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If you are asked to provide web analysis sometimes you might find those asking for analytics might be unsure of a site's architecture, type of analytics or measurement they need or collection of data available.

Here's a brief to elicit information on the website that is needed to deliver web analysis.

1. Site overview

1.1 What are the objectives/ purpose of the site?
See An approach to web analytics

1.2 What are the goals within the site?

• Business scenarios: series of pages or steps leading to the completion of goals or objectives
• Content groups: related pages that share the same role or purpose

1.3 What are the KPIs (key performance indicators) within the site?

• How is progress usually measured? For example, what data is sought after in reports?
• See An approach to web analytics

2. Site details

2.1 Parent Domains:

• List website domains for analysis/ reporting?
• List target countries?
• Provide logins / test accounts for access to logged-in/ account areas within the site

2.2 Sub domains:

• List any sub domains that should be included in the analysis/ reporting?
• For example, micro areas/ etc.

2.3 Technology:

• Does the site contain applications or objects where KPI's should be measured? For example, Ajax, Flash, Silverlight, etc?
• Confirm if key events within the applications/ objects are configured for data collection into the analytics solution
  
• Provide brief descriptions for key features, functionality, processes
• Provide a sitemap and/or flow diagram to illustrate site layout, relationships, key processes

2.4 Architecture/ structure:

• Is the site hosted on a single server or split between servers or locations?
• If the site is split describe the relationship between each divide and the analytics solutions used

3. Web analytics and reporting

3.1 Current web analytics solution used

• Name of the solution?
  
• Is the solution on-demand (web) or software (log files)?
• Provide a login
  
• If custom reports are available provide a description for each report
  
• Explain the logic for custom reporting - configuration to the site and metrics/ KPIs measured
  
• Confirm if the solution has an account manager or customer services that can be contacted directly for further queries
  
• Provide contact details
• Are there 3rd party applications or integration that cross over/ affect analytics or reporting?
• Website
• Databases/ other systems
• Reporting
  

3.2 If the site does not use a web analytics solution can server log files be provided?

• Confirm if daily log files are available (preferred)
  
• Confirm the start and end dates of the logs available?
• Confirm the format/ file type/ compression of logs files available?
• Provide 1 week to 1 months sample of logs for initial testing
  

4. Third party involvement

• Describe the project work a 3rd party has done or currently doing to the site.
• Essential to list page URLs and Dates, any updates/ additions that went live or planned
• Provide brief descriptions for key features, functionality, key processes
• Provide a sitemap and/ or flow diagram to illustrate site layout, relationships, key processes
• Provide login details / test accounts - for access to logged in areas

5. Deliverables

5.1 Areas of analysis required?
See An approach to web analytics

5.2 Reporting or analysis

• Reporting  (see KPIs - An approach to web analytics)
• Counts/ ratios (current as well as past situation)
  
• Provides measurement
• Provide goal or KPI targets to measure against
  

• Analytics
  
• Actionable insight (looks forward to the future)
• Provides recommendations for opportunities or improvement

5.3 Estimated time to extract, compile and analyze data would depend on,

• Number of Web analytics solutions to pull data from
  
• Number of domains
• Number of countries