Explorations

Analytics offers a library of templates for building explorations, which are key elements for performing product and behavioral analysis, and visualizing the results in Analytics.

The following templates are available:

Report

Report templates are used for specific structured analyses such as event segmentation and retention.

• Event segmentation – Enables the study of specific events initiated by distinct user groups, showing their actions within a product.
• Retention – Enables the study of behavioral patterns of actors, such as users, to drive retention and reduce churn.
• Impact – Helps increase product adoption by analyzing the proportion of actors that return to use your product.
• Funnel – Maps the flow of website visitors to specific funnel steps that result in conversions or signups.
• Paths – Provides a unified view of users' paths through the product.

Report templates in Analytics follow a common structure using the following modules:

• Measures – Enables the selection of metrics to be analyzed.
• Events – Enables the specification of user activities and interactions to be used as a basis for analysis. The configuration of this section varies based on the template type.
• Segmentation – Enables comparative analysis using different cohorts and attributes.
• Visualization – Enables the execution, viewing, and customization of the visualization representing the exploration results.

Ad hoc analysis

 Ad hoc analysis templates are used for arbitrary, unstructured exploratory analysis.

• SQL – Provides comprehensive support for SQL (Structured Query Language) and enables you to create explorations based on the results of a SQL query.
• NetScript – Facilitates a NetScript-based query-building experience that you can use when there is a need for complex, code-based analysis.
• Universal exploration – Lets you slice and dice multiple measures, using attributes, filters, and segments by seamlessly combining BI and event analytics.
• Experiment scorecard – Enhances experimentation results by integrating Optimizely Experimentation data with additional insights from your data warehouse.

Basic actions in explorations

In addition to the regular creation and configuration flow, exploration templates in Analytics also have other options available to users. 

Prerequisites​

If you are new to Analytics, you must do a few things before creating an analysis. Here’s a Quick Start Guide to help you start the process. Also, here are some basic Terms and Concepts in Analytics that you can familiarize yourself with.

Create an exploration​

You can create an exploration in Analytics in the following ways:

• Click + on the navigation panel and choose the exploration of your choice.

  

• Click + New and choose the exploration of your choice.

  

• Select the exploration of your choice from the quick actions section on the home page.

  

• Go to Catalog (folder icon) > Explorations > + New on the navigation panel and select the exploration of your choice.

  

Edit exploration​

1. Go to the exploration you want to edit on the home page and click More (⋮) > Edit.
2. Make necessary edits and click Save.

   

Duplicate exploration​

1. Open the exploration you want to edit and click More (⋮) > Save As.
2. Add a name and description for the duplicate, choose the folder you want to add, and click Apply.
3. Click Save.

   

Add exploration to dashboards​

1. Open the exploration you want to add to a dashboard.
2. Click More (⋮) > Add to Dashboard and choose from two options:
   • Pick a Dashboard
   • New Dashboard

     

Configure sampling​

1. Click the lightning icon in the visualization window and choose a sampling mode:
   • Enabled – Faster Response
   • Enabled – Higher Precision
   • Disabled
2. Click Apply.

   

Refresh exploration​

Click the refresh icon in the visualization window.

Delete exploration​

There are two ways to delete an exploration.

Option 1​

1. Click More (⋮) > Delete on the home page.
2. Click Delete in the confirmation dialog.

   

Option 2​

1. Open the exploration you want to delete and click More (⋮) > Delete
2. Click Delete in the confirmation dialog.