example of when an analytics object is generated is when a user submits a report. In such instances, an analytics object is created according to the structure outlined in Figure 1 and subsequently sent to the analytics endpoint.

Serving Analytic Data

Wayfinder developers make use of Microsoft PowerBI to create meaningful reports using the application's analytic data. The API serves the data through protected endpoints. Any software supporting the JSON format can make use of these endpoints for analysis.

The Wayfinder application has user accounts for displaying analytic data; more information on obtaining an account can be found in the API Documentation.

Opting Out of Analytics

Sending analytics is entirely at the user's discretion. If a user would like to opt out of sending analytic data, they can follow these easy steps to disable the functionality.

1. Open the home page of the application.

2. Select the gear icon located in the top-right corner.  

This will take you to the Settings page.

3. Uncheck the Analytics option.   

Congratulations! By following these instructions, you have successfully opted out of submitting any usage data to the Wayfinder application. If you decide to opt back in, you can simply follow these instructions again.